Christmas Kids: The Darkest Song Ever Written

in loving memory of veronica bennett.
domestic abuse hotline: [phone]
soundcloud, if you want to hear the full uninterrupted cover: / 5caqcnfe2qv2hi756
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[@Louispspector]

I quite enjoyed your in-depth point of view of the song; however, I would like to make one correction in your description of what life was like in the house. Though my brothers and I were locked up in our rooms for a large part of our childhood, we did, however, have our own bathrooms, not buckets, thankfully. Personally, I kind of like the song, even though it’s about the dark part of my life, but that was many years ago, and I’ve since moved on and quite enjoy what life has to offer. Again, it is a nice video; I enjoyed listening to it. Oh, and if you haven’t guessed, I’m one of the “Christmas Kids.”

[@WURLDSTAR]

I am so glad to hear that you are doing well. There wasn’t much public info on your experience (at least that I could find) so I apologize for misrepresenting it. Thank you so much for watching and I’m glad you liked the video!

[@Judeschannel1234]

Please don’t be lying

[@Louispspector]

@@Judeschannel1234 I understand your skepticism, but I assure you it’s true. I remember my younger brother once said he had to use a child’s but he was 3 at the time and was transitioning to using an adult’s restroom, so yeah, there was a time he used something other than a toilet, but not a bucket. I'm not sure why I felt the need to correct this one thing; perhaps I just didn’t want anyone to feel sorry for me more than necessary.

[@Judeschannel1234]

@@Louispspector thank you for clearing everything up I now believe you

[@HADLEY_GRACE13]

I’m absolutely so sorry you had to go through that, I wish you the best!!

[@geosb05]

Funfact: Phil Spector worked on The Beatles album "let it be", but they actually hated his work on it so they re-released as "let it be: naked" and took out *every single thing* he made for "let it be" lmao

[@WURLDSTAR]

wait that’s actually hilarious

[@FunSubs]

LMAOOOOOOOO

[@margaretcorleoneblues]

Icons!

[@bakedpotato5037]

That’s so deserved

[@keremti72]

I wonder what the original sounded like

[@mangoqribbit8699]

I absolutely adore the fact ROAR made Phil look so goofy in the album cover while making Ronnie as beautiful as she was.

[@crusader7713]

Nobody should ever glorify criminals

[@ProGamer-gq1ox]

@@crusader7713 Yeah.. this person is...

[@ProGamer-gq1ox]

...

[@Akira.nah-]

@@crusader7713they aren’t?..

[@crusader7713]

@@Akira.nah- I know, im just saying what I take from it

[@official_mayonnaise]

the line “I’ll drink myself to death inside this prison cell” hits SO differently now, rip Ronnie

[@BiopunkDeadBoyShorts]

omor

[@official_mayonnaise]

@@BiopunkDeadBoyShorts omor

[@BiopunkDeadBoyShorts]

omor@@official_mayonnaise

[@Flannel_weirdo]

I omor@harvey908

[@thegameplayers494]

​@@BiopunkDeadBoyShortsomor,babil,mar,hiro,aubey and the best of all.. *KEL*

[@Dr.Chopperr]

“The Christmas kids, were nothing but a gift.” I’ve always thought that line was werid for such a cheery tune

[@pikachuneoncat6480]

I'll never begin to understand why some people will imprison the people they "love."

[@ZestierSalter]

I think they “imprison” the people they love because in some cases people love that person so much they don’t wanna lose them or have that person lose interest in them and/or fall in love with someone else or leave them so they try to keep this person close to them by “imprisoning them” because of how much they love them and they either don’t care if its hurting them mentally and/or physically as long as they stay with them or they love them and the “imprisoner” thinks the fantasy their trying to live will benefit the person they love as they can never be hurt by anyone else in the environment they’ve created for them and/or think their unconditional love is a way to prove that what their doing is right and their not in the wrong and shouldn’t feel guilt (I’m not an expert in these things I’m just someone who likes to ramble and explain things how I see them)

[@slimkid206]

Cause unlike my last 6 “girlfriends” the one i chain up won’t run and tell the cops when i experiment with their DNA

[@AprilONeil_]

@@slimkid206 what 😨

[@owochan9078]

This happened to my grandma. She married my biological grandfather, knowing he had alcohol problems she thought she could “fix” him. He was EXTREMELY jealous of everyone and everything, he came from a rich yet tragic family, and had traumas of loosing the “love of his life”, he gave her anyshing she ever desired, but she could never leave the house, and sometimes not even her own room if guests were over “what if one of my male guests sees you and lusts you over?”. He was so afraid of loosing her to whatever could happen, that his method of protection was locking her up in her own fucking house, and physically and mentally abusing her if she DARED even think about leaving. So yeah, in most cases it’s the extreme fear of loosing someone.

[@artificiallyill2123]

@Zesty Salt As someone who's been on that side of this song my whole life that's somewhat accurate. I've cried to this song so many times at the "I'm leaving phil I'm leaving now" to "get me out of here" part lol. I could go on but who cares

[@aapricity]

I recently lost my best friend to suicide. I looked at her Spotify and this song was the last thing she listened to. She played it on for 4 hours straight before she was found dead. Rest in peace Lucy.

[@owihinape]

im so sorry for your loss

[@employee4272]

🫂

[@fillealienne]

Damn, sorry may she rest in peace 🕊️

[@princessmoon2247]

I’m sorry for your loss

[@junobugc]

ive had many, many family members lose their life to suicide. i understand the pain, and im so sorry youve experienced it as well. this song must have brought them such a big comfort, and im glad she had that before she passed. live long my friend 🎧💓

[@Tintinstan7678]

I’ll never forget the alleged “prank” Spector pulled on John Lennon. where he “as a joke”, fired a f*cking gun next to his ear and Lennon reportedly yelled at him “Phil, if you’re going to kill me, kill me. But don’t f**k with my ears. I need 'em.” Also he would chase Lennon down the hallways yelling threats at him.(also that same car accident made him lose several important Lennon demo tapes that have now been lost to time) also look up what he did to THE Leonard Cohen because that sh*t is insane. Anyways rip to the queen Ronnie Spector and f*ck that pos Phill lol

[@maffieduran]

He also kept one of the Ramones captive for several days, and of course there is Lana Clarkson. May they all rest in Peace (except for Spector of course, hope he rots in hell)

[@Realizes-that]

Most sane american

[@GripRhythm]

Source?

[@Blackbrabx]

@DBMAN187 fr💀

[@sstavrlss]

@@Realizes-that Are you sure? He has caused trauma to several different people and killed one. Wtf is wrong with you?

[@Kyle_Broflovski123]

The fact that Ronnie had been though so much abuse and truma and still escaped Phil Makes me inspred because it shows how strong Ronnie was and after that When Phil died she made a tribute post about him because "she recognized that he was a lousy husband but can't help but smile at the music that they made together". It makes me happy to see that instead of looking at all the bad that happend she looked at the good. It shows how much she healed and it also showed how great of women she was.

[@Ebeanz_1234]

Okay I am so so so sorry to change the subject this might lighten up the sad mood but I am watching South Park and I read your comment and your profile picture is Kyle from South park haha

[@Blondelululover]

When you’re in an abusive relationship why would you want to think of the good that happened instead lol how does that make her a greater woman? Make it make sense. Coming from someone who was in an abusive relationship.

[@iwuvpiesgaming9164]

@@Blondelululover”why would you want to look at the good that happened in a abusive relationship” um.. not everyone reacts the same with abuse and that could be how she healed herself. Who knows maybe there were moments where she felt like she was happy but then the abuse continued so maybe she’s just remembering bits that made her happy i really don’t know

[@blackrosejinx5563]

@monstergirl7918 It doesn’t make her a “greater” woman but it does make her very strong. It would be completely justified and even expected for her to look at anything her and Phil made together with disgust or horror on her part, but she’s managed to heal and take a more positive outlook, which in my book, is commendable.

[@-m-i-n-u-s-]

So, the lyrics, "I'll drink myself to death insi-i-i-id, this prison cell," refers to how Ronnie, 1: Was always trapped in her home by Phil, As if she was jailed, And 2: She used alcohol as an escape. Of course, I didn't know either of the facts about this until i watched this video.

