Het is alweer 7 januari, maar toch willen we even terugkomen op de nieuwe dubbel-CD (FTD) 'The Wonderful World of Christmas". Eén van de songs waar Elvis met plezier aan werkt, is "If I Get Home On Christmas Day". De schrijver van het nummer, Michael Jarrett, is een goede vriend van ons en dus was het maar logisch dat we hem een exemplaar van deze CD toestuurden. Per slot van rekening bevat deze uitgave tal van onbekende outtakes van Elvis die het nummer onder de knie tracht te krijgen. In zijn reactie (zie onderaan voor de Engelse versie) looft Michael de manier waarop Elvis het nummer brengt, ondanks de lange uren die zulke sessies vergen. Michael herinnert zich ook de eenzame nacht in 1969 toen hij het hartverscheurende nummer schreef. Vooral het feit dat Elvis dit nummer persoonlijk uitkoos en de manier waarop hij het op plaat zette, vindt Michael Jarrett bijzonder. Dit is zijn reactie:

MICHAEL JARRETT: "Hi Peter, this is such a wonderful gift! Just finished listening to all the different outtakes.. Having worked a great deal in the studio myself I know it can get tiring doing long sessions, but Elvis keeps everyones spirits up. Listening, it's like being right there in the studio with them. I love how he works on each take making [it] his own song from his heart. He sang the melody just the way I recorded it on my original demo including those high notes on the last verse and all the bluesy nuances though out the song. This is what makes it so very special to me; also knowing he himself picked both my songs from all the demos that were considered for those sessions that Joe Esposito and others brought him.

Listening to him work up the Christmas song, I thought back to that lonely Christmas eve in 1969 when I wrote it and was feeling all those things Elvis is singing about including the verse about my children and realized how many years have come and gone since that fateful night in Portland Oregon when I sat on the floor of my empty apartment with just my guitar and sleeping bag.

It's still just totally amazes me that Elvis recorded my songs. I know he must have personally related to both of them with what he was going through at that time in his life. "A Moment In Time" for both of us and beautifully documented by the King himself. I will never take these recordings for granted and it still warms my heart to hear him singing [our] songs... me and Elvis'... who would have ever dreamed of such thing.

I'm very happy it's your favorite Christmas song and thank you once again for putting a big smile on my face and bringing such joy to my heart this day.

My best to all there at ElvisMatters, Michael."