We all have them, songs that seem to touch a secret place in your soul – sometimes secret even from you. They can grow and occasionally fester like an open wound, or they can fill you up, inspire you and occasionally even heal you. Sometimes they don't even reflect your musical tastes. They can be shameful secrets that you keep from family and friends. You feel like a drug addict craving your next fix. At times like those you thank the powers that be for MP3 players - the syringe of those suffering with this affliction.
This is a special Christmas installment of songs that touch my soul but unlike most of the “Songs” column’s this edition isn’t full of passion, desire and lust – because even I can’t make Christmas lusty. Usually just five songs long, this holiday special will be 12 songs (one for each day of Christmas) over a two-part column. Not a traditionalist, you’ll notice that many of these songs are not the regular favourites, although there are few golden-oldies that I simply couldn’t do without.
“O Come O Come Emmanuel” – Belle and Sebastian
That great Scottish band, Belle and Sebastian, did, what is to me, the seminal version of John Mason Neale's "Veni, Veni, Emmanuel." Neale is a 19th century divine scholar and hymn writer. B&S's version is a sublime, graceful, concordant version, with the band striking the perfect balance between modern and traditional with vocal harmonies enough for any church choir.
“Fairytale of New York” – The Pogues with Kristy MacColl
Those gods of Irish folk-pop The Pogues, gave us a song that is as far from traditional as it could be and yet, has a lovely tune that feels oh so Christmassy. Featuring Kristy MacColl – an English singer venerated by the British media, when she died well before her time in 2000 – this song is essentially a tale of love gone wrong. Sung by Pogues frontman, toothless genius Shane MacGowan, spinning a lyrical tale in the form of an internal monologue between he and former girlfriend MacColl, as he lies in a drunk tank, in New York City, sleeping it off.
The lyrics are touching and humorous, the music has a sweeping, orchestral quality to it and the picture MacGowan paints of New York at Christmas is astonishingly vivid. And of course it has those, oh-so Christmassy lyrics “You scumbag, you maggot/ You cheap lousy faggot/ Happy Christmas your arse/ I pray God it's our last”. Really warms your heart doesn’t it. But I bet many of us have thought those very words too many relatives and loved ones at Christmas.
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