We Tried To Write A Hit Christmas Song - YouTube

- Literal bells.

- There we go.

(bells jingling)

- There we go.

Christmas (bleep).

(holiday music)

- [Selorm] Christmas music, in my opinion,

is one of the most interesting genres.

Chances are, you're listening to Christmas classics

that were made decades ago.

In fact, the two most modern songs that you'll

probably find on Billboard's top Christmas list

are "All I Want For Christmas Is You"

by Mariah Carey, and "Last Christmas" by Wham!

Many artists don't even bother to write

original Christmas songs knowing they can make a killing

singing the same classics that everyone already knows.

So I thought, what's the harm in trying

and while fiddling around with my ukulele,

I came up with this:

I had a feeling that I was on to something

so I asked my college friend Irene

to co-write the song with me.

- My name is Irene.

Despite my musical background, I don't feel

all too confident in writing music.

I'm more of a singer and piano player.

- I love songwriting but I feel like I've never

tried to challenge myself.

But it would be really cool to try something different

like a Christmas song.

- [Selorm Voiceover] Even though Irene and I had

a lot of musical talent, we needed some help

when it came to writing the song.

So we sought out advice from

hit singer and songwriter Scotty Grand.

- Christmas songs are really about

painting pictures with their lyrics.

When it comes to finding a great concept,

go with things that are universal:

love, getting your heart broken,

but you still have to stand out.

What haven't you heard them talk about?

Go there and then bring it home with something human.

- Even though I like a lot of Christmas songs,

I don't always relate to them.

- I've never had a white Christmas, either.

So any song that involves snowing,

I can't relate to it, sorry.

- That's so sad, Irene.

- Well, I'm from Guam, it's hot there.

- Let's definitely go with that theme.

Like just an unconventional Christmas.

- Songs should be simple.

It could be repetitive, just like Mariah Carey's song.

She uses repetition.

- For the chorus that I have so far, it's like

♪ Doesn't matter where you are ♪

♪ When it plays you're right where you belong ♪

♪ This whole world is a gift we're given ♪

♪ So put a little Christmas in it ♪

♪ Ooh, put a little Christmas in it ♪

♪ Ooh, put a little Christmas in it ♪

- Hit Christmas songs, they use seventh chords.

They use diminished chords.

One, three, five, that's a regular chord.

Now if you go two steps down, that's the seventh chord.

And these chords kind of play off the jazz era of music.

Where the lyrics were telling more of a story.

- Dude.

I did it, I made words (laughing)

- You made words.

♪ Tryna find that Christmas cheer ♪

- Yeah, Christmas mood was the word.

- I did something bad.

I got so excited about me and Irene

making some progress on the song

that I actually sent an email out

to our entire office saying that we'd perform it

and the only day that we could

do that is three days away.

I'm a little worried because more than

half of the song isn't done yet.

Right now, I'm actually talking to a

friend of mine, RJ Tolson.

He's a great music maker, he's going to

make us a track that we can perform live.

So I woke Irene up.

So I wrote something for the chorus.

What do you think?

We're doing it, bitch.

We're doing it.

- I need to go back to sleep.

- Okay, I love you.

Bye.

We are stuck up here in this little loft.

We've got some of the lyrics down so far.

We just have to write the second verse

and we're pretty much good.

Right, Irene?

- And then practice it a million times.

- So this is how many lines we're probably

going to need for it.

♪ So you something something something ♪

(marker squeaking)

So basically--

- [Irene] That's a lot of lines.

- [Selorm] This is how many spots we need to fill

before we get to the chorus.

- First two needs to be more about

the things you do to get in the Christmas spirit.

- So I wrote, it won't matter where you are,

whether home is near or far.

♪ ether home is near or far ♪

♪ All it takes is just a memory ♪

♪ Of a time when you were ♪

- We just need two more lines.

- No, we need to stop using the word "feel".

- We don't use it that much.

- Yeah, we do.

♪ Time when you were young ♪

♪ And you hold your-- ♪

♪ And you hold it close and don't let go ♪

- What are you going to do

to get yourself back to this place when you were young?

You're going to play your motherfucking favorite

Christmas song.

But I don't know how to get there.

- Yeah.

♪ Your favorite Christmas song ♪

- That's perfect.

Fuck yeah.

- Yes.

We got it, we got it.

- Yes.

You think we're going to do okay?

- We'll see.

The next main thing is just not being nervous

and performing it with confidence.

- I'm going to be sad if they don't

like the song or if they don't feel it.

Who gives a shit what they think? (laughing)

We made a great song, so whatever, right?

(audience cheering)

(applause)

- That was incredible.

- I identified with the song greatly

because none of my family lives

in California, they all live in the midwest.

- Okay, I thought this was like a Jason Mraz song.

- Even if you don't celebrate Christmas,

you kind of celebrate the season and the vibe.

I like that tagline of "put some Christmas in it",

so put some Christmas in it.

- This was about making new traditions

and new memories and I think the song

showcases that a lot.

- When is it coming out on iTunes

because I'll buy it legally (laughs).

- When we started writing this

I didn't really know if we could do it.

But then to actually perform it

in front of people was mindblowing.

- This was an original song that

no one had ever heard her before.

When you're writing an original,

it's putting puzzle pieces together, but you don't know

what the puzzle is supposed to look like.

I think because we really believed in what we were writing,

we were able to make something really special.

This really shows you that whatever

artistically you feel like, you want to express

Or do, you can do it.

You could write the next "All I What For Christmas is You."

It's still a challenge, but you'll be surprised

at what you're actually capable of doing

once you set your mind to something.

- (speaking together) Merry Christmas.

(laughing)

- That was in tune, we were both in unison

- It was a harmony.

♪ Put a little Christmas in it. ♪