Thursday, December 22, 2005

"I Believe in Father Christmas"

With the music channels all showing variants on the theme of "The Best Christmas Album....Ever!" I've had a good opportunity to review the evidence - from David Bowie and Bing Crosby's "Little Drummer Boy" right through to The Darkness' bit of seasonal Queen-U-Like. And I was right - there is such a tidal wave of tosh released each year. Which means my other top Christmas tune is still this wonderful piece of overblown hymnery by Greg Lake.
I've blogged Emerson, Lake and Palmer already. And this isn't a whole lot different, except that this time the music doesn't drown the vocals. The lyric is what really grabs me.... "They said there'll be snow at Christmas/They said there'll be peace on earth/But instead it just kept on raining/A veil of tears for the virgin's birth." As the song progresses, the pomposity gets ratcheted up until there are two or three full choirs, a phalanx of percussionists, a few orchestras. But at the start, it's a delicate, very seasonal tune.
I like the idea of a song that questions our motives, our cultural habits and our ability to gloss over the unpleasantness that pervades life. I don't always mind being reminded that things aren't wonderful, especially at a time like Christmas, when we're all suddenly bathed in a family-values golden glow. "They said there'll be snow at Christmas/They said there'll be peace on earth/Hallelujah, Noel be it heaven or hell/The Christmas you get you deserve."

5 comments:

Minerva said...

I have nominated you for the Best of Blogs award in the Music category..

You deserve it...

http://www.thebestofblogs.com/nominations/best-music-blog/

Nuff said..

Minerva

Deadly Female said...

Another classic Christmas tune - for all the reasons you mentioned, and more. Funny though, its one I always forget until I hear it. Merry Christmas to you xx

Russell CJ Duffy said...

and this one has to be the third, after lennon's, best xmas song ever!!

Evil Minx said...

Oo, Min -- great move.

Londinium -- i'm going to second her nomination. (Sorry, i wish i'd thought of that myself!)

And i love this song, and you only do it the utmost justice.

Evil Minx said...

Oops. Too late.

The thought was there, though and i meant it sincerely.

Minxxxxxxxxxxxxx