I really like this entire song, musically/creatively and it's lo-fi sound. Again though, with some of Ed's most recent work (ITW), I question his lyrics, seems as though the man is unable to ponder without pontificating (e.g. 2nd verse), or to raise a question in a song which doesn't sound incredibly immature, trite, and/or condescending. He is at his best when conveying personal (e.g. 3rd verse) lyrics OR character songs.

I wonder what Jill thinks when she hears, "when Santa Claus was God" after the fourth time in the first chorus? "Oh my, you smart man, father of my child, you really are so profound, now come here you handsome tiger, roarrr!"

I agree with your assessment, though. He's got tremendous amounts of empathy, and it makes him really effective at using stories to make a point or present an idea, but it also neuters his ability to state things directly a lot of the time.

No kidding. This deficiency was evident as early as Vs., with Glorified G, and somewhat with Rats

Poor tune.

I honestly have no idea what this thread is about.

why not?

teh new song on the Xmas single 2007...the one that actually came in 2007

the single already arrived? Wow. I totally missed out on that.

It's one of the reasons he has so much trouble writing more conventional protest songs, with the best ones being character songs (WWS/Army Reserve) or abstractions (insig/grievance). The empathy is also why his covers of protest songs are so good. He's able to utterly inhabit the sentiment, he just has trouble presenting it in his own words.

Yeah, I fully agree. Good insight about his empathy too.

The abstractions are the hardest for him to write but ultimately are worth the most, longevity wise. Army Reserve won't be played with the same consistency Insignicance and Grievance have been. WWS only because it was a lead single, but I'm curious to watch its trajectory two albums from now, when they release an album that ISN'T following up S/T

I'm digging it.
Fun, catchy, upbeat.

It's a Christmas single, we should chill out and just enjoy.
Would you rather Ramblings Part 3?

not rather (I kind of like SG), but I wouldn't mind it either...better that than Bono, by a mile!

it's a catchy number, i like it a lot, but wouldn't play it for my wife or friends.

exactly. While it is nice to get an x-mas suprise that is a great stand alone number I'm happy if they deliver a fun, for fans number. I'll play santa god every now and then, enjoy it, and then forget about it for a while, which is enough.

That's all I ever ask for from a Christmas single.

To be honest, even now I don't appreciate or think about Strangest Tribe as much as it deserves. It's a solid, "real" song, but it's release on an Xmas single does something that makes it almost forgettable in my eyes.

Musically, I really enjoyed SG, but the lyrics and ed's voice at the end kind of ruined it for me.

I think that this tune is adorable, both musically and lyrically. We're not talking about IMMORTALITY here.

The lines at the bridge:

How I learned from right and wrong,
Had to be good for Santa Claus,
He made me, stop misbehaving,

and the way that they're delivered, with the the stresses on "made" and the "hav" in mis-be-hav-ing, made me think of a kid throwing a tantrum in a toystore. It's hilarious.

The xylophone break after the first chorus is adorable. I love the fade on "sleep tight oh little ones" followed by the xylophone and bells.

This is neither a protest song nor a song about deep thoughts. It's a song about shallow thoughts. It's sung from the perspective of someone fondly remembering his childhood, and the silly things that he used to believe.

I thought that, too. Made me think of my friend's whiny sons. Awesome.



I wish they'd let these instruments they take out one or two times (xylophone, accordion, mellotrone , Chapman, etc.) and run a little harder with them.



I like it better than No More.