[@WURLDSTAR]

exactly! i love how roar’s lyrics are a stripped down version of their story because of how simple the phrasing is

[@cowabummerlol]

may ronnie rest in peace, remembered by her music and not her husbands actions🕊️

[@ImdefinitelynotCobaltion]

She *is* remembered by her awful husband’s actions. But I think that he should’ve had a worse way to die.

[@ImdefinitelynotCobaltion]

By that, I mean phil

[@mournfulgiant502]

And may Phil rot in hell

[@Debaser567]

​@General Grievous she should be remembered by "Be My Baby"

[@cowabummerlol]

@life_of_a_drawer Exactly..? Thats what I’m saying, people shouldn’t just think of her and think of her husbands abuse towards her

[@lpushl]

“Then he dipped his crusty little toes back in the music industry” 💀

[@sandrotafolla5676gaming]

This comment has 666 like 💀💀💀💀 😱😱😱😱😨😨😨😰😰😰😨😱😨😱😰😨😱😱😨😱😱😨😱😨😱😨😈😈👿😈😈👺👹🤖👻💀👺💩💩👻💩☠️💀👻☠️👻🤠🌚🌚👽🤖👽🎃👾🎃

[@hotfriesarethebest]

LMAO😭💀💀

[@beelieboo]

i was actually planning to use christmas kids as inspo for my characters but after hearing the story i think i'll choose another song RIP Ronnie, you deserved the world.

[@TonyTheTigerManChild]

@@diputston is this supposed to link to vocaloid????

[@diputston]

@@TonyTheTigerManChild wisteria is a vocaloid song and most of the vocaloid song i know are like this so don't choose it it is pretty gross

[@Poopyscoop]

@@diputston not all vocaloid is like that LMAO, and choosing a song that has a fictional messed up meaning ( for example circus monster, etc ) isn't a bad thing, don't be a coward, make some interesting characters the way you want to make them and let others do the same

[@evil_lebron_gaming]

@@Poopyscoop wait until they hear about the spider and the kitsune-like lion -vocaloid fan

[@Kirated]

@@evil_lebron_gamingLMAO YEAH

[@timmysommer5414mom]

There's always a story of a woman suffering behind a song. Christmas Kid Girl A Stay with Me Cbat I feel sorry for all of them.

[@WURLDSTAR]

cbat LMAO

[@MarwaSmiley93]

Who are all these songs by

[@OliverOils]

​@@MarwaSmiley93 Stay with me is by Miki Matsubara Young Girl A is by Siinamota idk about Cbat

[@poptropicasways]

​@@OliverOilsHudson Mohawke. They're referencing a reddit post about this dude that always played Cbat with his ex girlfriend and tried to time his movements to the beat. When you listen to the song you'll know why the commenter included it.

[@OliverOils]

@@poptropicasways your name 😭 I love ThatOneGuy you're referring to the guy who danced like Coraline's dad right?

[@Spike-c2v]

9:18 this makes so mutch sense because there is a line in the song that goes "if you ever try to leave me i'll will find you Ronnie" (atleast that how i think it goes)

[@ApproachCautiously]

The fact that the song says "appearing unsightly..." about Phil is a little funny

[@WURLDSTAR]

it’s hilarious

[@andromxda]

BRO i saw this comment and laughed OUT LOUD at almost 4 AM

[@eclipsed_oracle6818]

I was doing some googling a few months ago while listening to the song and I swear to god I saw that one bridge troll-ass photo the second that line played and I think about it every time I listen to it now

[@M4d1c00l]

HELP I JUST REALIZED OMFG 😭

[@fardung]

​@@eclipsed_oracle6818 what????

[@ImJustLayZ]

Phil looks like a true villain and he certainly is. This is insane

[@v4mpy380]

when i saw his face omg i almost had a heart attack my godd

[@sevseox]

​@@v4mpy380 WHY IS THIS COMMENT SO RELATABLE

[@earlsweatpants1]

@@sevseoxlook at his goddamn eyes. He looks like a damn demon. Terrifying

[@ImJustLayZ]

A movie of this would be amazing or a tv series would be so awesome

[@root-beer]

@@ImJustLayZ beyond the valley of the dolls from 1970

[@raessecretstashofcheese2634]

I love Roar, and I’ve never seen someone make an explanation for this song. I really appreciate how you made jokes in the middle of it, to keep it from being too heavy. This was super informative, so thank you! Rip Ronnie, I’ve never heard her music, but she seems like an amazing person. She really didn’t deserve to have that happen to her, and so did the 3 kids.

