It just goes to show. You can be a professor of music at Bristol University and know fuck all.
The full article is here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/de ... stmas-songEnjoy the bit where Prof Emma Hornby describes the writer of Mistletoe and Wine by St Cliff Richard as "a musical genius".
This is just the annoying bit.
The rough-and-ready classic
Fairytale of New York, by the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl
Batt: One of the best Christmas songs, because it sounds like a real person telling a real story, which is refreshing. There's a natural cynicism in Shane MacGowan's voice but it's gone here, which says a lot. The song's also stopped from being mawkish by the grittiness of the insults. Any song with "scumbag" in it isn't aiming for No 1 – and I think people appreciate that. Score: 9
Hornby: This is not a Christmas song at all. It's just a man with not a very nice voice singing a simple melody, going round and round, not quite in tune. When MacColl comes in, it's just folk modalities with fiddle and accordion. But at least she can sing! Score: 0
Fraser: This has no religious content but – crucially – it doesn't try to have any. I like that it takes Christmas away from an idea of materialism. There's an earthiness to it that's much more part of the message. MacColl singing "you're handsome" to Shane MacGowan, though? I can't believe that at all! Score: 7
Esack: A good song if you want a bit of anarchy – which is funny, because it's got such a sad lyric. People just hear the raucous celebratory shouting and join in. We did a party for Spearmint Rhino recently where all the guys were pole-dancing. This could have been the soundtrack, but we had a 7ft rapper instead. Score: 7
Total: 23/40
It just goes to show. You can be a professor of music at Bristol University and know fuck all.
The full article is here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/dec/18/whats-the-best-christmas-song
Enjoy the bit where Prof Emma Hornby describes the writer of Mistletoe and Wine by St Cliff Richard as "a musical genius".
This is just the annoying bit.
The rough-and-ready classic
Fairytale of New York, by the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl
Batt: One of the best Christmas songs, because it sounds like a real person telling a real story, which is refreshing. There's a natural cynicism in Shane MacGowan's voice but it's gone here, which says a lot. The song's also stopped from being mawkish by the grittiness of the insults. Any song with "scumbag" in it isn't aiming for No 1 – and I think people appreciate that. Score: 9
Hornby: This is not a Christmas song at all. It's just a man with not a very nice voice singing a simple melody, going round and round, not quite in tune. When MacColl comes in, it's just folk modalities with fiddle and accordion. But at least she can sing! Score: 0
Fraser: This has no religious content but – crucially – it doesn't try to have any. I like that it takes Christmas away from an idea of materialism. There's an earthiness to it that's much more part of the message. MacColl singing "you're handsome" to Shane MacGowan, though? I can't believe that at all! Score: 7
Esack: A good song if you want a bit of anarchy – which is funny, because it's got such a sad lyric. People just hear the raucous celebratory shouting and join in. We did a party for Spearmint Rhino recently where all the guys were pole-dancing. This could have been the soundtrack, but we had a 7ft rapper instead. Score: 7
Total: 23/40
