And a Happy Christmas to you too!
The Advertiser appears early this week, so the Christmas rush is still in full swing and Carol singers belting out all the old favourites at every street and shopping centre, but what exactly are they singing?
I learned a new word this week: “Mondegreen.” The word comes from a line in a Scottish ballad called 'The Bonnie Earl o'Mornay,' which was misheard as 'they have slain the Earl of Murray and Lady Mondegreen.' The last part of the line should have been 'laid him on the green' and not 'Lady Mondegreen.'
Here's a couple of good examples of a mondegreen:
Original lyric: 'Scuse me while I kiss the sky.'
Misheard as: 'Scuse me while I kiss this guy.'
That's from Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix.
Another good example comes from Elton John's 'Tiny Dancer:
Original lyric: 'Hold me closer Tiny Dancer, count the headlights on the highway.'
Misheard lyric: 'Hold me closer Tony Danza, count the head lice on the highway.'
In The Creedence Clearwater song, 'Bad Moon Rising,' the original line is 'There's a bad moon on the rise,' the misheard version goes 'there's a bathroom on the right.'
Was it back in the eighties that we all sang along to Bryan Adams and his 'Summer of 69?' “Got my first real sex dream. Thought I was five at the time,” was the opening line. Turned out that what he was really singing was “Got my first real six string. Bought it at the five and dime.”
Which brings me back to Christmas and the various carol singers and what exactly are they singing?
Down in the Market Cross Shopping Centre they're belting out 'Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer.' Are they singing, 'All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names' or is it 'Olive the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names?'
Next stop is High Street where the choir is singing 'God rest ye merry gentlemen' or is it 'Get dressed ye married gentlemen, let nothing through this May?'
One of my least favourite songs is 'The Twelve Days of Christmas.' Hearing the Frank Kelly version too often makes me reach for the 'off' button every time I hear it. If you must, here's an updated version, compliments of the carol singers under The Tholsel:
'On the twelfth day of Christmas.
My tulip sent to me:
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lawyers leaving,
Nine lazy Hansons,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven warts on women,
Six geezers laying,
Five golden rings.
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a cartridge in a pantry.'
There's been a great range of activities going on over in MacDonagh Junction and the singing in the well heated square didn't let me down as I listened to a rousing version of 'Good King Wencelas.'
'Good King Wences' car backed out on the feet of heathens,' they sang. Serves them right too, I thought to myself.
The songs were coming thick and fast now. 'Jeffs nuts roasting on an open fire,' Deck the halls with Buddy Holly,' 'While shepherds washed their socks at night' and the big finale, 'Later on we'll perspire as we drink by the fire' from 'Walking in a Winter Wonderland.'
We won't hear their like again for another twelve months, more's the pity.
Singing a different tune
You're unlikely to hear too many of the standard Christmas tunes down in Rollercoaster Records in Kieran Street, where the independent spirit is alive and well. I had a look at Willie Meighan's Top Ten album's of 2009 and surprise, surprise there's no X Factor or Eurostar contestants on the list.
Here's Willie's Top Ten: The Low Anthem, Bill Callaghan, Grizzly Bear, AA Bondy, Animal Collective, Antlers, Brendan Benson, Grand Archives, Phosphorescent, Taken By Trees, Very Best and Pastels/Tennis Coach. Counting back, that's actually twelve in total, but well worth checking out for an alternative tune or two this Christmas.
Did you know that...
The Ceann Comhairle has ruled that they cannot have a nativity scene in the Dail. This wasn't another case of being politically correct or for any religious reasons. They couldn't find three wise men and a virgin.
and finally...
“Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people once a year.”
- Victor Borge
Happy Christmas and see you all in the New Year.
