Songwriter Sudi (Rick) Karatas’s newest Christmas song and music video, “All I Want for Christmas is You GONE,” was released this month, just in time for the holiday season. Karatas’ song brings laughs in the same vein of classics such as “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” by bringing humor to breaking up. The song and music video are available on Amazon Music, iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube, as well as in rotation on Christmasradio.com, a 24/7/365 Christmas music streaming website.
Karatas felt it was time for something new in a Christmas song. He explained, "Part of me wanted to write this song because they play the Mariah song like a gazillion times every year.” Using the title of the Mariah Carey Christmas classic, “All I Want for Christmas is You,” Karatas simply added the word "gone" to create a new, humorous twist on breaking up. He continued, "Once I had the title, it had to be a breakup song!”
He created two versions of the accompanying music video: one with a gay couple and the other with a straight one. Both feature a main character who catches his significant other in a compromising position on the couch with someone else. It is the final straw that breaks the camel's back, and next thing you know, he's packing his narcissistic partner’s suitcase, burning their stockings, and having Santa drive them far away and drop them off in a big snowdrift. Karatas said, “I was just going to do one version with a female, but as a gay man, it made a lot of sense to do an LGBTQ one.”
Karatas, also an actor, stars in both as the protagonist. Mel England plays his boyfriend and Lupe Carranza, his girlfriend. Brian Sadler played Santa, and it was directed and edited by Karla Guy. He recorded the song at Big Rock Studios with Andy Machin, who produced it, played all the instruments, and sang harmony with his wife Margaret.
The music videos won the audience award for Best Music Video at the Silicon Beach Film Festival in Hollywood and Best Video at the San Diego Movie Awards. It also will be in the Culver City Film Festival on December 5th at 6 pm.
It is not the first time Karatas created funny songs/music videos for Christmas or used the Carey hit title for inspiration. Previously, he released “All I Want for Christmas Is Some Sleep” and “Midnight Will Be Clear” (a song about staying sober during the holidays). He also has a video to his song "What You Don't Remember" about Alzheimer's directed by Larry Weissman, with proceeds going to AFA (Alzheimer's Foundation Of America).
To watch the videos click: All I Want for Christmas Is You GONE! (LGBTQ version) and All I Want for Christmas Is You GONE!.
To download the song click: All I Want for Christmas is You GONE!
About SUDI “RICK” KARATAS
Sudi (Rick) Karatas is the author of the books Rainbow Relatives (Real World Stories and Advice On How To Talk To Kids About LGBTQ Family And Friends) and How Catering Sucked The Life Right Out Of Me. Karatas also co-wrote the movie Walk A Mile in My Pradas starring Tom Arnold, which is currently on Amazon Prime. The tribute song he wrote for Olivia Newton-John, “Her Spirit LIVS On”sung by Adrian Christian, was released in October 2023. The proceeds from iTunes downloads will go to Olivia Newton John's foundation.
Follow Sudi on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram and his website is www.sudirick.com.
