A slow, thoughtful guitar ballad, “Jolly Melancholy Christmas” is introspective without being a complete tearjerker (although you’re absolutely allowed to cry). – Canadian Beats
The holidays can be difficult, even if rarely portrayed that way. With that in mind, Nova Scotia-born, Toronto-based alt-country singer-songwriter Andrea England – and founder and host of the critically acclaimed “Four Chords and the Truth” songwriter series and 2025 Billboard Canada Women in Music honouree – gets refreshingly, reassuringly honest about the bitter-sweetness of the holiday in her single “Jolly Melancholy Christmas” – cowritten with long-time collaborators, 2x Grammy Award winning songwriter Liz Rodrigues (Eminem, Celine Dion) and Latin Grammy award winning songwriter James Bryan (Nelly Furtado, Drake) of Prozac and the Philosopher Kings, who also produced the single – available where music streams.
Her first Christmas song ever, “Jolly Melancholy Christmas” came to England when a broadcaster from Nova Scotia, her hometown, asked her last year if she had a holiday song he could play during East Coast Rising. She didn’t that year, but it sparked an idea. “I thought, what would I write about? It’s going to be so melancholy – so ‘Jolly Melancholy Christmas’ came to mind.” Coincidentally, she had a writing session scheduled with two of her friends and long- time collaborators, Liz Rodrigues and James Bryan, and the song was borne of that session and that nurturing friendship. “They’re both very sensitive, emotionally tuned-in people,” England says.
“Have a jolly melancholy Christmas
The best and worst time of year
Raise a glass to the good and bad
To all we’ve lost and all we have
At least we’re all in this together”
England knows the holidays are as synonymous with joy as they are with sadness – especially the last few years. “I like to keep it real, as much as possible, in songs and in life,” England says. “When I think of Christmas, and the holidays, they’re always the hardest the first year you’ve lost someone. Every ‘first’ without a loved one is hard, not only for me, but for all of us” ….
“Andrea England has talent of a rare kind: Joni Mitchell has it, Dylan, Leonard Cohen, John Prine, Lucinda Williams and several others – who are famous. Despite still flying below their radar, Andrea deserves the special attention for her detailed, concise writing ability and fine voice. She is economical in her approach, but the recipe is flavourful, consistent and memorable.”– John Apice, No Depression
“Jolly Melancholy Christmas” is available wherever music streams, including: