A lot of us need a song to kick start Christmas. For many, it's hearing Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody" that gets the holidays going — and, in particular, Noddy Holder's fearsome scream of "It's CHRIST-MAS!!!" near the end. For others, there's the Celtic loveliness of "Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues that puts them in the Christmas spirit. Some probably really get in the mood the first time they play Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" (either that or the first time it's foisted upon them in a shopping centre or grocery store or cafe) even if it's never done a whole lot for me. But then, I never used to have that seasonal hit that got Christmas underway.
XTC's Christmas single is by no means a classic. It pales in comparison with the likes of "Making Plans for Nigel", "Generals and Majors" and "Great Fire" and many of their other superlative songs. Even as holiday specials go, it treads water somewhat. If Andy Partridge had been trying to tie as many cliches together then "Thanks for Christmas" is nothing but a huge success. Yule logs, excited kids, wishing it could be every day of the year: yup, it's got 'em all. As we'll see in this blog, British Christmas songs often have a tinge of reality to them that makes them charming but there's not a trace of it here, even though the bit about "Santa's reindeer yawning" comes sort of close if I'm being generous.
Being XTC, however, it still works. Partridge's chords and melodies are masterful and, even though they were heading down the dumper by this stage of their career, he puts them to good use here. Putting aside his bile for the holidays means he's not caught up in an issue to spoil the song — he was getting very political by this point which wasn't a good fit for him — but his deadpan delivery gives the trite lyrics some life.
"Disguised" as the Biblical Magi, Partridge (Melchoir) and mates Colin Moulding (Caspar) and Dave Gregory (Balthazar) had a curious knack for becoming more themselves as they took on new identities. They would soon transform themselves into The Dukes of Stratosphear which would give them a creative second wind leading to their masterpiece Skylarking. Were they too embarrassed to do a Christmas song as XTC? Were they afraid their small but devoted fanbase would react badly to such a thing? Either way, I'm happy to hide my critical faculties for the moment when we get to "You've been saving your love up, let it out, 'cause Christmas is here!" and that's when the holidays begin for me. A nice way to get this blog going too.
A pity about the horrible B side though.
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