Thank God It's Christmas by Queen Released in Europe in 1984, this tune didn't receive much (if any) airplay in the U.S., as far as I can remember. I happened to hear it in 1985, the Christmas my Dad and I spent in Portugal with his mum, about two years before she passed away, God rest her. Anyway, the first time I heard this tune on Portuguese radio, I felt sucker-punched by the fatigued sort of sadness it expressed, this mournful ache which hoped to find relief in the holiday. I had my tape recorder ready to go for the next time it played and managed to capture it, but what's become of the tape, I've no idea. It was only in very recent years I was able to find it online, and I'm so glad I did, even if I get all onion-eyed every time I hear it.
It is deucedly difficult to find info about this track, so I gave up after a half-hearted Google search. But I will say that what I love best about this track, apart from how danged pretty it sounds, is that these two artists chose songs that actually focus upon what Christmas is really about. Rock on, youse guys.
And because I know how to have a good time...
C'mon, this one's just fun.
And the birthday...
Is MINE, MINE, all MINE! (OK, and Jane Fonda, Samuel L. Jackson, Kiefer Sutherlands, & possibly other folks', too.) In case you're wondering, the age I'll officially be at 10:41 a.m. today is the same number as the answer to life, the universe, and everything! (If you don't get the reference, do the research; us crotchety middle-agers think you young folk are shiftless layabouts who've never had to do an honest day's work.) I invite you all to drink to my health (seeing as I'm on meds which disallow the imbibing of booze, alas.) Still, there's always chocolate...
Pretty sure I got the reference, even though I haven't yet read the book it originated from. Yeah, I'm terrible :)
ReplyDeleteMy favourite Christmas song to date is "Christmastime" by the Smashing Pumpkins. It's just too cute!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! I bought more dark chocolate last night. I will eat a block for you as soon as I can :)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! People born in December rock (my son was born in Dec. too (;)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Christmas jam, I haven't heard Queen's Christmas song in sooo long. Hope your break is happy, healthy and filled with love and Chocolate.
Cheers!
(:
I got the reference! Yay me! Enjoy your birthday. It's kind of cool to have a birthday on Apocalypse Day, especially when it's such a meaningful age to anyone who knows their Douglas Adams.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! and I also think Queen rocks! :)
ReplyDeleteBuon Compleanno Mina. Have a fantastic day and yuletide season. See you after the craziness of Christmas and New Year as all is settling down in the new place for me and the family. Regular service will be resumed.
ReplyDeleteRock on,
W.
Happy birthday!
ReplyDeleteFunny, I listed Bob and Doug's song today as well.
How weird....as I read what time you were born I looked at the clock and it's exactly 10:41 am. Have a great birthday!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tunes & Happy Birthday, Mina!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!! ♥
ReplyDeleteBooze and meds are a great combo - odd I thought you had your birthday a couple of months ago unless you have two like the Queen (as opposed to Queen), must be going mid 40s bonkers - have a fab birthday :)
ReplyDeleteI will not post the reference so the layabouts can research it, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! Freddy Mercury always had such a soulful, melancholy sound to his voice. I'm not sure I've ever heard that song, but it was lovely. Thanks for the tunes, and have a wonderful night!
ReplyDeleteShannon at The Warrior Muse
Happy birthday!!
ReplyDeleteThank God It's Christmas always brings a tear to my eye - in fact I get sentimental about most Queen songs (is that weird?)
As I type this I'm listening to the Barenaked Ladies/Sarah McLachlan track - I've not heard it before, it's good! One of my favourite's is the Bing Crosby/David Bowie collaboration.
Merci, grazie, obrigado, danke, y gracias, y'all, for all your good wishes!
ReplyDelete@Trisha, Hmmm, dunno that tune, I don't think. Will have to check it out!
@Elise, some of the kewlest people were born in December... ;-)
@LG, I sure as hell expected *you* to get the reference! I'd have been stunned if you hadn't. :-)
@Alm, they surely do!
@Wayne, I hope your move went smoothly (and if it didn't, I can't wait to hear the crazy tales!).
@Alex, Great minds, my friend. Great minds, indeed. :-)
@JoJo, now that's kooky! I actually slept through my exact birth time...
@Mina, hope you enjoyed them.
@Jolie, Thanks! <3
@David, I think the post in which I snarked on "Happy Belated Birthday," had some folks thinking *that* was my birthday. But 'twasn't.
@Shannon, I appreciate your discretion; that'll learn them layabouts! ::shakes cane menacingly in their direction::
@Annalisa, I don't think it's weird, but then perhaps I'm not your best resource for what's "normal." ;-)
Hey Mina - OK all you do is enter the + or @ sign and then type the first letter of a name in a blog post and it will bring up a link to their Google + page. Not sure if you need your blog to be linked to Google though - happy hols :)
DeleteThanks, David; I'll have to try it out!
DeleteI do know the answer - that makes you a couple of years younger than me. If it makes you feel better about your age, I have a four-year-old. Yikes. I hope you had a great birthday!
ReplyDeleteAs for the song, I've never heard of it, but I LOVE Queen. Thanks for sharing - made me teary-eyed too.
What makes me feel awesome is that YOU have a four-year-old, and not I. ;-) Seriously, though I do remember many moments of my kid's babyhood - childhood fondly, I've no desire to go through all that again. :-D
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