In the early eighties Goth icons SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES, with The Cure‘s Robert Smith as temporary member, covered classic French Christmas lullaby I’l Est Né Le Divin Enfant(‘He is born, the divine child’).
Wonderful voice ASHLEY McBRYDE is a famous country celebrity
from Nashville, Tennessee. She released her highly praised 5th LP. LINDEVILE last October. One of those warm and emotive country
albums that confirms that the genre is timeless.
McBryde invited several notable guests to the studio for this new LP.
One of them was songsmith Benjy Davis who took care of the vocals
on standout ballad GOSPEL NIGHT AT THE STRIP CLUB.
McBryde sang the pearl herself a couple of weeks ago, together
with John Osborne, on the Saturday Night Live show
It’s a romantic, melancholic, Xmassy gem. An instant earworm. But what makes this magnific lullaby really special is its story. It’s about a local strip club in a small (fictional) town (all album’s songs are centered around that town) where Jesus appeared one night – incognito – to have a drink with drunken barflies, whores, and queers who lost touch with the real, hard world outside.
Seems like the Holy One was there to see if his beloved dropouts are allright. It’s both a funny and daring story. Many will be offended by it, mostly Christians/Catholics. Well, that’s their problem. For me, it’s a fabulous tale and tune confirming that Jesus was a humanist and a socialist. Hallelujah, indeed!
Best and most original Xmas song of 2022.
It goes like this.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Jesus loves the drunkards and
the whores and the queers
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Would you recognize him
if he bought you a beer
Mega famous songstress, rapper and flutistLIZZO (born Melissa Viviane Jefferson,
34 years ago in Detroit) performed last week on the Saturday Night Live Show covering
a 1967 Xmas carol named SOMEDAY AT CHRISTMAS bySTEVIE WONDER.
Sharp-teethed post-punks LIFE from Kingston Upon Hull (UK) released their
praised third LP North East Coastal Town last August (stream at the bottom).
To end their very busy year they get into the Xmas cover buzz with their
interpretation of classic Jingle Bellswith the punk ghost of Ramones all
over it.
Mez Sanders-Green (frontman): “This year, following an incredible tour of our
latest album, we wanted to celebrate at the LIFE AGM and got in the festive spirit to
record the ‘LIFEMAS’ version of Jingle Bells. Yes, we wore tinsel, yes, we wore Xmas shaped sunglasses and yes, we just had a ton of fun. Is it serious, hell-no but hopefully the track
just makes people laugh and dance with their kids, pets, nan’s and gate-crashing X-mas neighbours – reach for your Satsuma and enjoy!”
During the sessions, Byrne wrote a song about Santa, named THE FAT MAN’S COMIN’,
not destined for that LP. He sang it live a couple of times on special occasions and now
the festive lullaby gets a proper release.
Song’s artwork
Byrne says he has been waiting to release the song as a benefit for some cause. He’s decided to use it as a fundraiser for his own online magazine Reasons To Be Cheerful . A non-profit editorial project that is tonic for tumultuous times.
Statement: “I always wanted to write a holiday song. I wouldn’t call it a Christmas song, as the visitation of Santa (formerly known as St. Nicholas, who mainly did punishing) seems to have evolved to be a more secular consumer moment than a religious or spiritual affair. I believe the foundation of this music might have been written at the same time as the collaboration I did with St. Vincent a few years ago, but somehow a literal view of the Santa phenomena was what came out. It wasn’t right for Annie and me – the story of a fat man in rather odd attire who breaks into people’s homes and leaves mysterious packages. Back then, I thought I’d use the song as a means to raise money for a good cause, but to draw attention to this thing I thought it might need a visual, so I storyboarded a video for the song which eventually ended up getting shelved.”
But maybe helping celebrate another year of Reasons To Be Cheerful might be a good reason to resurrect this song, and let the storyboards allow folks to imagine what the video might have been.
Enjoy and thanks for listening/watching.” – David Byrne
PINS, Manchester’s Queens of Pop released the best 2020 discotastic album of the year with Hot Slick. A sultry collection of sensual dance floor killers. Party record of the year. Hands down!
Before turning this year’s page they’re going gabba gabba with a cover of the Ramones‘ Xmas lullaby Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight).
