Baby, Please Come Home

Once again, Christmas has come early to Soho.

As we speak, Chris, Tony and Ryan are taking their second pass at “Feliz Navidad” here at Travis Harrison’s Serious Business Studios.

Chris’ version — tracked well in advance of the October 15 “A Family Records Holiday” deadline — turns the tune on its ear in two ways. First, Chris the chose Jose Feliciano classic because (he tells me) everyone thinks he’s Latino (he’s Phillipino).

Second, he’s playing some deep, dark, twisted chords. It’s awesome.

Like Chris said as we approached the studio, here on Spring and Crosby across from Balthazar, “Sunday is the new Friday.” Which explains us here rockin’ out Christmas tunes towarads the wee hours.

We nailed a live-to-tape version of “Christmas (Please Come Home)” on the fourth take. So deep was I into my cups, so dark was the iso booth, and so slammin’ was the groove that I had to steady myself against the wall with both arms to keep from falling over.

Our version doesn’t reinvent the tune (which Darlene Love first recorded in 1963 and U2 so ably covered — with Ms. Love on backing vocals — for the 1987 Special Olympics benefit, “A Very Special Christmas”), though I did encourage the band to be “more Replacements than Ronettes.”

Either way, I only hope that — just as Bono, Bruce and Bryan Adams provided a soundtrack for Chris and my egg nogg-fueled luminaria driving tours — our little record will provide a rockin’ Yule for at least one dysfunctional family somewhere.