[@spriterefreshed935]

just google it then you don't have to watch a boring long video lmao

[@supr_silly]

​@@spriterefreshed935 dawg if you think its boring whyd you take the time to comment? 💀

[@xx_furby_lover_xx5812]

I agree with you rae

[@Itztherealbayleaf]

3 kids?

[@raessecretstashofcheese2634]

⁠@@Itztherealbayleaf Yeah, they adopted 3 children that had to go through the same thing Ronnie did.

[@nanikore1030]

We need to make roar more popular, the album "diamond destroyer of death" is a masterpiece

[@WURLDSTAR]

i love that album so much yes yes yes

[@childeofepickness]

I’ll definitely listen to more of their music, I love christmas kids and I used to listen to I can’t handle change a lot back when it was really popular so finding out they were made by the same people/person(I’m unsure) certainly piqued my interest.

[@audrexa]

ronnie deserved better tbh, rest in peace queen. aug 10 1943 - jan 12 2022

[@MLH_1231]

Fr, also love the Disventure Camp pfp!

[@audrexa]

@@MLH_1231 thank u!

[@Roach_in_your_fridge]

Another sad line of Christmas kids is "if you ever tried to leave me I'll find you Ronnie" it showed how Phil kept her literally in a prison

[@thepalmerfamily6277]

I thought it said running bro jesus

[@YouTube.Kinghaize]

What did you say

[@YouTube.Kinghaize]

@@thepalmerfamily6277 answer me

[@joemom4709]

@Buggii me too omg

[@tordle]

@thepalmerfamily62771 *heavy breathing* is that a Wally pfp?!

[@GA_131]

Rip Ronnie, I had the same experience with the song a little over a year ago. Appreciated the balance between all the serious topics and humor. And also appreciated the hate over gatekeepers who think just because a song is popular it’s suddenly terrible. I can understand listening to the same song over and over again can be grading, but calling someone a fake fan just because they’re enjoying a song due to an internet trend is kinda odd.

[@WURLDSTAR]

i’m glad you enjoyed the video! if given the opportunity, i will go on that gatekeeping rant until the day that i die lmao

[@nitebreak]

me too, it’s as if they don’t want artists they care about to succeed. It’s so toxic.

[@aquitetiredguy2158]

Yeah i don’t get it, as someone who knew about roar before it blew up, idk why people are gatekeeping them their great, and i wish they were more popular

[@saikoormike]

Wait...is Ronnie short for Veronica?

[@CEPHALOPESSIMISM]

​@@saikoormikeyep!

[@MxSae]

A few years ago I was listening to I Can’t Handle Change, and Christmas Kids started playing after. I liked it but didn’t think much of it at the time. Recently, (since the song started trending) someone told me the story behind the song and I was shocked. Thank you for covering this!

[@chipchamp8580]

The lorax

[@MxSae]

@@chipchamp8580 I love the Lorax but huh

[@Shottinf]

@@chipchamp8580smash

[@B0WL_]

@@Shottinf 💀

[@ghvstfave]

@@chipchamp8580 I’m the oncelor

[@Its.shrimple]

Fr I was in a very toxic relationship with a friend I had that was taking advantige of my romantic feelings and being super possesive when I tried to leave in a way this song was very comforting for me its very sad to know that this is the backstory to it in my op. But honestly it still feels very relatable for my mental state then and feeling happy but trapped and manipulated. I really feel for those poor children. Your own feelings being a double edged sword in a trapped cell where you can't run from them is just horrid. To anyone that's been through this type of thing I'm so sorry you don't deserve any of it no matter how much you think you did. It doesn't justify shit. You deserve better forever.

