"I Wanna Be Santa Claus" is the 12th studio album by Ringo Starr, released in 1999. This Christmas album is notable as the only holiday album released by any member of The Beatles.
The album features a mix of original songs and traditional Christmas classics. Ringo Starr and his collaborator Mark Hudson wrote two original tracks, "Dear Santa" and "Christmas Eve," in July 1998. Recording began a few months later in the UK and continued in Los Angeles in March 1999. Among the notable tracks included are "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "The Little Drummer Boy," and "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)," the latter originally recorded by The Beatles in 1967.
The album features contributions from various musicians, including Aerosmith's Joe Perry and Timothy B. Schmit from the Eagles, along with backing vocals from Jeff Lynne. The final recording sessions took place in September 1999, with mixing done at A&M Studios in Los Angeles and Sterling Sound in New York. The title track emphasizes the spirit of Christmas cheer year-round rather than just on the holiday itself.
