Christmas Song #6:

SONG #6:

Jethro Tull--A Christmas Song



Another one for the bitter Christmas crowd.

As far as I know, Jethro Tull recorded two versions of this. One was a B-side to a 60's single that I can't remember, then released on the 1972 singles compilation Living In The Past. The other was a re-recorded 2003 version for their Christmas Album(!). I'm putting the Living In The Past version here because it sounds better, but I was quite tempted to do otherwise. (Well... not really. The cover made for this video is pretty excellent.)

I haven't exactly made it through the 2003 Christmas album (never really got around to it... but taking a listen now), but anyone who is familiar with the group knows how anti-religion the band is, so of course it makes sense they would make a Christmas album (although it's not really as if anyone recognizes the Christian implications of the holidays that much anyway...) But apparently the album is more about embracing the holiday as a way to embrace and spend time with family, so it's not as if song after song is filled with bashing the church and holiday (for better or worse, I guess, depending on your point of view). Especially since a handful are pleasant instrumentals of holiday standards.

But this song is pretty damn cynical, at least towards those who are using the holidays for their own excess. It's pretty humorous, to boot.

I don't really have much else to say about the lyrical matter, but the song does really reinforce what I like about Jethro Tull. They've always been lumped into the progressive rock fold--because I suppose they made a couple high-on-concept records later on (and maybe because it's just cool to hate both prog and the band...)--but I've always enjoyed them more when they were kind of just a more adventurous folk band. And this song is just that--starts up with just some captivating mandolin strumming, before the strings kick in during the second verse (which, of course, I love.) It's nothing that reinvents the wheel... but it's quite lovely.

BONUS SONG:



If you are looking for dorky prog Christmas tunes, though... I'm assuming this is what you're looking for.

Video complete with footage from the Vietnam War, because... you know.