Guest Author
Few get as excited as I do when I hear the first airy wisps of “The Christmas Song” followed by the haunting yet soothing sound of the master, Nat King Cole, as he lifts us next to a crackling fire under a magical Christmas tree.
I will not even quibble over which of his four recorded versions is best. (1961 is, of course.) The song easily takes the listener back to his own personal version of a “classic Christmas” scene, a vision we could all use this year. Cole’s definitive song is annually listed as one of the most played songs of the holiday season, and this year will be no different.
But this holiday season will be different in so many other ways.
On top of the normal additional stresses, COVID will make things much tougher, and not everyone’s days will be stacked full of Instagram perfection or Facebook flawlessness. (No one is festive over on Twitter.)
That is why, if you are being honest, the best Christmas song for 2020 is probably “Fairytale of New York.”
The rowdy track, which centers on a couple of Irish immigrants making their way through the streets of 1940s New York City, was written by Shane MacGowan and Jem Finer of the Celtic punk band “The Pogues.” It appeared on the band’s third studio album, “If I Should Fall from Grace with God,” in 1987.
While now a holiday standard in Ireland and Britain, “Fairytale of New York” has proved considerably less popular in the U.S. — until this year.
In Great Britain, it sits as the most played Christmas song in the 21st century. As one might imagine, the song hit No. 1 in Ireland.
“Fairytale” is quite a departure from typical Pogues fare, which features their up-tempo mixes of punk rock and Irish folk.
It is a holiday ballad between MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl underscored by an Irish string arrangement. Like the first few seconds of Nat King Cole’s 1961 arrangement, the opening of “Fairytale” invites festive memories from Christmases past. And like all classics, the opening lyrics are essential to painting an iconic, lasting visual.
However, the chaser with “Fairytale” is that when “the Irish” kicks in — bodhrán, violin and flute — the song completely draws in your ghost of Christmas past.
This year, we hope, has been an uncommon one, so what better than a Christmas song with an unusual verse — in this case, a “call and response.”
When we first hear from our narrator, he appears to be daydreaming about his beloved on Christmas Eve from a most uncommon place. From there, we hear them oscillate between happy and harsh lyrics as “the bells are ringing out on Christmas Day.”
“Fairytale” is not overtly about Christmas as a lot of popular holiday songs in America. In fact, it’s quite melancholy.
MacColl puts just the right amount of savagery and passion into her lines, while MacGowan provides the perfect amount of empathy in his typical slurry vocals.
The song is both nostalgic and reflective of dependence, alcoholism and lost love.
The song continues to capture a flawed couple attempting to make things work in troubled times. “Fairytale” is a song in which the season is as much of a problem to the couple as it is the solution.
As we have all trudged through this year, we can commiserate with a couple realizing we will only make it if we work together, even if we aren’t always on the same page.
The listener is treated to a front-row seat to their airing of certain grievances that tends to make the song even more believable. Through the name-calling though, it always comes back to “Fairytale of New York” being a romantic and even optimistic opus, as even when he is facing a Christmas Eve in the drunk tank, he notes, “I’ve got a feeling this year’s for me and you.”
Seems like a song written for 2020 and the perfect way to look ahead to 2021.
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Kevin Sweeny is a recovering DJ who prefers classic holiday music fare but loves a good Irish òran. You can listen to his Christmas playlist here, although he will probably be listening to these songs on his record player.
