So, you’ve just finished watching Clark Griswold lose his mind over a squirrel, and that catchy title song is stuck in your head. You head over to Spotify or Apple Music to find the National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation soundtrack, and... nothing. Or rather, a bunch of weird "tribute" albums and playlists that aren't quite the real deal.
It’s one of the great holiday mysteries. How can one of the biggest Christmas movies of all time—a film that basically everyone watches annually—not have an official soundtrack sitting on store shelves?
Most people don't realize that a commercial soundtrack was never actually released back in 1989. While other John Hughes-penned hits like Home Alone or The Breakfast Club had massive album rollouts, the Griswolds got the short end of the stick. If you’re looking for that specific mix of 80s synth-pop, classic carols, and the legendary Mavis Staples title track, you're going to have to do a bit of detective work.
The Mavis Staples Anthem and the Paisley Park Connection
The crown jewel of the National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation soundtrack is, without a doubt, the title song "Christmas Vacation." It’s got that quintessential late-80s bounce. Interestingly, it was written by the legendary songwriting duo Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil—the same folks who gave us "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'."
The movie's producers snagged Mavis Staples to record it. At the time, she was signed to Prince’s Paisley Park Records. This created a bit of a legal tangle. Because the song was tied to Prince's label, but the movie was a Warner Bros. production, getting a full soundtrack album cleared was a nightmare.
📖 Related: Big Brother 27 Morgan: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
You actually can find the song today, but for years, the only way to own it was to find a rare promo-only 7-inch vinyl or a 12-inch single where it was tucked away as a B-side. It eventually surfaced on a few "Ultimate Christmas" compilations in the late 90s, but a dedicated movie album remained a ghost.
Why the Angelo Badalamenti Score is So Unusual
If you think the background music sounds a bit... haunting for a slapstick comedy, you’ve got a good ear. The score was composed by Angelo Badalamenti.
Does that name sound familiar? It should. He’s the guy who did the music for Twin Peaks.
Honestly, it’s a wild choice for a Chevy Chase movie. Badalamenti was working on the Twin Peaks pilot around the same time he was scoring Clark's nervous breakdown. If you listen closely to the cues during the more sentimental moments—like when Clark is up in the attic watching old home movies—there’s a distinct "Badalamenti-esque" synth warmth that feels almost dreamlike. It’s a huge part of why the movie feels so cozy despite all the yelling.
👉 See also: The Lil Wayne Tracklist for Tha Carter 3: What Most People Get Wrong
The "10th Anniversary" Hoax and Bootlegs
Around 1999, a rumor started flying around the early internet. People claimed a "10th Anniversary" edition of the National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation soundtrack was being sold exclusively at Six Flags Magic Mountain (the real-life "Walley World").
The story was that you could go to a print-on-demand kiosk, pay a few bucks, and get a custom CD. Some versions of the story say only 20,000 were made. Some say 7,000.
Here’s the truth: It was basically a high-end bootleg.
While some "official-looking" CDs did circulate, they weren't wide commercial releases. Most of these discs actually contained a major error. They included a "Christmas Medley" that was credited to Badalamenti but was actually ripped straight from John Williams’ score for Home Alone 2. If you find one of these at a flea market, it’s a cool collector’s item, but don't expect it to be a pristine studio master.
✨ Don't miss: Songs by Tyler Childers: What Most People Get Wrong
Every Song You Actually Hear in the Movie
Since there’s no official album, fans usually have to piece together their own National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation soundtrack. Here is the definitive list of what plays during the film’s biggest moments:
- "Christmas Vacation" by Mavis Staples: Plays during the animated opening and the ending credits.
- "Hey, Santa Claus" by The Moonglows: This is the R&B track playing while Clark and Rusty are untying the massive tree in the front yard.
- "That Spirit of Christmas" by Ray Charles: Perhaps the most famous "needle drop" in the movie. It’s what Clark listens to in the attic while crying over his old home movies.
- "Mele Kalikimaka" by Bing Crosby: The classic Hawaiian Christmas song that plays during Clark’s poolside fantasy about the girl from the department store.
- "Here Comes Santa Claus" by Gene Autry: This kicks in right when the SWAT team raids the Griswold house.
- "Hallelujah Chorus" by Oratorio Society of New York: Plays when Clark finally gets the lights to work.
How to Find the Music Today
If you want to recreate the experience of the National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation soundtrack, you're mostly stuck with DIY playlists. Because of the rights issues mentioned earlier, many of the tracks are owned by different labels.
Lindsey Buckingham’s "Holiday Road" is often associated with this movie, but it actually doesn't appear in Christmas Vacation at all—it's the theme for the original Vacation and European Vacation. People just conflate them because the movies are so linked in our heads.
If you’re a vinyl collector, keep an eye out for the Mavis Staples 7-inch. It’s become a bit of a "holy grail" for Christmas music nerds. Prices can get pretty steep in December, so try looking in the off-season.
Your Next Steps for a Griswold Christmas
- Check your "Best of Christmas" CDs: If you have any 90s-era compilations (like The Ultimate Christmas Album Vol. 3), look for the Mavis Staples track there; it's often the easiest way to find the high-quality version.
- Build a custom playlist: Since no official digital album exists, search for the individual songs by Ray Charles and The Moonglows to build your own "Griswold Mix."
- Verify the "Official" claims: If you see a CD on eBay claiming to be the "original 1989 soundtrack," be careful—it’s almost certainly a fan-made bootleg, as no such product was ever mass-produced.