A Christmastime Toast

June 28, 2008 9:16 AM

Part of my Old Songs project. An unnecessarily melancholy Christmas song from 1999.

I suspect I must have been listening to A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector when I wrote this song, as it seems to me it really should be played with a full Wall of Sound behind it, and sung by somebody with as soulful a voice as can be mustered. Instead, it's just me strumming my ukulele and warbling, and that will have to do.

Since the song's lyrics are so tinged with regret, it's pretty obvious to me that it was written in the late 90s when I was in Omaha -- I'd say it was written about 1999. It's odd to me, in retrospect, that so many of my songs were written from the point of view of someone looking back on a failed relationship that ended years ago. I was then in a relationship, and, while it had its troubles and eventually ended, it was hardly the sort of thing that would have me imagining that sometime in the future, I would look back and feel a terrible ache of loss. Perhaps I was just being dramatic.

"A CHRISTMASTIME TOAST" LYRICS:

Is it already Christmastime
Christmastime again
This house is empty that once was full
Do you remember when
The stockings we hung
Gifts under the tree
Kisses under the mistletoe
One kiss for you and one kiss for me
Now all I have is a photograph
Of the Christmas we had then
Is it already Christmastime
Christmastime again

I still have that card you sent
Do you still have mine
This Christmas I will toast your health
With a single glass of wine
No stockings now
No gifts, no tree
I haven't hung the mistletoe
There will be no kisses for me
But I will walk down Steeple Lane
To hear the churchbells chime
And then return to an empty house
Again this Christmastime

posted by Astro Zombie (1 comment total)

This goes nicely with "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" for great melancholy Christmas tunes.
posted by roombythelake at 12:41 PM on July 3, 2008


« Older Aidu   |   Sierra Madre Breakdown Newer »

You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments