Another dip into the seemingly bottomless well of more or less Americana-ish / country / singer-songwriter / folk offerings that celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. Still a dearth of directly Solstice themed songs…we’ll plug away at asking for them and one year we’ll get a deluge for sure. But not this year.
We’re starting off with a cover which includes the original artists helping out – Chris Janson has released his version of the Country Christmas classic, ‘Christmas in Dixie,’ in a duet with legendary band, Alabama. Written by Jeff Cook, Teddy Gentry and Randy Owen (originally recorded by Alabama in 1982), the track captures the comforting feelings of a cozy winter night spent with loved ones. No-one, repeat, no-one, is kicking off or getting in a strop over Monopoly (other equally argument provoking board games are available….).
There’s slightly less of the sense of perfect bliss on Riley Green‘s new Christmas song ‘Christmas To Me‘ which depicts a family get together rooted in Southern charm, traditions, and family values. Well, it does include a family argument over new tattoos, latecomers for the big meal, sly drinking and ungrateful children just ripping all their presents open without really taking in what they’ve been given so far. Yeah, now you mention it that does sound a bit like the 25th of December….
But, let’s not get too cynical – maybe we should take a leaf out of Hillary Scott‘s book. On ‘Hard To Wait For Christmas‘ the Lady A singer and her eleven-year-old daughter, Eisele Kaye deliver an analysis of the difficulty of waiting for so long, with all the anticipation and stress that invovles. But it’s always been that way they note. Written by Scott, her husband Chris Tyrrell and Eisele Kaye, the idea for the song was sparked by a family conversation about an advent calendar, and how – even for grownups – it’s hard to wait for Christmas. Says Hilary Scott “We hope this song makes families smile and encourages them to laugh and have fun together as they wait patiently (or not!) for Christmas. My favorite line from the song is about how it feels better to give than to receive, and if we could say anything about the Christmas season, it is that we hope you have a giving heart. That’s what really makes Christmas special – the gift of your time to the people you love, and the gift of your generosity to those in need.“
At this very special time of the year we do find ourselves featuring people that normally would raise more than a single eyebrow. Let’s face it, this may be the very first mention of Coldplay that the site has ever seen (feel free to correct us on that!). However, Liverpool-based singer-songwriter Euan Blackman has released a cover of that band’s ‘Christmas Lights‘, giving it more of a folk Americana feel enriched by his hallmark indie folk Americana-style production, complete with banjo and slide guitar.
As something of an antidote to all that inside coziness and comfort, and all those family traditions good and bad, we proffer ‘AT Christmas‘ from Sofia Talvik. It’s a song of challenging conditions encountered on the Appalachian Trail and was inspired by a story told to Sofia Talvik by a friend who had gone hiking only to find himself in difficulties to the extent that at one point “a park ranger pulled up in a jeep on a bluff above the trail. Later I would learn that they were looking specifically for me. I’m not sure how far away the ranger was, but I could not yell loud enough to get their attention. The falling snow muffled my voice, and the sound quickly fell flat against the night.”
On Sofia Talvik’s version of the song the ending might not be as positive as the hiker might be succumbing to the inviting snow as exhaustion takes hold over him. So, should it snow, and should you be so inclined to go hill or mountain walking then take heed and do leave details of your route and expected timings. Ooh, that’s very serious for us.