[@Its.shrimple]

ALSO Id love to see some anime content like I CANNOT be the only one frfr also she has such a nice voice like frfrrfrrrr

[@NyxWas_Stolen]

i was in a manipulitive friendship TWICE (you think id learn the first time but NOPE) and each time i had enough of their shit they somehow pulled me bACK into he friendship. one of them even wished i was DEAD and then tried to say that "pEoPlE cHaNgE" like bffr girl

[@Its.shrimple]

@@NyxWas_Stolen FR like I have bad trust issues so I always had the habit of asking if my friends are comfortable and guess what in the end she stoped being friends with me for all of the reasons that She knew I feared like Everything I asked about like honey no-.. Like gurl fr turned around and tried tp ul out and uno reverse on stuff that happened more then five months ago so while I was thinking things where getting a bit better and could be fixed she had long since been just full on lying to me and pretending to be my friend for a solid 7 months. SEVEN Like I feel u ongong just know that nothing is ur fault and also ?Ong u watched this vid so u have some good ahh taste anwho sry for my rant I hope you're healing well.

[@lemonmeat]

i used to relate to Christmas Kids in a way that, when i would listen to it, i would think about saving one of my partners (at that tiem poly relationship of 3 counting me) from their abusive household (vent dump warning) then later on, i finally realized me and our other partner (who im still currently with i love him

[@Its.shrimple]

@@lemonmeat OML That's horrible guilt tripping and gaslighting like that and just all sorts of forms of manipulation are horrible like sometimes people will genuenly mean it when they say oh id die without you BUT NOT LIKE THAT- No one that loves you would make you feel that way. I hope you feel better in the future youre strong asf for going through all of that frfr💪😼

[@bashfulwolfo6499]

This story is always so damn depressing, Ronnie deserved way better in life. Glad you could bring this story into more light. I’ve heard some horror stories of music producers, even from my mom about my dad’s ex producer, and what he tried to do to my dad when he was young. It’s extremely horrible that people in such power, no matter how minor it may seem, can get away with so much.

[@bashfulwolfo6499]

I’ve loved ROAR for many years now, it’s good to see them get more and more attention nowadays! Sure TikTok commenters are annoying but they are never enough to make me stop listening to good ass songs

[@26jdaniels]

The lyrics "If you ever try to leave me I will find you Ronnie" have me shivering and feeling like I'm being stalked rn, great thing to have happen before bed 😭

[@joemom4709]

LITERALLY

[@zolaf5759]

agreed😭

[@cherithevampire]

same😭😭

[@lemonmeat]

i used to think it was "running" im gonna cry now bro

[@veinfish]

bruh

[@WURLDSTAR]

sorry about the mic btw

[@Rosbin]

I love the fact you took so long to comment this

[@oakisatree]

its aight 💪

[@shoneshoneshone]

ur good

[@4thi13]

it's fine

[@LEIGHSCREATIVITY]

sall good. ur rly pretty btw :)

[@reasull]

You mentioned greek mythology, this reminds me of Sisyphus. He supposedly trapped death with chains and basically imprisoned him. He cheated death twice before being caught. Now, he’s in the underworld being forced to roll a boulder up a hill, only being relieved once the boulder reaches the top, but every time the boulder rolls back down the hill. Another one that reminds me of this is Narcissus and Echo. Someone who just wants love falls in love with someone so obsessed with themself that they become their own demise while the person who loved them sits in a cave, scarred by what happened.

[@WURLDSTAR]

the boulder one! i think that’s the one i was thinking of while i was recording the video but i couldn’t quite remember it. thank you!

[@Prororo]

But Sisyphus enjoys the pain and is determined to trick the gods once again

[@touchgrass7129]

syphilis prime from bigdie??? real????

[@ariyuuu]

but sisyphus finds happiness in the moment of his suffering so i dont think they match

[@jamangel]

Wow

[@charliewiebenga476]

I think it’s really cool that “Roar” used Phil Spector’S “wall of sound” recording technique for the song. Also kinda cool that thought the songs short time span they go though 3 genres ( the genres being ones that Phill was common associated )

[@cuh_motion]

This song is so damn dark but then all I think about is the Lorax leaving meme

[@its2cloudy528]

Rip Ronnie, this was very informative ty

[@WURLDSTAR]

[@UserG0ne999]

Who's Ronnie?

