About the Song
Christmas songs often celebrate joy, wonder, and togetherness—but occasionally, a song comes along that dares to explore the more complicated emotions of the season. Alan Jackson’s rendition of “Please Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas),” featured on his 1993 album Honky Tonk Christmas, is one of those rare, poignant moments in holiday music that brings both truth and tenderness to light.
Originally recorded by John Denver in the 1970s, the song tells a story from a child’s perspective—one marked by concern, confusion, and quiet sadness over a father’s holiday drinking. It’s a plea more than a performance, and Alan Jackson treats it with exactly the kind of sincerity it demands.
Alan’s voice—steady, familiar, and full of country soul—doesn’t dramatize the lyrics. Instead, he gently delivers them with empathy and restraint, letting the story speak for itself. Backed by a simple, acoustic arrangement that leans into traditional country sounds, the song feels intimate—like a conversation whispered beside a dimly lit Christmas tree.
It’s a reminder that not every holiday memory is wrapped in tinsel and cheer, and that for some, Christmas is a time of emotional reckoning. But even in its somber tone, the song carries a certain warmth—because underneath the sorrow is a child’s unwavering hope for a better Christmas morning.
“Please Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas)” is not a song for every moment of the season, but it’s one worth hearing. Alan Jackson’s version offers something rare in holiday music: vulnerability, honesty, and a voice that understands both the joys and the struggles that the holidays can bring.