Christmas Tree Farm

"Christmas Tree Farm" is a Christmas song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, and produced by Swift and Jimmy Napes. The song was released as a stand-alone single on December 6, 2019, along with its music video on the same day.[2] Opening with a ballad-like intro, "Christmas Tree Farm" has been described as a cheery uptempo pop song with lush orchestral elements and romantic lyrics.

"Christmas Tree Farm"
Single by Taylor Swift
ReleasedDecember 6, 2019 (2019-12-06)
RecordedDecember 2–3, 2019
StudioLondon Lane Studios[1]
Genre
Length
  • 3:48 (original)
  • 4:13 (live)
LabelRepublic
Songwriter(s)Taylor Swift
Producer(s)
Taylor Swift singles chronology
"Lover"
(2019)		 "Christmas Tree Farm"
(2019)		 "The Man"
(2020)
Music video
"Christmas Tree Farm" on YouTube

"Christmas Tree Farm" debuted in the charts of several territories, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Hungary, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Scotland. The song received positive reviews from music critics, who praised Swift's songwriting. The song's music video is a compilation of home videos that capture Swift's childhood days from the Christmas tree farm she grew up on; the video features herself, her brother Austin Swift, and her parents.

Writing and recording

Swift wrote, recorded, and released the song in six days.[3] She wrote the song during Thanksgiving weekend, December 1, 2019, the Sunday before its release, then recorded it the next day with Napes.[1] The day after that, a group of choral singers provided the finishing touches.[4] The song was announced on Good Morning America on December 5, 2019, and released at midnight the next day, along with an accompanying music video made from home videos.[5]

Composition

"Christmas Tree Farm" is an uptempo pop song, written solely by Swift produced by Swift and Jimmy Napes.[6] The song runs for a duration of three minutes and forty-eight seconds. The song has two parts. The intro starts at a slower more ballad-like tempo and goes through a series of time signatures in 4
4, 5
4 and 3
4. After this, the main part of the song begins and takes on the uptempo swing feel in common time. Swift performs it in the key of G major with her vocals ranging between D3 to G5.[7]

Music video

The music video was directed and produced by Swift. The Christmas tree farm in the song title, on the cover art, and in the video is Pine Ridge Farm located in Cumru Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, a place where Swift grew up as a child before moving to nearby Wyomissing, Pennsylvania and later Hendersonville, Tennessee. The video, which consists of home videos from Swift's childhood, features Swift, her brother Austin, and her parents Andrea and Scott.[8] A lyric video for the song was released alongside the song and the music video on December 6, 2019.[9] On December 23, a video about the making of the song was released.[10] As of January 2020, the music video has amassed more than 10 million views on YouTube.

Critical reception

"Christmas Tree Farm" received positive reviews upon release. Variety's Chris Willman labelled the song as "homey and hearth-y" with a production "lushly orchestrated for maximum holiday glee".[1] Alyssa Bailey of Elle described the song as an "infectious and personal pop holiday track" with lyrics that are "personal, jolly and romantic".[11] Writing for Elite Daily, Michel Mendez complimented Swift's songwriting, stating "Swift is one heck of a songwriter" and that the lyrics to this song "will make anyone feel nostalgic for holidays spent at home with family".[12] Describing the song as "romantic, nostalgic", Eric Hegedus of New York Post, opined that the "breezy tune" serves as a "cheery love letter" to a "soul mate who brings a sense of yearning to her [Swift's] heart".[6]

Commercial performance

"Christmas Tree Farm" debuted at number two on the Billboard Digital Songs chart and at number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming Swift's nineteenth entry of the year on the chart and extending her record as the female artist with the most Hot 100 entries in 2019. It also debuted at number 10 and peaked at number three on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The song was streamed on Spotify 1,189,073 times globally in its first day of release, giving Swift the biggest Christmas song debut on the platform.[13]

Live performances

Swift performed the song for the first time on December 8, 2019 as part of her set-list for the 2019 Jingle Bell Ball in London.[14] On December 13, Swift's birthday, she performed the song at iHeartRadio Z100's Jingle Ball in New York City.[15] This performance was recorded and released digitally on December 19, 2020.[16]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[17]

  • Taylor Swift – vocals, songwriter, producer
  • Jimmy Napes – producer, backing vocals, piano
  • Serban Ghenea – mixer, studio personnel
  • John Hanes – mix engineer, studio personnel
  • Gus Pirelli – recording engineer, moog bass, studio personnel
  • Jamie McEvoy – assistant recording engineer, studio personnel
  • Joseph Wander – assistant recording engineer, studio personnel
  • Will Purton – assistant recording engineer, studio personnel
  • Bruce White – viola
  • Jodi Milliner – bass guitar
  • Ian Burdge – cello
  • Chris Laurence – double bass
  • Ash Soan – drums
  • John Thurgood, Laurence Davies, Martin Owen – French horn
  • Simon Hale – string arranger
  • Lawrence Johnson – vocal arranger
  • Canice-Mimi Otohwo, Destinee Knight-Scott, Glenn Tatenda Gwazai, Jessica Mae Obioha, Lorrain Briscoe, Margeauz Michelle Muzangaza, Paul Lee, Tarna Renae Johnson, Tehillah Daniel, The LJ Singers, Travis J Cole, Wayne Hernandez, Wendi Rose – backing vocals

