The Greatest Christmas Song?
I sort of hate Christmas songs, and I sort of love them, too.
In a lot of ways, Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody is the best of them, though. At least it frickin’ rocks.
Slade were huge hit-makers in the UK and most of the world in the early 1970s, but they didn’t do as well in the US. In the US we know the covers done by Quiet Riot better than we know the original recordings.
In August of 1973, they recorded a song in New York City at The Record Plant that became, in the long term, their biggest hit. And it is one of the songs that started the whole “Christmas Record” trend that we still suffer from today (I’m looking at you Mariah Carey!)
Merry Xmas Everybody continues to get trotted out every December since its release in November of 1973. This season, the old girl is 50 years old and still growing strong. But there’s something else about it that caused me to decide to write about it for you all today.
First, a bit about Slade:
Slade were a goofy bunch. They formed in the mid-60s, went through a number of stylistic changes, before they stumbled upon the sort of “Country Elves from Outer Space With Spelling Problems” glam rock identity that broke them through.
Lots of hits with misspelled titles: Look Wot You Dun, Coz I Luv You, Take Me Bak ‘Ome, Mama Weer All Crazee Now, Cum on Feel the Noize, Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me...
Gimmicky, and not all of the titles were dopey, but the formula worked and Slade in the early 70s was unstoppable. It helped that lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist/multi-instrumentalist Jim Lea were excellent writers, and that the whole band could deliver the musical goods live and in the studio.
Guitarist Dave Hill was a solid player, a natural showman, and continues to rock the single worst haircut in music history. Their drummer was a guy named Don Powell.
Accident and Aftermath
On July 4th, 1973, Powell and his fiancée, Angela Morris, were in a severe car accident. Both of them were flung from the vehicle when it hit a stone wall. Powell fractured his skull, broke both ankles, a bunch of ribs, and was in a coma for six days. He came out of it with traumatic brain injuries that plague him to this day. He can remember everything pre-car accident, but his short-term memory is shot full of holes, and he can forget something within minutes of it happening.
Miss Morris fared worse. Only twenty years old, she was killed.
The best therapy for Don Powell was to get working again, which meant re-learning how to play the drums (brain damage sucks) and heading back into the studio with the band.
In the Studio
Pre-accident, Slade in the studio worked fast, dropping songs to tape live in a few takes and then overdubbing a thing or two. It helped that their producer at the time was Chaz Chandler, the guy who discovered Jimi Hendrix and brought him to England. Chandler’s whole idea of making records was get it the hell over with fast and save money. Hendrix evolved into a studio-centric creative and split with Chandler because of this. Chandler found Slade and another payday.
Post-accident, Don Powell could play the old hits, but couldn’t remember new drum parts for more than a few minutes, let alone play an entire song. Post-accident, Slade had to record songs in bits based on what Don Powell could retain in his brain, and then edit the bits together and overdub onto that. This ain’t cut and paste with a DAW: this is sections of 2” tape scattered about the studio, written on with grease pencil, and spliced together with a razor blade and sticky tape. It is a TON of work, and incredibly frustrating.
The first song they did after Don’s accident was during August in 1973, at The Record Plant in a sweltering New York summer, when they recorded a fucking Christmas song. Section by section. As fast as their damaged drummer would let them.
Chords
The basic progression for the verses is I vi iii V, so in G that’s G Em Bm D. That’s not a very common progression in pop, and the Bm to D sort of makes the chorus sound unresolved and “open." It doesn’t end but our ear wants it to. It feels like the song should just keep going and going.
The chorus is very cool: G to Bm to a very cool A# (or a Bb) and back to D. That would be I-iii-#II-V. There are a lot of ways to think about the A# to D, like as a... sharp 5 of 5 substitute. Whatever, it’s cool. Write a song with it.
The chorus ends on a D; the bridge starts on a Dm, which immediately shifts the mood of things and goes well with the slow down in tempo. The bridge serves as a cool-down, but it doesn’t last. It resolves out IV to V (a C to D) and the band rocks out til the end, vamping over that unresolving chorus.
Lyrics
The lyrics... I love these lyrics. The opening verse is sexual innuendos and nods to drinking:
Are you hanging up your stocking on your wall?
It's the time when every Santa has a ball
Does he ride a red-nosed reindeer?
Does a ton-up on his sleigh?
Do the fairies keep him sober for a day?
Ton-up might be a reference to the car accident: it’s English biker gang slang for driving really really fast.
The second verse is down-to-earth and domestic.
Are you waiting for the family to arrive?
Are you sure you got the room to spare inside?
Does your granny always tell ya
That the old songs are the best?
Then she's up and rock 'n' rolling with the rest
But it could also be read that Granny is dead and up in heaven with Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Brian Jones, et al.
The third verse is perhaps childhood memories?
Are you hanging up your stocking on your wall?
Are you hoping that the snow will start to fall?
Do you ride on down the hillside
In a boggy you have made?
When you land upon your head
Then you been slayed
Clever boys - they name-check themselves!
The chorus is wonderful and unabashedly joyous:
So here it is, Merry Christmas
Everybody's having fun
Look to the future now
It's only just begun
That’s every bit as uplifting as I Can See Clearly Now the Rain Has Gone.
The Times
In 1973, England was dealing with an economy going down the loo. The US was still stuck in Vietnam. But the drummer was alive, even if in rehab and mourning, and Slade had a major hit.
Their last major hit. The band’s fortunes changed as the decade wore on. The rise of punk strangled glam, Slade had some hits through the 80’s but eventually broke up, never to return to the original incarnation of the band. There are various versions of Slade still around, fronted by various former members. Dave recently fired Don by email. That really makes me sad. 60 years of friendship gone?
Whatever, whatever. Slade is best at a party, like in the video, shown 50 years ago on Top of the Pops.
Happy holidays, everyone. Look to the future now, it’s only just begun.