Maps of Music

Merry Christmas... Have a Nice Life (1998)

Where the lyrics of Merry Christmas... Have a Nice Life take you, and where it was really made.

A Christmas album first released in 1998 only reached vinyl in November 2019, and that first vinyl run was limited to 1,000 copies.

Place unknown

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Sixth studio album and first Christmas album by Cyndi Lauper
Mixes original songs by Lauper and Jan Pulsford with traditional Christmas songs
Eleven tracks, including Johnny Marks' 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' and 'Silent Night'
Most tracks produced by Cyndi Lauper, Jan Pulsford and William Wittman
Vinyl edition first issued in November 2019 as a limited green pressing of 1,000 units

First released in 1998 on Epic Records
'Feels Like Christmas' had already appeared on Lauper's 1993 album Hat Full of Stars
Lauper's original songs include 'New Year's Baby (First Lullaby)', 'December Child', 'Christmas Conga', 'Minnie and Santa' and 'Home on Christmas Day'
Co-writers of 'Home on Christmas Day' are Rob Hyman, Lauper and William Wittman
Traditional and classic pieces include 'Three Ships', 'In the Bleak Midwinter' (Gustav Holst, Christina Rossetti) and 'Silent Night' (Franz Gruber, Josef Mohr)
'Feels Like Christmas' was written by Eric Bazilian, Rob Hyman and Lauper

Much of the vocal work is reported to have been recorded in Lauper's cedar closet, which had a reverb she liked
Mixed at Pie Studios, mastered at Masterfonics and Sterling Sound (album credits)
'Early Christmas Morning' was produced by Cyndi Lauper, Jan Pulsford and Mark Saunders
'Feels Like Christmas' was produced by Cyndi Lauper and Junior Vasquez
'Home on Christmas Day' and 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' were produced by Cyndi Lauper and William Wittman

1	Home on Christmas Day	4:07
2	Early Christmas Morning	5:06
3	Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree	2:45
4	Christmas Conga	3:31
5	Minnie and Santa	3:56
6	Feels Like Christmas	4:31
7	Three Ships	2:08
8	New Year’s Baby	4:28
9	December Child	3:11
10	In the Bleak Midwinter	4:02
11	Silent Night	4:20

Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper, born June 22, 1953 in Brooklyn, New York, is an American singer, songwriter and actress.
Known for an eccentric image and a four-octave vocal range; dubbed the "Queen of Quirky Pop".
Has sold over 50 million records worldwide.
Debut solo album She's So Unusual (1983) produced four top-five Billboard Hot 100 hits, a first for a female debut artist, and won Best New Artist at the 27th Grammy Awards.
Won the Tony Award for Best Original Score for Kinky Boots (2013), the first woman to win the category solo.
Received two Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy, a Tony, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2015).
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in November 2025.
Has been a prominent LGBTQ rights advocate, founding True Colors United in 2008 to address LGBTQ youth homelessness.

'Early Christmas Morning' first appeared on the Japanese edition of Sisters of Avalon, and this version uses different backing vocals.
Lauper's official site says 'White Christmas' was recorded for the album but left off the final track list.
'Feels Like Christmas' was already a song from the 1993 album Hat Full of Stars.
'Early Christmas Morning' was produced with Mark Saunders, unlike most tracks.