Charts
Chart (2019–2020) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[18] 96
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[19] 23
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[20] 55
Canada AC (Billboard)[21] 8
Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[22] 49
Canada Hot AC (Billboard)[23] 35
Croatia (HRT)[24] 13
Euro Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[25] 16
Hungary (Single Top 40)[26] 29
Ireland (IRMA)[27] 51
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[28] 9
Scotland (OCC)[29] 16
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[30] 99
UK Singles (OCC)[31] 71
US Billboard Hot 100[32] 59
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[33] 3
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[34] 40
US Holiday 100 (Billboard)[35] 19
US Rolling Stone Top 100[36] 65

Release history
Country Date Version Format Label Ref.
Various December 6, 2019 Original
Republic [17]
United Kingdom December 14, 2019 Adult contemporary radio [37]
Various November 27, 2020 Picture disc [38]
December 19, 2020 Live at the 2019 iHeart Radio Jingle Ball
  • Digital download
  • streaming
 [16]

References
  1. Willman, Chris (December 5, 2019). "Taylor Swift's 'Christmas Tree Farm' Video Is a VHS Wonderland". Variety. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  2. O'Connor, Roisin (December 5, 2019). "Taylor Swift announces new festive song Christmas Tree Farm". The Independent. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  3. Shaffer, Claire; Legaspi, Althea (December 6, 2019). "Watch Taylor Swift's Childhood Videos in 'Christmas Tree Farm' Clip". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  4. Blistein, Jon (December 23, 2019). "Watch Taylor Swift Craft 'Christmas Tree Farm' in Behind-the-Scenes Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  5. Moniuszko, Sara M. (December 5, 2019). "Taylor Swift to release Christmas song (at midnight!) and a music video 'made from home videos'". USA Today. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  6. Hegedus, Eric (December 6, 2019). "Taylor Swift drops 'Christmas Tree Farm' song as homage to childhood". New York Post. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  7. "Taylor Swift "Christmas Tree Farm"". MusicNotes. December 10, 2019. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  8. Huff, Lauren (December 6, 2019). "Taylor Swift releases new song 'Christmas Tree Farm' with home video montage — watch now". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  9. Taylor Swift - Christmas Tree Farm (Lyric Video) (Videotape). December 6, 2019. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  10. Blistein, Jon (December 23, 2019). "Watch Taylor Swift Craft 'Christmas Tree Farm' in Behind-the-Scenes Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  11. Bailey, Alyssa (December 6, 2019). "Taylor Swift's "Christmas Tree Farm" Lyrics Are Personal, Jolly, And Romantic". Elle. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  12. Mendez, Michel (December 6, 2019). "Taylor Swift's "Christmas Tree Farm" Lyrics Will Make You Feel So Nostalgic". Elite Daily. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
  13. ""Christmas Tree Farm" debuted 1,189,073 streams in Spotify. And is now the biggest debut Christmas Song on the platform! Congratulations, Taylor Swift!". December 7, 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  14. Iasimone, Ashley (December 8, 2019). "Taylor Swift Performs 'Christmas Tree Farm' Live for the First Time at Capital FM's Jingle Bell Ball: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
  15. Mastrogiannis, Nicole (December 14, 2019). "Taylor Swift Brings Holiday Cheer to Jingle Ball with "Christmas Tree Farm"". iHeartRadio. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  16. "Christmas Tree Farm (Recorded Live at the 2019 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball) - Single by Taylor Swift on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  17. "Christmas Tree Farm / Taylor Swift". Tidal. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  18. "ARIA Chart Watch #555". auspOp. December 14, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  19. "Ultratop.be – Taylor Swift – Christmas Tree Farm" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  20. "Taylor Swift Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  21. "Taylor Swift Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  22. "Taylor Swift Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  23. "Taylor Swift Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  24. "Croatia ARC TOP 100". HRT. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  25. "Taylor Swift Chart History (Euro Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  26. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  27. "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  28. "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. December 16, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  29. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  30. "Swisscharts.com – Taylor Swift – Christmas Tree Farm". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  31. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  32. "Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  33. "Taylor Swift Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
  34. "Taylor Swift Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
  35. "Taylor Swift Chart History (Holiday 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  36. "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. December 6, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  37. "Radio 2 New Music Playlist". BBC. Archived from the original on December 14, 2019. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  38. "christmas tree farm picture disc". Taylor Swift Official Store. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
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