[@THE_U.N.A]

@@UserG0ne999 The girl in the song Christmas kids (BTW thank you about the info I knew something was off with The cell part)

[@its2cloudy528]

@@UserG0ne999 the girl the song is about?

[@UserG0ne999]

@@its2cloudy528 what happened to her

[@fuckwit107]

Two of the darkest songs I can think of are Polly by Nirvana and Car Seat: God's Presents by Blind Melon. Former is about a psycho rapist keeping a girl hostage, latter is about a mother driving her car into a loch with her kids in the back. Grim stuff.

[@yippeemadelineowen]

thank you for mentioning polly!

[@krisismav]

dude car seat is soooo good. we all slept on blind melon

[@yippeemadelineowen]

@@krisismav bad habit by the offspring is another one

[@helenaperez4343]

Also, Breezeblocks by alt-J. Super messed in a similar way

[@oliviagrace9650]

Pretty much every kikuo song as well

[@jimjamjako]

the fact i had this song in my playlists for MONTHS not knowing the meaning and not even noticing the album cover (cuz i didnt know who they were) is crazy, im starting to feel like “i cant handle change” also refers to how phil wouldnt let ronnie outside the house

[@Danniboi03]

It definitely is, because right before Christmas Kids on the EP, the little pro-log song [ Baby Bride ] plays, which is about a man falling in love with a 16-Year-Old Bride and with the context of how old Ronnie was when Phil starting having the affair with her, it just pieces everything together a little bit more.

[@No_quema_cuh.1]

I had it like that too now i feel bad but then again it’s not my fault for not knowing also i wanna say that ronnie is really strong for going through that (her kids are strong too)

[@tatianaaa4569]

tbh i didn’t think much of the song when i heard it on tiktok, it was catchy, slightly emotional, some of the stories ppl showed with it were deeply upsetting. but now, after hearing abt the song’s actual context, i don’t think i can listen to it without wanting to cry a bit😭

[@zolaf5759]

tbh I agree with you

[@thecon7621]

0:06 FAR LEFT DOING THE GRIDDY!

[@Wanderer.scaramouche.]

HELP

[@y0yle_st4rz..27]

(i’ll) no

[@Hattarene]

Thought of this as the political far left💔

[@LacklusterMe]

8:50 I assumed that his adoption of the kids was another form of emotional manipulation to her. Like if she tried to leave him, he could be like "oh but what about the kids? You wouldn't want to leave these poor children without a mother, now do you?"

[@LighterFluidDrinker]

You are so underrated. I was looking for an explanation for “Christmas Kids” and this did not disappoint. Your content is awesome!

[@WURLDSTAR]

thank you so much!

[@kc8391]

Also to add, he was violent to other people, too (here are some accidents that happened): While working with The Ramones, they say that he was abusive and controlling. One time, Dee Dee Ramone told him he was going home, and Phil reached for his revolver, saying "you're not going anywhere." He shot inches away from John Lennon's ear, while they worked together. Phil said it was "a prank". Another time, he chased him around the studio with the same gun. While working with Leonard Cohen, he put the gun against his neck. He was always armed in the studio. He invited Debby Harry to his mansion to discuss a collaboration, and after an argument, he shoved the gun in her boot, and went "bang". All these accidents happened while he was either high or drunk. I think these are not the only ones... Sadly. 8:47 i think it was to put more pressure on her, that even if she left the relationship somehow, she would know those children were still in his care.

[@abigail71636]

Bro how did John Lennon not act as fucked up as he should've been. Damn.

[@kc8391]

@@jesusiscomingback1829 yeah, it was mine😭 I deleted it at first because i hadn't seen the video fully yet, and deleted the things she mentioned

[@thryfted777]

the softer and slower version of christmas kids playing somberly in the background of ronnies story makes me so insanely sad

[@musicaldump]

I’ve been into ROAR for years now (not since the beginning, just 2016), and it was crazy seeing Christmas Kids blowing up on tiktok. I knew that the song was based on the experience of Ronnie Spector and always thought “I wonder how many people know the story behind the song.” It’s really cool to see someone go over Ronnie’s story in relation to the song, very cool to see in my recommended.

