The Gift That Keeps On Giving

The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Hands up – who’s made a Christmas record? I’ve done three over the years, and  they can be a lot of fun, even if you do have to get in the mood in April.

They fall into two camps really; on one hand the typical British Novelty Record, and on the other,  American Schmaltz. An interesting contrast, which certainly shows the differences in our respective musical heritage. In England the music hall tradition is heard in everything from the pub singalong of Slade to the Goonish comedy of the Beatles Xmas discs, whereas the US style has always been anchored in the Broadway/Hollywood Showtune sentimentality of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, and the inevitable White Christmas. The closest we British get to that is the crying-in-your-beer sentimentality of There’s No One Quite Like Grandma. Not quite Irving Berlin, that one.

But so much for the history. Both draw on reference points quite different than your usual Pop record…and I think that’s what I found most interesting. A certain freedom of approach, but within very distinct guidelines. With Christmas records, you’re not selling an artist at all – it’s all about the song or the concept. Ideal for a producer.

The first one I made was entirely of traditional songs. With squeaky toys.
Cue; gasps of amazement.  It was just done for fun in an afternoon if truth be told, but to my surprise there was a record deal on the table within 3 weeks! My subsequent xmas recordings also hinged around a central theme, but incorporated original as well as traditional material, plus loads of sound effects, narratives and various crazy stuff – a logical extension of the initial idea.

Apart from the fun of making them, the bonus about Christmas records is their longevity – re releases year after year. There’s a nice combination of satisfaction and surprise when you get royalties from something you did 20 years ago.