ELP’s prog-rock “I Believe in Father Christmas” has whined on the blog before, but other versions both punk and NewAge/Celtic and gal cappella (holy moly) and even ‘on quaaludes‘ hover nearby. So, why not? I mean, okay, this is an existential crisis of faith–but it turns out relatively cool, or at least called on rain. All right, all right. Next month I promise: songs about ambivalence and disbelief!
Make Like Monkeys treats “I Believe in Father Christmas” with more pop permissiveness.
The Clapis Cousins represent the millennial slacker with raw strumming and struggling whistling in their folk-rock manifesto “Dear Santa.” Rap solo!
Squirrel Nut Zippers offer variation to their “Hanging Up My Stockings” with some odd broke-down Victrola filter. But this childish act of beggary is testament to belief, i believe.
Tom Kenny’s SpongeBob SquarePants leads the cast in their vote of confidence: “Santa Won’t Let You Down.” It’s pop showtune certainty.
Heather Noelle Holley tries to trademark Christmas with “There is a Santa Claus.” Cheesy pop heuristics that makes it so.
In 1897 The New York Sun editorialized the fact o’ Santa for little Virginia. Erasure recites the article (including the girl’s street address) for our elevation. Neil Spence (from 1966) syncopates the spoken word a touch more. Bryce Wood gets rock’n’roll showtune on it all. Holmes Outdoors features a clip from some other musical that gets chorally quite Great White Way (not sure who’s singing). Bruce Enloe gets down and country (nearly honky tonk) wit it. Jimmy Dean famously gets the name wrong when trying to rewrite the story as his own in 1965. Copyright issues?! Most strangely, Your Marginally Talented Photographer Girlfriend gets garage meltdown with it.
Whoa ho ho… Scottish band Pilot parlayed their pop hit into the holidays with “It’s Christmas.” Never believe it’s not so. That makes money, yeh?
Tim Noah rattles off all matter of beliefs in the retirement home pop “Just Because.” Pro whistling.
Matt Roach struggles through heartbreak with the alt-folk inner monologue “Christmas Encore.” He believes in all of it. Why won’t you? In him? Emo.