The Wombats - 'Is This Christmas?'
INDIE CHRISTMAS SONG CHECK-LIST:
Sleighbells - TICK!
Stuff about snow - TICK!
Heart-warming brass band - TICK!
Slightly cynical lyrics about shopping - TICK!
Suggestion that things aren't quite up to the Christmasses back when we was kids - TICK!
List of things which always happen at Christmas, including TV and burned Christmas dinner - TICK!
Fence-straddling indecision over whether to celebrate along with The Sheeplike Masses or be Original Thinkers And Therefore Above Such Things - TICKITY-TICK!
I have read comments online which suggest that this song is a sell-out by the band, that they have somehow abandoned the strong anti-commercial principles which led them to record the stirring generational anthems 'Let's Dance To Joy Division' and 'Backfire At The Disco' in order to cash in. Now no-one will believe that they really MEAN IT, MAAN.
I have also read comments from people who love this song because it's so very clearly anti-Christmas, and being anti-Christmas at Christmas is automatically a very cool thing to be.
And then there are the people who think it's just a nice larkabout festive ditty, with Les Dennis and some appalling Xmas jumpers in the video. They love Christmas, we love Christmas, goodwill to all men! And women!
The thing is, everyone is sort of right, and also entirely wrong. The Wombats aren't really a band who live or die by their anti-corporate ethics, are they? And this isn't exactly a change of musical direction for the band. It sounds exactly like they usually do, only with a sleigh-bell/brass band combo bookending the song.
So, what they are doing is having their Christmas cake and eating it, winding up purist indie kids and cocking a snook at cheesy Cliff songs at the same time. Is there ANYTHING the band approve of? Do you think they could sing about it? Soon?
Download: Out now
CD Released: December 15th
(Fraser McAlpine)
PS: As an antidote to all this uncertainty, why not try something a bit more direct, like Half Man Half Biscuit's ?
Comment number 1.
At 10th Dec 2008, catman231 wrote:Hmm, really like this song and I've got the chorus stuck in my head although I guess that's to be expected of the Wombats!!!
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Comment number 2.
At 11th Dec 2008, ShineyMcShine wrote:Despite my better judgement, I quite like this song. The Half Man Half Biscuit track is much, much better tho.... best band to ever come out of Liverpool I reckon! ;-)
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Comment number 3.
At 11th Dec 2008, lolscott wrote:ShineyMcShine - I think you may have overlooked The Beatles ;)
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Comment number 4.
At 11th Dec 2008, supereviljo wrote:I like it, and it should be mentioned that all the proceeds go to mencap anyway!
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Comment number 5.
At 11th Dec 2008, U13737844 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 6.
At 11th Dec 2008, PoptasticLiam wrote:Bear in mind it is a charity single!
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Comment number 7.
At 12th Dec 2008, ShineyMcShine wrote:"ShineyMcShine - I think you may have overlooked The Beatles"
Err, who???
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Comment number 8.
At 12th Dec 2008, ShineyMcShine wrote:I really can't keep up with all these new indie bands! ;-)
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Comment number 9.
At 12th Dec 2008, catman231 wrote:Haha ShineyMcShine. I forgot to mention earlier, just how awesome are those jumpers in the video?!?!?!
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Comment number 10.
At 13th Dec 2008, softchews01 wrote:A good christmas song, even if it is a bit forgettable. No matter, I'm sure that it will grow on me as time goes past.
But Christmas is only 12 days away so I hope it grows quickly. maybe we could help it grow with love and nurishment. Or does that only work in films. ah well, we can try!
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Comment number 11.
At 14th Dec 2008, thranjax wrote:I guess cos it's for charity I won't be mean to it...
Thranjax
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Comment number 12.
At 15th Dec 2008, ShineyMcShine wrote:hey, catman, those jumpers are total class, i wouldn't expect anything less!
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