Not joking. I just don’t think it counts because of the religious imagery. It’s not explicitly about war, it’s just emotionally tied to the Cuban Missile Crisis, and when I think of a star shooting through the night, I’m not thinking of, you know, a star.
I enjoyed reading the linked backstory, and very much like the carol — majestic melody, interconnected verses — but can’t see the lyrics being about nuclear warfare.
The light with a tail, just maybe, but certainly readable as a comet. And the second verse reads
Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy:
"Do you hear what I hear?
Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy
Do you hear what I hear?
A song, a song, high above the trees
With a voice as big as the sea
Which implies angelic chorus rather than armageddon. It would have been simple to change ‘song’ to ‘call’ or ‘cry’ which would retain the ambiguity. Even ‘choir’ would be more suggestive of flying death.
I dunno. “Voice as big as the sea” sounds ominous to me. But if you didn’t know about the connection you probably wouldn’t hear it. I concede it’s not a non-religious song.
No, this is the traditional Christmas nuclear war song.
that one and fairytale of new york …
Merry Xmas Everybody - Slade
I agree that “Carol of the Bells” should be on the list.
And “It Came upon a Midnight Clear” is religious, but it isn’t about Christmas. Pay attention to the lyrics: It’s about angels singing, but it never once mentions why they’re singing.
That’s of course the greatest Xmas song of all time. From the poll, I only like “Father Christmas” (if the Kinks song is meant), my second favorite Xmas song, the others I either don’t know or don’t care for (or hate with a passion, like “Do They Know It’s Christmas”, the most condescending song ever written).
Missing
Rocking around the Christmas tree by Brenda Lee
Numbah One Day of Chriatmas (Hawaiian-style twelve days)
Lacuna Coil
Naughty Christmas
I like the funny Christmas songs like 12 Pains of Christmas
Too late to the party. John Denver’s, “Christmas For Cowboys,” is lovely.
@Saint_Cad already suggested Tim Minchin’s White wine in the sun, which has grown men tearing up.
Here’s the clip - as mentioned, donations to charity.
The other great modern Christmas song in the Australian canon is How to make gravy, by Paul Kelly.
It’s got sleigh bells, a 24 member chorus, and it was recorded on Dec 24th 2007. Totally my kind of Christmas music.
