Every year since 2017, Phoebe Bridgers has released a new project, whether that be a solo album, her Boygenius EP, or her Better Oblivion Community Center record. During that same frame, she has also released a new holiday-themed song annually around this time of year. It began with “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” in 2017, which was followed by a Jackson Browne-featuring rendition of “Christmas Song” in 2018 and a cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “7 O’Clock News/Silent Night” in 2019, for which she was joined by Matt Berninger and Fiona Apple.
Now, Bridgers has kept the streak alive in 2020, as she just dropped her yearly holiday song. This time, it’s a cover of Merle Haggard’s “If We Make It Through December,” on which she is accompanied by frequent collaborator Ethan Gruska on piano. Last year’s holiday single benefited Planned Parenthood, but this year, proceeds from sales and streams of the song will go to Downtown Women’s Center, which describes itself as “the only organization in Los Angeles focused exclusively on serving and empowering women experiencing homelessness and formerly homeless women.”
2020 has been a good year for new Bridgers music. Aside from this song and her new album Punisher, she also just dropped her Copycat Killer EP, which features alternate versions of some Punisher tracks.
Listen to Bridgers’ cover of “If We Make It Through December” above.