[@BreadDisposal]

I'll be honest, I have been listening to this song for literal YEARS. I think I discovered Christmas kids in...2014? Somehow I never thought to look up the meaning behind it....that's kind of wild to me. I knew it was about an abusive relationship sure, but now realizing it was a real one really opens my eyes. wow. ...Though maybe it was a good thing I never looked it up as a tween LOL

[@roseblood1203]

SAME i just thought it was a bop

[@fleurpouvoir]

as an abuse victim, by my father, i understand how ronnie reacted to his death. since my abuser was my father, i do look back on the sweet and nurturing moments he displayed, the little moments that we shared together that wasn't full of rage. he's changed a lot after dire health issues and we've worked a lot on our relationship, i will never forget what he did but the little moments allowed me to look more empathetically. it's just human nature to see the good in those you love. ronnie, of course, remembers the abuse but chooses to focus on their good moments. it's a way to cope and such a brave take. she's better than him and he's no longer here to hurt her. i understand the rage that builds because of abuse but i see it as a good sign that she's found peace with his death and has been able to cope. i hope she feels safe after years of being emprisoned physically and mentally. thank you for making this video, i love the song be my baby; it's one of my favorites of all time and i never knew anything about the people behind it. it's such a shame that she faced so much opression, i'm glad they honored the ronettes in the hall of fame and people (like you) are telling her story. she won't be forgotten! just subbed, i love your vibe and channel and editing; can't wait to see what you make in the future!

[@nako7-hc4bomb]

Dams that fb

[@SPARKRIZZLE]

dude this is such an amazing video. i’ve liked their music for years and never fully looked through the backstory, thank you so much for making this

[@WURLDSTAR]

thank you for watching!

[@lotuseater97]

AYO WHAT SPARKRIZZLE YOU HERE???? WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA- (also same there music is jus so GOOD)

[@cheese__cake]

hi spark, didn't expect you to be here :o

[@lotuseater97]

@@cheese__cake FRRRR

[@LUKAEDITING]

yoo same! i love roar so muchh

[@Ur.local.dipsh1t.Esther]

No matter how dark the meaning behind Christmas kids is still a really great song

[@gooeybrain_]

I love Roar. I've seen Owen perform here in Phoenix in small, indie venues. I have a fond memory of him playing an acoustic set in a garden at the ASU college campus some years ago. It was a beautiful night and his voice echoed in the little courtyard we were in. He is super talented. I am so happy to see him become even more successful. This was a very heartbreaking video and I did not realize the backstory of this song. Thank you for making this

[@dreamofyouandi]

live at the secret garden!! that’s one of my favorite uploads of his. it’s sadly only on bandcamp in the form of one long track. i hope he uploads it to spotify someday.

[@ghostof7thst]

​@@dreamofyouandiNO WAY SOMEONE ELSE NOTICED WHAT THAT COMMENT REFERENCED TO

[@Mauricio.student]

I know you said you were not gonna do true crime a lot, but I genuinely believe that you did a great job at explaining everything. If it does interest you I hope that you can cover things with similar topics to this video Adios♡

[@WURLDSTAR]

we’ll see! i definitely won’t cover serial killers or anything crazy but i’ll keep my eye out for anything that might pique my interest :)

[@mangohiba]

@@WURLDSTAR woohoo

[@childeofepickness]

I agree!

[@Miauwen_]

What disturbed me a lot is that (imo) the darkest part of the song is being shared around, I'll know where you are you can't run or hide because "I'll know "

[@Miauwen_]

I was half asleep when I wrote this idk what I was trying to say

[@charlieiscorrect2856]

@@Miauwen_you don’t know what u we’re trying to say..but I’ll know. I’ll know.

[@Miauwen_]

holy shittt

[@Cawffee7]

@@charlieiscorrect2856 😨

[@childeofepickness]

@@charlieiscorrect2856😨

[@cassiejohnson9410]

Honestly with the new context the line "The chirstmas kids were nothing but a gift" has a whole new meaning for me. Like the kids litterarly were nothing to him but a gift. Not human. Not kids. Just objects. And that makes it so much more depressing.

