Tag: greg lake

December 8: I Believe In Father Christmas

On By Laura MorganIn Christmas, Music

Sorry this is late, I have been on the move for 72 hours, for various reasons, and I didn’t have the foresight to advance-schedule more than 48 hours’ worth of songs. It won’t happen again. We have a departure from our regular schedule today, because this isn’t a Beatles song, or a song by an ex-Beatle, or really anything to do with the Beatles at all, except that Greg Lake, whose death was announced today, was a big Beatles fan and cited them as an influence – one that I think you can hear in this song (though it is perhaps more McCartney-ish than it is Beatles-y, but there’s nothing wrong with that).

Anyway since the whole point of this year’s theme is a tribute to lost loved ones, and since this is an actually good, actually Christmas song, it would be rude not to play it today. Normal service resumes tomorrow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPm6CheT6rs</embed&gt;

 

Advent song for December 9: Happy Christmas, (another) Matthew!

On By Laura MorganIn Christmas, Music

This is a proper Christmas pop song. Chosen by Matthew, who says:

I Believe In Father Christmas: makes me smile because I remember Greg Lake being asked what it meant to him and answering “never having to write another song”.

Which is a wise, witty and pragmatic reponse worthy of Matthew himself, who is all of those things. I worked with Matthew years and years ago, before I knew how to do – well, just about anything. I never fully penetrated the mysteries of what he does for a living, but he did teach me, extra-curricularly, to be interested in cooking and photography, so for that I will always be grateful to him. In particular, I remember salivating as he described in exquisite detail the Christmas dinners he used to cook for what sounded like dozens of people at once. I am making Christmas dinner for the first time ever this year, and although I am only catering for four people, I shall endeavour to do it in the spirit of Matthew.

Happy Christmas, Matthew!