Bubbling Under: Wendy and Carnie Wilson’s “Hey Santa”
Wilson Phillips (L to R: Wendy Wilson, Chynna Phillips, Carnie Wilson) performs in 2011. (Getty Images/Kevin Winter)
Each week, Billboard magazine’s “Bubbling Under” chart features singles that rank below its famous Hot 100 chart. Each week, we spotlight one of them.
Take the star power of the Mamas and the Papas, mix it with the star power of the Beach Boys, pass it down a generation, and what do you get? Wilson Phillips. Wendy and Carnie Wilson, the daughters of Brian Wilson, and Chynna Phillips, the daughter of John and Michelle Phillips, sold over 10 million copies of their 1990 debut album. A second album, Shadows and Light, also sold millions (although not so many millions) in 1992.
Chynna Phillips decided to pursue a solo career in 1992, leaving Wendy and Carnie behind. In 1993, the Wilson sisters released a Christmas album called Hey Santa! It consisted mostly of familiar holiday songs, including a 74-second recording of “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” performed at a Wilson family gathering in 1977 with Brian on piano. The title song got enough radio airplay at Christmas of 1993 to chart on both the Billboard magazine Christmas singles chart and the Bubbling Under chart. It features backing vocals by the Wilson sisters’ uncle, Beach Boys member Carl Wilson.
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