IT'S THE ENRAPTURED CHRISTMAS BLOG!!!
Some people will tell you that there's no such thing as a good Christmas pop song, and that those tunes which do masquerade as such are all mawkish, cringe-inducing, nostalgia-fuelled tripe. Now, many of the Christmas songs gifted to us by the latter part of the 20th century do indeed fall under this long-winded but nonetheless fair description, but there are a few - just a few, mind - which buck the trend. You won't find any of them in such hallowed lists as are featured in respectable publications like this. Lists like these feature only songs which have either received the near-universal seal of public approval (Fairytale of New York, War is Over) or revel in their own ridiculousness, whether they realise it or not (Mistletoe & Wine). What I'm interested in are Christmas pop songs which stand on their own merits, but are often unfairly overlooked in favour of other, shinier hits. They are still, however, songs which regularly appear on almost every compilation of Christmas pop tunes, so you've no excuse not to seek them out and rediscover their myriad charms this festive season.
1. A Spaceman Came Travelling by Chris de Burgh
'Tis a truth universally acknowledged that Chris de Burgh is rubbish; just ask Bill Bailey. But like a stopped clock telling the right time once in a while he was destined to produce just one great tune, and this is it. The lovely sound of proper '70s electric piano lets us know we're in for something special, and despite the insipid lyrics with their bizarre sci-fi take on the traditional Christmas story, de Burgh's voice on this track has what I can only describe as a haunting quality. Plus, it has a chorus you can actually mosh to, if you try really hard. Embrace it!
2. A Winter's Tale by David Essex
Singer and alleged actor David Essex's oeuvre is also somewhat lacking in quality tunes, with Rock On perhaps being one of only two exceptions (I don't care what you say!). The other is this (sort of) Christmas song from 1982, with lyrics written by Tim Rice (best known for his later work with Disney on Aladdin, The Lion King et al). Perhaps its mournful atmosphere prevents the track from being as widely celebrated as other '80s Christmas pop fayre, but it makes for a nice change in mood every time it turns up in the midst of gurning, parping Christmas party music. Apart from marking one of the few occasions during the '80s when a soprano saxophone was utilised in a tasteful manner, I also find this song to be deeply evocative of cold winter days and colder winter nights.
3. The Power of Love by Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Lyrically, I'm not sure what this song actually has to do with Christmas. Granted, the video has a nativity theme, but I think this may have been created to boost the track's chances of a high festive chart position back in 1984. In any event, it has come by convention to be considered a Christmas song, and a very good one it is, too. A lush, piano 'n' strings ballad will probably seem somewhat out of place for people who only know this band from hits like Relax and Two Tribes, but this song - in my opinion - trumps them both. The chord changes and vocal melody are lovely, and singer Holly Johnson gets a chance to showcase his not unimpressive vocal talent. Although there's a nicely ominous synth and drum break at about three minutes in with which they could have done so much more, Frankie Goes To Hollywood nonetheless showed that they were capable of wonderous things with this song.
4. I Believe in Father Christmas by Greg Lake
Using as its melodic basis the "troika" from Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kije Suite (which has itself come to be an incredibly popular piece of Christmas music, despite never having been intended as such by the composer), Greg Lake's festive tune is an underappreciated gem which actually features some rather anti-clerical lyrics; a fact not seemingly appreciated by most broadcasters. With lines like, "they told me a fairy story till I believed in the Israelite", however, the intent seems unmistakable, despite what Lake and (lyricist) Peter Sinfield may have said subsequently.
5. In Dulci Jubilo by Mike Oldfield
Last but far from least is Mike Oldfield's reimagining of a traditional Christmas carol. His take on In Dulci Jubilo has a nicely rustic feel overall, but the real treat comes about halfway through, when Mike busts out what I believe to be the ultimate Christmas guitar solo (TM). Whether there are in fact any other Christmas guitar solos is quite irrelevant; this is the ultimate one. Despite a couple of rather obvious fluffed notes. Ahem. Dig it!
These are, in my view, the five most underappreciated Christmas pop tunes ever. All of them are worthy of your attention and re-appraisal, and I'll tell you why: atmosphere. It's something I bang on about an awful lot, but atmosphere is the truly essential component in creating a memorable piece of music. These five tracks - irrespective of their various flaws and merits - all have atmosphere, specifically a Christmas atmopshere. Maybe this is just rose-tinted nostalgia on my part - even though I wasn't alive when four of these tracks were originally released - but I recommend you give them a spin this Christmas. They might even climb to the lofty rank of "guilty pleasures".
