About the Song
With his gentle voice and tender delivery, Daniel O’Donnell brings a quiet reverence to “Pretty Paper”—a Christmas song that doesn’t focus on glittering trees or festive cheer, but instead turns our gaze to those often overlooked in the bustle of the holiday season.
Originally written by Willie Nelson and made famous by Roy Orbison in 1963, “Pretty Paper” tells the story of a lonely street vendor selling ribbons and wrappings on a busy sidewalk—ignored by crowds rushing to finish their Christmas shopping. It’s a poignant reminder that while the season is filled with joy for many, there are others for whom it brings solitude, struggle, and silence.
In Daniel’s hands, the song takes on a new softness. His Irish lilt and gentle phrasing wrap the story in compassion. He doesn’t dramatize the tale—he simply tells it, letting the emotion rise from the lyrics themselves. “Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue…” he sings, and suddenly the image of a forgotten man on a street corner becomes as real and vivid as any nativity scene.
What Daniel captures so beautifully is the spirit of empathy. His version isn’t just about the melody—it’s about seeing someone. It’s about the kind of Christmas that goes beyond gifts and lights and asks us to slow down, look around, and remember the human stories playing out just beyond the shop windows.
“Pretty Paper” is not a loud anthem of celebration—it’s a quiet, powerful song of awareness. And Daniel O’Donnell, with his lifelong devotion to songs that speak to the heart, gives it the tenderness and truth it deserves.
For listeners who seek meaning in the stillness and a deeper kind of beauty in their holiday music, Daniel’s version of “Pretty Paper” is a shining star.