I Believe in Father Christmas

I Believe in Father Christmas has always been one of my favorite "non-traditional" Christmas songs. It was written in 1974 by Peter Sinfield from King Crimson, and Greg Lake from King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer. I guess I always thought the tune was just another Christmas song done in the spirit of other rock bands during that era, such as Bruce Springsteen's Santa Claus is Coming to Town or the Eagles Please Come Home for Christmas. However, after "rediscovering" the song last year, and reading the lyrics for the very first time, I realized that the song had a much deeper meaning, or message, than what I ever realized.



Greg Lake claims to have written the song in protest over the commercialization of Christmas. However, Peter Sinfield claims that the words are about a loss of innocence and childhood belief.



The duo also seems to be making a strong social commentary on the hypocrisy of celebrating Christmas while fighting wars in the final three lines of the song: They said there'll be peace on earth / Hallelujah noel be it heaven or hell / The Christmas we get we deserve



That point seems to be driven home in the final scenes of the original video:







Here are the entire lyrics:



They said there'll be snow at Christmas

They said there'll be peace on Earth

But instead it just kept on raining

A veil of tears for the Virgin's birth

I remember one Christmas morning

A winters light and a distant choir

And the peal of a bell and that Christmas tree smell

And their eyes full of tinsel and fire



They sold me a dream of Christmas

They sold me a silent night

And they told me a fairy story

'till I believed in the Israelite

And I believed in Father Christmas

And I looked at the sky with excited eyes

'till I woke with a yawn in the first light of dawn

And I saw him and through his disguise



I wish you a hopeful Christmas

I wish you a brave new year

All anguish pain and sadness

Leave your heart and let your road be clear

They said there'll be snow at Christmas

They said there'll be peace on earth

Hallelujah Noel be it heaven or hell

The Christmas we get we deserve



Hopefully we can all find the true spirit of Christmas this season. Hoping all of you will have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!





Jeff

Hiking in the Smokies