Tracklist Hide Credits

A	Little Drummer Boy / Silent Night / Auld Lang Syne Adapted By – Jimi HendrixBass – Billy CoxDrums, Backing Vocals – Buddy MilesGuitar – Jimi HendrixWritten-By – Traditional	4:28
B	Three Little Bears Bass – Noel ReddingDrums – Mitch MitchellEngineer – Eddie KramerGuitar, Vocals – Jimi HendrixWritten-By – Jimi Hendrix	4:13

Companies, etc.

• Produced For – Experience Hendrix, L.L.C.
• Phonographic Copyright (p) – Experience Hendrix, L.L.C.
• Copyright (c) – Experience Hendrix, L.L.C.
• Licensed To – Classic Records, Inc.
• Published By – Experience Hendrix, L.L.C.
• Recorded At – Baggy's Studios
• Recorded At – Record Plant, N.Y.C.
• Mastered At – Sterling Sound
• Remastered At – Avatar Studios

Credits

• Band – Band Of Gypsys (tracks: A), The Jimi Hendrix Experience (tracks: B)
• Compilation Producer – Eddie Kramer, Janie Hendrix, John McDermott
• Design – Smay Vision
• Engineer [Tape Transfer] – Gregg Gasperino*
• Liner Notes – John McDermott
• Mastered By – Eddie Kramer, George Marino
• Photography By [Back Cover] – Dave Sygall*
• Photography By [Cover] – Dezo Hoffman*, Rex Features
• Producer [Original Sound Recordings] – Jimi Hendrix

Notes

Side B: Published by Experience Hendrix, L.L.C. (ASCAP)
Mastered Sterling Sound, New York
Tape Transfer at: Avatar Studios, New York, June 1999
℗© 1999 Experience Hendrix, L.L.C. under exclusive license to Classic Records, Inc.

From the back of the record:

As Christmas 1969 beckoned, Jimi Hendrix, bassist Billy Cox, and drummer Buddy Miles engaged in extensive rehearsals for their highly anticipated appearances a t the Fillmore East in New York.

Branded by Hendrix as the "Band Of Gypsys," the trio worked feverishly rounding such exciting new original material as "Izabella" and "Machine Gun" into form.  Keenly aware of the special significance his forthcoming concerts represented, Jimi wanted to prepare something extraordinary for his audience.  To mark the occasion in his own inimitable fashion, Jimi readied this special medley of holiday favorites to celebrate both Christmas and the dawning of a new decade.

This recording was made at Baggy's Studios, a Manhattan rehearsal facility the group preferred.  It by no means should be considered a polished studio recording made to Hendrix's exacting specifications.  It is, instead, perhaps even more revealing.  This is a glimpse of Jimi simply having fun in the company of close friends.

The photograph of Jimi posing as Santa Claus was originally organized on behalf of the UK music newspaper Record Mirror.  To help publicize the December 1967 release of Axis: Bold As Love, the group's second album, Jimi agreed to pose as Santa for the issue's cover.  An alternate photograph from that session, with Jimi bearing gifts in the form of Axis: Bold As Love, is featured here.

As an added bonus, also included is Jimi's playful "Three Little Bears".  This track was recorded with the Experience at the Record Plant in May 1968 during sessions for Electric Ladyland.  Bypassed for that album, "Three Little Bears" was originally issued as part of the 1972 posthumous compilation War Heroes.  It has been unavailable in the US for nearly twenty-five years.
- John McDermott

Yellow Vinyl

Barcode and Other Identifiers

• Barcode (Scanned): 601704565170
• Barcode (Text): 6 01704-5651-7 0
• Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, etched): 5651-A
• Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, etched): 5651-B
• Matrix / Runout (Sides A & B runouts, stamped): STERLING
• Rights Society: ASCAP

Other versions

Category	Artist	Title (Format)	Label	Category	Country	Year
088 155 651-2	Jimi Hendrix	Merry Christmas And Happy New Year ‎(CD, EP, Comp)	Experience Hendrix	088 155 651-2	US	1999
MOVLP225	Jimi Hendrix	Merry Christmas And Happy New Year ‎(10", Ltd, Num, RM, RP)	Music On Vinyl	MOVLP225	UK & Europe	2016
5651-7	Jimi Hendrix	Merry Christmas And Happy New Year ‎(7", Ltd, Whi)	Experience Hendrix, Classic Records, MCA Records	5651-7	US	1999
5651-7	Jimi Hendrix	Merry Christmas And Happy New Year ‎(7", Ltd, Gre)	Experience Hendrix, Classic Records, MCA Records	5651-7	US	1999
88697 77228 1	Jimi Hendrix	Merry Christmas And Happy New Year ‎(10", Gre)	Experience Hendrix, Legacy	88697 77228 1	US	2010