Friday 22 December 2017

Day 22 - On Christmas Morning - Loudon Wainwright III

A bit of a rarity for the Calendar but it's a 'Buy One Get One Free' offer today.

Wainwright Jnr made an early appearance on the blog with the exceptional 'Spotlight On Christmas' (Year 1 Day 4 Here ) and now it's time for Dad. 

'On Christmas Morning' has been ringing round Blagg Acres - well, the Blagg motor vehicle at least - for many a year now, but when I went to post it I found the provocative 'I'll Be Killing You (This Christmas)' - that I'd not heard before - right next to it. I was torn. 

I often post a Christmas song expecting those interested to seek out the album or E.P. it comes from but it doesn't preclude me from putting another track from it on another year if I think it's worthy. 'Killing you' though is an extremely divisive song; not perhaps in the UK where the idea of the 'right to bear arms' is considered to be an obscene concept, but certainly in the U.S where it has been used by both pro and anti Gun Law lobbyists as a rallying cry. Wainwright himself has found himself at the centre of controversy whenever he has performed it; some liking it and others getting uncomfortable with it. There's no doubting which side of the mast Wainwright has nailed his colours too but some have misinterpreted it just adding to the argument.

Against a tune deliberately reminiscent of 'I'll Be Home For Christmas' we find the chilling lyrics.

Though there's no way you can miss this / A Bushmaster's on my wish list / My right to bear arms you cannot deny 

and

I'll be shooting folks this Christmas / But there's no reason to be frightened or alarmed / What's the matter with a handgun? / When everybody has one / Which is why we all need to be armed

Even so, some will find the black humour theme either as scathing satire or, possibly in some cases, bad taste and I wasn't sure it was a song I'd revisit on the Calendar another year - even though tune-wise it is exceptionally Christmas-y. 

So, I post it here for those - like me - who think it's genius, and you can take both as you find them.  





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