That’s not just a Christmas song, that’s a damn country song…
Back in 2021, Cody Johnson released a Christmas album titled A Cody Johnson Christmas, which featured a number of classic Christmas songs, a Merle Haggard cover, and a new original called “Hat Made Of Mistletoe”.
Written by Trent Willmon, it’s a nice little twist on the typical lines of meeting someone under the mistletoe, where Cody sings as an 8 year old who just wants a Christmas kiss from Darla, which we can assume is a girl he has a crush on from school.
The lyrics really capture that feeling of being a young boy who doesn’t really know anything other than that girl is pretty cute and he’d love just a little peck as a Christmas gift.
“Miss Darla, how you sparkle like a shiny new toy
And I know I’m just an 8-year-old lonesome cowboy
And my only wish this Christmas is that I could call you baby
Then a stroke of genius hit me and I got to thinking maybe
That if I had a hat made of mistletoe
I would wear it everywhere I go and
And when I got the chance, Darla, I’d pull you in close
If I had a hat made of mistletoe…”
Plus, the line in the second verse about how the two of them would just go so well together is pure childlike goodness.
“Cause you me are like mac ‘n’ cheese the way we go together
We could ride my pony off into that sunset forever…”
This live version is just Cody on guitar, accompanied by some beautiful fiddle and banjo work which gives a bluegrassy feel to the rendition, and honestly, I think I prefer this to the album cut.
Either way, it’s always great to get to hear some live Cody Johnson, especially when he’s in the holiday spirit.
