The Kinks- "Father Christmas" Plus Unconventional Holiday Songs

Background on one of my favourite Holiday songs. Plus, I asked a few Substackers what their favourite unconventional holiday songs are.

Happy Holidays! I decided to do something different this week and write about my favourite Holiday song. I also asked a few other Substackers about their favourite unconventional Holiday songs.

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I’m going to be completely upfront about something. Working retail for the past sixteen years has made me hate a large chunk of Christmas music. There is the odd classic that I still love to play each season like “Merry X-Mas Everybody” by Slade or “Step Into Christmas” by Elton John. My all-time favourite though, would have to be “Father Christmas” by The Kinks.

Upon the release of “Father Christmas” in 1977, the Kinks were in a commercial dry spell. They had recently left RCA for a new contract with Arista Records. Their Arista debut, 1977’s Sleepwalker charted at #21 on the Billboard albums chart. It also provided the band with a minor Hot 100 hit when the title track peaked at #48.

Following the minor success of Sleepwalker, The Kinks then released “Father Christmas” as a non album single.

A Ray Davies composition, “Father Christmas” tells the story of a mall Santa who gets mugged by working-class kids as demonstrated by the lyrics:

Father Christmas, give us some money
Don't mess around with those silly toys
We'll beat you up if you don't hand it over
We want your bread so don't make us annoyed
Give all the toys to the little rich boys

And later…

Have yourself a merry merry Christmas
Have yourself a good time
But remember the kids who got nothin'
While you're drinkin' down your wine

Personally, what I like most about “Father Christmas” are those lyrics. Although the production on the track is pretty great too.

Anyway, for whatever reason, “Father Christmas” wasn’t a hit. Later, it gained a cult following and is played constantly during the Holiday season. The Kinks of course, soldiered on and scored a huge hit a few years later with “Come Dancing”.

Originally, I had a Bubbling Under post on RuPaul’s “Little Drummer Boy” and Wendy And Carnie Wilson’s “Hey Santa” lined up. I didn’t feel it was up to par. It was a piece about Christmas Music written by someone who gets sick of hearing it after a while. Especially “Hey Santa”. So, I decided to scrap it and write about a song I enjoy listening to instead. It led me to thinking that other Substackers must have at least one unconventional Holiday favourite on their playlists too. I decided to pull myself out of my shell and ask around.

Ryan Mac of Ryan’s Reviews:

“My favourite unconventional Holiday song is "The Season's Upon Us" by Dropkick Murphys. I'm a fan of their brand of Celtic punk, and the lyrics about holiday stressors and the dread of family get-togethers are hilariously cynical and painfully relatable. It's a fun sing-along track, too!”

TA Inskeep of Oh Manchester, So Much To Answer For:

“As far as "unconventional" goes, I guess my top pick would have to be Prince's "Another Lonely Christmas." Typical Prince in the brilliance of its arrangement; untypical Prince in its plot twist at the end - but then again, Prince was a master of zigging when we thought he'd zag, wasn't he? Rocks to me my core every time.”

Clint Collide of Collide Press:

“I've one fave that's totally conventional--Merry Christmas, Darling by The Carpenters--because even as a kid I was wee ennui and yet hopeful/romantic about the holidays. A more unconventional favorite is "Christmas Nite" by RuPaul. It's a very Eartha Kitt kinda story song to me...and one even my very straight-laced mom enjoyed listening to on a long, icy drive to a family gathering in the mid-1990s”.

Shante of things I collected:

"I once worked at an artsy boutique where they let me have some liberty over the music in the store. During the holiday season, I added this soulful song to our playlist. Well, the bosses didn't quite see the vision since they took it off the playlist while I wasn't there. It only made me appreciate the song more, because how can you not enjoy this man's passion about shopping downtown?? Especially when he covers all bases of the experience while crooning about "traffic jams" and "gift wrapping."

Abby Schleifer of Abby Schleifer:

“My unconventional holiday favorite is “Day After Tomorrow” by Tom Waits. I know it’s told from the perspective of an American soldier in WW2, but it reminds me of the Christmas Truce of 1914 between the Brits and the Germans in the Great War. There’s something about this time of year that makes us wonder: Wait, why are we fighting again? It’s a melancholic, existential reflection on sacrifice and the cost of war. The subtle “Silent Night” interlude also reminds me of taking piano lessons as a child and playing the hymn for my family on Christmas Eve, much to my eternal embarrassment. Many of them are dead and gone now. I’d give anything to go back and play for them again.”

Rich Cain of Rich Cain’s Substack:

"Christmas in Hollis" by Run-DMC. I was in college when it was released. I'd been a fan of theirs since they debuted. I loved this song because it was a fresh way of expressing some of the traditional values of Christmas that all of us cherish.”

PeDupre of The Twelve Inch:

“I've got a great one : "Things Fall Apart" from Cristina. That's as unconventional as they get 😃 Quote : I was a big fan of New York’s ZE label, particularly one artist: Cristina, the wife of label owner Michael Zilkha. Cristina released two albums on ZE Records and, in many ways, was a trailblazer for artists like Madonna and Cyndi Lauper. In 1981, ZE Records brought all their artists together to create a Christmas album, and Cristina’s contribution perfectly captured the quirky, offbeat style the label was known for. Her song, “Things Fall Apart,” tells the story of hilariously disastrous Christmas festivities—from smashing an angel to decorating a cactus—all delivered in her characteristically deadpan tone. It’s funny, irreverent, and delightfully contrarian—exactly my kind of Christmas song!.”

(I’m going to step in again to say that “Things Fall Apart” by the criminally underrated Cristina is my other favourite Holiday song and that TA also mentioned it as a backup in case someone else used Prince).

Thea Wood of Herizon Music:

“A newbie but a goodie! I watched Sabrina Carpenter’s Netflix holiday special and was snort laughing over the opening song “A Nonsense Christmas.” Set to the tune of “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year,” its irreverence, sexual innuendos, and playfully integrated monologue are unconventional. And will probably be banned in some states next year. An oldie but a goodie! Robert Earl Keene’s “Merry Christmas From The Family.” I first heard it when I moved to Austin, Texas in 1998. It’s a holiday staple down there and puts the FUN in dysfunctional family holidays. Think National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation meets Urban Cowboy. Hallelujah, everybody say cheese!”

Kevin Pettit of See You At The Movies

“My unconventional favorite Christmas song is Decemberism by Man Overboard! As a high schooler in the 2010s in Jersey, I was obsessed with pop punk and hardcore. They were the biggest band in the Philly/Jersey scene, and when I took what felt like expeditions to Philly from Jersey, it felt like we were experiencing love and music for the first time during the holidays!”

Thanks to everyone who contributed. Because I had quite a few responses, I am going to return with a similar New Years post next week!