Its not technically about Christmas, but its definitely associated with Christmas, so I see no reason why it, or others like Stay Another Day, shouldn't be included in the likes of Best Christmas song countdowns. Songs do not have to be all about Christmas to be a Christmas song imo.

Edited December 5, 201311 yr by Chez Wombat

I completely disagree. A song has to be about Christmas to be a Christmas song to me.

Suppose its down to personal opinion - it goes back on my ipod each december anyway!

Same here! Though it is a song I can listen to at any other time of the year but whenever I hear it I do think of Christmas...

 

I completely disagree. A song has to be about Christmas to be a Christmas song to me.

What about 'When A Child Is Born', the Christmas number 1 in 1976 in a version sung by Johnny Mathis? It isn't a Christmas song though the lyrics do scream Christmas and the song is generally seen as a Christmas song.

 

Johnny Mathis's version was released in August 1976, slap bang in the middle of a heatwave and just as 'Dancing Queen' by Abba was about to reach number 1. It was re-promoted in late October 1976 and at first slowly crawled up the charts before eventually reaching number 1 on the chart announced on 21 December 1976. Its lyrics are more suited to a Christmas song than 'The Power Of Love' but it was never written about the birth of Jesus or indeed with any Christmas connection and when it was first recorded by Gladys Knight and then Johnny Mathis it was never recorded with the intention of being a Christmas song.

 

Incidentally it was written by the same guy from Boney M (Fred Jay) that wrote the 'Oh My Lord' segment of 'Mary's Boy Child - Oh My Lord'...

Edited December 5, 201311 yr by Robbie

What about 'When A Child Is Born', the Christmas number 1 in 1976 in a version sung by Johnny Mathis? It isn't a Christmas song though the lyrics do scream Christmas and the song is generally seen as a Christmas song.

 

Johnny Mathis's version was released in August 1976, slap bang in the middle of a heatwave and just as 'Dancing Queen' by Abba was about to reach number 1. It was re-promoted in late October 1976 and at first slowly crawled up the charts before eventually reaching number 1 on the chart announced on 21 December 1976. Its lyrics are more suited to a Christmas song than 'The Power Of Love' but it was never written about the birth of Jesus or indeed with any Christmas connection and when it was first recorded by Gladys Knight and then Johnny Mathis it was never recorded with the intention of being a Christmas song.

 

Incidentally it was written by the same guy from Boney M (Fred Jay) that wrote the 'Oh My Lord' segment of 'Mary's Boy Child - Oh My Lord'...

WACIB may have been released in August but the lyrics clearly refer to the Christmas story.

 

As one of the older members here, I can remember buying the Welcome To The Pleasure Dome album. When I heard it I certainly didn't think of The Power Of Love as a Christmas song and I still don't.

I'm in two minds about "When A Child Is Born", it depends on which version you believe whether it relates to the nativity story or not. ""A Spaceman Came Travelling" by Chris de Burgh is a bit more specific about it with it's Messianic lyrics but again does not specifically mention the nativity.

 

As Suedehead, I tend to associate "The Power Of Love" with the album, so it's no more a Christmas tune (to me) than "Two Tribes" or their version of "San Jose (The Way)"

WACIB may have been released in August but the lyrics clearly refer to the Christmas story.

 

As one of the older members here, I can remember buying the Welcome To The Pleasure Dome album. When I heard it I certainly didn't think of The Power Of Love as a Christmas song and I still don't.

I agree with you about the Christmas story being referenced in WACIB but Fred Jay has gone on record as saying he wrote the lyrics as a general reference to the hope that is realised when a child is born rather than a specific reference to the birth of Jesus. Perhaps he was just being very circumspect. WACIB certainly fails the test of a being a non Christmas song in that it sounds out of place when played at any other time in the year other than in December... 'The Power Of Love' passes the test though it does invoke the spirit of Christmas whenever it is played, at least to me.

 

I completely disagree. A song has to be about Christmas to be a Christmas song to me.

 

Well Fairytale of New York and Last Christmas aren't technically *about* Christmas either, they're love stories set at Christmas, I don't think anyone can argue they're Christmas songs. Pedantic perhaps, but still.

Edited December 5, 201311 yr by Chez Wombat

Here the chart run of When a Child is Born for anyone that's interested -

 

 

Entered Chart Artist Song Peak ChartRun {Peak}

13/11/1976 Johnny Mathis When A Child Is Born 1 45-43-28-14-8-2-{1}-1-1-2-13-21->12

26/12/1981 Johnny Mathis And Gladys Knight When A Child Is Born 74 {74}-74->2

 

Didn't realise Gladys Knight re released it with Mathis in 1981, great classic Xmas no1 though!

 

Other songs that are not particularly Christmas-related but are associated with Christmas:

 

Jona Lewie - Stop The Cavalry (although it does mention Christmas at one point)

Freiheit - Keeping The Dream Alive

Other songs that are not particularly Christmas-related but are associated with Christmas:

 

Jona Lewie - Stop The Cavalry (although it does mention Christmas at one point)

Freiheit - Keeping The Dream Alive

Stop The Cavalry was, of course, an anti-war song and was a summer hit in France. I've never thought of Keeping The Dream Alive as being associated with Christmas. I enjoy hearing it at any time of the year.

I'd say Keeping the Dream Alive is a winter song - it always reminds me of snow and cold, crisp air and it would sound odd to hear it in Summer.

 

I remember playing my 7" of Stop the Cavalry in July and my neighbour in the flat next door said, "I could have sworn I heard you playing Christmas songs earlier, but it can't be". To be honest, the Salvation Army brass gives it a festive sound regardless of the general meaning of the lyrics.

 

Another one to throw into the ring - Gary Jules' Mad World. Does anyone consider that a Christmas song?

Edited December 6, 201311 yr by richie

Again, with Mad World I would have to say no, particularly as I remember the original version very well.

Mad World is another one I play only in december simply because it was involved in my favourite races for xmas no1 and for me the remake has a real wintery feel because of its simplicity but no its not really an xmas song as such!