‘Christmas Dirtbag’ Is Wheatus’ Holiday Gift To 2023

American rockers Wheatus are getting into the festive spirit, having reworked their classic tune Teenage Dirtbag into Christmas Dirtbag from their new EP, Just A Dirtbag Christmas, which is out now via Legacy Recordings/Sony Music Entertainment.

A revised version of Teenage Dirtbag wouldn’t be Christmassy without changing the lyrics, so that’s exactly what Wheatus did.

Instead of singing about the girl named Noelle who “doesn’t give a damn about me”, Wheatus have gone festive, adjusting the song’s verse like so: “First night of Noel / Asleep with the fire burning / Jingling bells / And sugarplum fairies turning / But I don’t see / Any presents for me / Does Santa Claus know who I am? / Does Santa Claus even care about me?”

Later, the band swapped out Iron Maiden for Santa, singing in the chorus, “Cos I’m just a Christmas dirtbag, baby / Yeah I’m just a Christmas dirtbag, baby / Santa forgot all about me, baby / Tonight, ooh.”

You can check out the animated music video directed by Jaime Restrepo from the production studio Dreambear below.

As well as Christmas Dirtbag, the new Wheatus EP features the tracks Mean Christmas, You Make Me Believe and Feels Like Christmas, with a new string quartet version of Teenage Dirtbag also on the tracklist.

In February 2024, Everclear frontman Art Alexakis and Wheatus’s Brendan B. Brown will tour together across Australia, promising intimate, acoustic, collaborative shows across the country. Check out the full list of dates below.

Alexakis said about the tour, “I’m stoked to be bringing Brendan from Wheatus with me. They toured with us in the States on our Summerland tour in 2021, and we became very good friends and big admirers of each other’s work, so it’s a dream come true to be able to tour together again.”

ART ALEXAKIS & BRENDAN B. BROWN

2024 AUSTRALIAN TOUR

Thursday February 1 – Cleveland QLD, Cleveland Sands Hotel
Friday February 2 – Gold Coast QLD, Miami Marketta
Saturday February 3 – Caloundra QLD, Kings Beach Tavern
Sunday February 4 – Brisbane QLD, Chardons Corner Hotel
Thursday February 8 – Adelaide SA, Lion Arts Factory
Friday February 9 – Fremantle WA, Freo Social
Saturday February 10 – Duncraig WA, The Carine
Sunday February 11 – Dunsborough WA, Dunsborough Tavern
Thursday February 15 – Geelong VIC, The Wool Exchange
Friday February 16 – Chelsea Heights VIC, Chelsea Heights Hotel
Saturday February 17 – Brunswick VIC, Brunswick Ballroom
Thursday February 22 – Wollongong NSW, Waves
Friday February 23 – Sydney NSW, Crowbar
Saturday February 24 – Kellyville Ridge NSW, Ettamogah Hotel
Sunday February 25 – Newcastle NSW, King St Bandroom

Tickets: everclearmusic.com