Nothing manages to inexplicably make more sense than the Stanfields “covering” Dolly Parton’s classic “I’ll Be Home With Bells On” for Christmas. With a video reminiscent of their quarantine era hit “Stay the Blazes Home”, the boys provide some classic country and cheeky commentary wrapped up in Christmas cheer with “(I’ll Stay Home) With Bells On.”
While the “COVID Christmas” song is inevitable, the levity with which Landry and the band approached this typically heavy material is refreshing. It’s entirely reasonable that many songwriters find their focus on the loneliness and heartbreak of Christmas 2020, yet the Stans manage to lift the mood while acknowledging the difficulties. The entire process from idea to recording, to the video was accomplished via social distance with all band members providing their contributions while safely isolated from one another.
The band’s decision to make a Christmas song quickly turned to the legendary Parton/Rogers duet familiar to generations of country fans and foes alike. The idea then morphed into the light-hearted, humorous take on Christmas in the time of COVID.
“Just because we can’t necessarily be together this holiday season, it doesn’t mean that we can’t celebrate together in weird and wonderful ways,” says frontman Jon Landry. “Hopefully the song and video helps take the edge off your socially-distanced holiday season, and helps inspire you to make the most of it!”
While Landry provides his familiar grainy vocals, wife Shannon joins in on the fun playing Dolly to his Kenny (if that was not in their wedding vows, I demand a revision). Shannon brings fantastic energy, warmth, and a perky country drawl to her performance. The couple joins bandmates and their respective bubbles in the video showcasing all manners of fun to be had as we adhere to advisories. The homes of the band members are suitably decorated, feats of strength are present for any Festivus fans, board games, drinking, Christmas limbo, and more serve to spotlight what can still be done to celebrate rather than just survive this season.
The Stanfields manage to keep the musical aspects that made Dolly & Kenny’s hit a standard of this time of year while having an obviously great time and singing about a not so great situation. It’s been a challenging year and the holidays bring with them the tendency to fixate on the trying times and turmoil, but the band and their families are looking at their mugs of rum and eggnog (still gross despite rum’s best efforts) as half full.