I think it's the lack of variety that gets to me about the holiday music season. There are only so many songs, and when you have to listen to them every working day, it takes the specialness out of hearing them. Then also there are the different takes on the same song - and that sometimes leads to the analyzing of these songs - since you're hearing the words in a different way, or that you're hearing them again and again. For example, in the song that has the opening line, "It's the most wonderful time of the year," the singer talks about "Tales of the Glory," and follows it with "telling scary ghost stories," - when did telling scary ghost stories became a Christmas thing? That's baffling to me. Then I remember a Trivial Pursuit question from long go that asked what is the horses name in Jingle Bells - and now I think about that every time I hear that song.
Probably my favorite Christmas song is A Fairytale of New York by The Pogues. It's a masterfully written song about being down and out on Christmas Eve - trying to hold on to a once promising relationship. The opening lines are: it was Christmas Eve babe/ In the drunk tank. The song becomes a duet with Kirsty MacColl taking the female role and Shane MacGowan the male - the rough and sweetness mix of their voices is perfect - and you believe them. It's gets to name calling after the beautiful instrumental break - things aren't good, but they are still somewhat hopeful by the end of the song. The music is glorious, the voices and the words all mix together for perfection.
Last year my friends, Sarah Stanely, Rich McCulley, and Shane McMahon, decided to organize a show at "our" bar, The Cinema Bar. It was to be a holiday show with all the songwriters singing original holiday songs. I was asked if I wanted to do it and I said yes, since I had an original holiday song from a couple years before that I wrote about drinking on Christmas Eve in Nashville. The show ended up having about 25 people or so on the bill - and it was an awesome, impressive night. Everyone was good and I'm glad that I'm able to call them all my friends. My song went over well and after the show I put together a little slide show with the song playing and posted it to You Tube.
This year they decided to do another holiday show, and I agreed again. This time though I didn't have a song already written so I started thinking about what I wanted to write a holiday song about - and I had no clue as to where to begin. I guess somehow (I'm still not sure) I started thinking about my friend's film, Prison Through Tomorrow's Eyes, by Paul Sutton and Lori-Boland Sutton, that I had recently seen at a film festival - and that became my subject matter. I wrote it from an inmate's view reflecting in his mind about Christmases past. I set it at this prison that's out in the California desert off the I-10 which I have seen a lot since I drive to Phoenix regularly. I wasn't sure about some lyrics but just went with it - and ended up being happy about it all. I did a recording in my bedroom and was happy with that too.
The show went well - again some amazing songs had been written and sung that night. It's hard to choose a favorite, but again it made me happy to see my very talented friends - and I'm so glad to be a part of this community - this very supportive community. My friend Deb Tala joined me that night on accordion for my Christmas Morn song and it added a lot to it all.
It was another big billed holiday show show - about 25 performers - so The Cinema Bar was packed. The Cinema Bar is a very small bar in Culver City, but it seems like the more people that pack in, the more fun it is - even with having to squeeze your way to the bar, to the restrooms, to the back patio, or in or out of the front door. The stage isn't big so it's always interesting when you see a full band play there - trying to fit everything - gear, equipment, and people - into that tight corner - but again, it adds to the fun.
I guess I find comfort in knowing that there are other holiday songs out there - not just the ones that are on repeat at whatever retail store or business you happen to be at. Occasionally I do find myself at work singing along to the songs because they are catchy, and they have been etched into my brain - which I guess there are worse things in life - and I also take comfort in the fact that the songs will stop on the 26th.
Here's last year's song, Townes Jesus, and Me
and my new holiday song can be heard on the Reverbnation player to the right
