Music / Reason for the Season

Reason For The Season is a Christmas album by American singer-songwriter Mike Love released in 2018. In a similar fashion to The Beach Boys' Christmas Album, the tracklist contains a mix of traditional christmas songs, covers and originals.

Featured on the album are Mike's children, to the point that the last five tracks feature all of them as "All Love". Mike's sister Maureen (known for her harp work on The Beach Boys' Surfer Girl) plays on a cover of "O Holy Night" and the band Hanson is featured on "Finally, It's Christmas". The track "Alone On Christmas Day" was originally recorded for The Beach Boys' cancelled christmas LP Merry Christmas from The Beach Boys and got rerecorded for this album.

Tracklist:

1. "Celestial Celebration"
2. "Finally, It's Christmas"
3. "Little St. Nick"
4. "Must Be Christmas"
5. "Jingle Bell Rock" (Bobby Helms cover)
6. "Alone on Christmas Day"
7. "Reason for the Season"
8. "Do You Hear What I Hear"
9. "Away In a Manger"
10. "Bring a Torch"
11. "O Come All Ye Faithful"
12. "O Holy Night"

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Reason for the tropes:

• Album Title Drop:
  The reason for the the season
  We believe in
  The reason for the the season
  Happened way back when
• Band of Relatives: Mike's children are featured on the album and credited as "All Love".
• Call-Forward: "Celestial Celebration" references lyrics of "Alone On Christmas Day"
• Christmas Songs
• Cover Version: "Jingle Bell Rock" (originally by Bobby Helms) and "Do You Hear What I Hear" (first performed by Harry Simeone). The last four tracks are traditional Christmas songs.
• Fade Out: "Alone On Christmas Day" ends with one.
• Lyrical Cold Open: "Finally, It's Christmas" and "O Come All Ye Faithful".
• Mythology Gag: "Reason For The Season" features the "Shortenin' Bread riff", in reference to the eponymous nursery rhyme which is one of Brian Wilson's obsession from the seventies to today. This is a rare example provided by Mike (it is also present on his "Sugar Shack" cover from Rock 'n' Roll City).
• The Power of Love: "Reason for the Season":
  Hope we all can do what we've been taught
  Love's the most powerful weapon we've got
• Radio Voice: During the outro of "Alone On Christmas Day" before the song fades out.
• Santa Clausmas: Averted, "Reason for the Season" reminds people about the religious origins of Christmas.
• Shout-Out: "Alone On Christmas Day" starts with the iconic drum intro of The Ronettes' "Be My Baby".
• Special Guest: Fraternal pop trio Hanson is featured on the song "Finally, It's Christmas", which they wrote for a previous Christmas album.
  • Fellow Beach Boy Bruce Johnston provides backing vocals.
• Stock Footage: Prominently featured on the music video for "Reason for the Season".
• Title Drop: On each track.
• Wintry Auroral Sky: The aurora borealis featured on the cover.