[@vannilaaaaa]

ronnie deserved the best ☹️☹️ and she did! im so happy she was able to recover well despite her mental health at the time :’)

[@vixxybug]

carrots (i changed the comment)

[@doratheexplora8898]

he adopted twins for Christmas they had one before

[@vixxybug]

@@doratheexplora8898 She actually had 5 children with different men but ok.

[@doratheexplora8898]

@@vixxybug I never brought up how many kids in total she had I just said they had one before Christmas, but ok.

[@jordanjordan3167]

@@vixxybug not you getting defensive all of a sudden 😂

[@ghostfacebuster]

@@doratheexplora8898 purrr dora 😍😍👏

[@veggyeater]

I didnt expect this song to have such a dark meaning, it always sounded to me like a regular lovesick song and a good one to have a bike ride to😅

[@dreamofyouandi]

did you listen to the lyrics

[@B07-hjghjg]

That's because you haven't pay attention to the lyric...

[@Flynnsdex]

"The christmas kids were nothing but a gift" Thats fucking deep

[@ryanrattley2828]

“can you imagine…turning to alcoholism…as an escape” alcoholics: 👁️👄👁️

[@yfmlam]

First time Bread has ever seen this channel and 10 minutes in Bread had already hit subscribe. RIP Ronnie and domestic abuse is never taken as seriously as its supposed to be.

[@unknownleduc5400]

Nah, the darkest song ever written has gotta go to "I Just Killed A Cop Now I'm Horny" By JPEGMafia. Dark in a way that still sticks with me to this day, and if you do choose to look into this I cannot warn you enough because this does include a real recording of a murder in the song. A close second though, would probably have to be Murders by miracle musical. The whole song is about a boy who lost the love of his life in a forest and is looking for her, yes whatever. It's the end that makes my heart drop. There is an agonizingly beautiful piano which is so clear compared to the rest of the song. The lyrics just repeat the words "all for nothing at all" and it just fucking *HURTS* anyway just wanted to throw a second opinion in there

[@WURLDSTAR]

that sounds really interesting! i’ll look into it some time

[@BeachioSandschannel]

The murder victim’s name was Kyle Dinkheller. Kyle was shot and killed by a man named Andrew Brannan. Brannan was a Vietnam veteran with PTSD and when he was ordered to pull over, Dinkheller was shot and killed. Brannan was executed in 2015 via lethal injection.

[@baexxx6907]

A close second would probably be Sarah by Tyler, The Creator. Fucking crazy, dude 😭

[@epxcc1f]

Another one, daddy by korn If you've heard, you know

[@MichaelTurner856]

I love your taste! From Peggy to Miracle Musical 😂. Ngl I still feel like there are more disturbing songs out there but those are pretty good

[@Montezxy2007]

Ronnie deserved so much better. I feel so sorry for her.

[@BayBoz33]

Thank you for this video I have to do a presentation on a song and I chose the Christmas kids and this helped me out a lot

[@WURLDSTAR]

happy to help!

[@pr4ti]

I love Christmas kids with all my heart words cannot explain how much I love this song, the uneasy but good feeling makes me feel so good bro😭

[@thethree13o]

Ive seen that the reason of him giving ronette "the Christmas kids" was so that she'd become emotionally attached to them and not leave. Sick man.

[@alraightythen]

sorry for being so cheezy but thank you so much for making this video, your cover and voice is beautiful :D

[@WURLDSTAR]

i’m glad ya liked it!

[@liminalum]

this is such a sad story, I didn't know that such a catchy song had this dark of a background behind it :( may veronica rest in peace. another song that I find to be probably the most disturbing song I've ever heard (mostly because of the story behind it) is 44 days by mr.kitty. you might've heard him from after dark, that's a very popular song of his. anyways, the song is about (in my opinion) the worst case of abuse and torture in human history. i def recommend you to research more about it but beware, its EXTREMELY triggering and traumatic and disturbing. like, to an unfathomable extent. it's definitely not for the faint hearted. i am pretty sensitive so this story genuinely traumatised me, but i think that it's important to know what these people have gone through so that their pain and suffering was not in vain.

[@Emmet4399]

i pray junko’s doing well in heaven. she didn’t deserve the rape she went thru, and it was all for saying “no” to a marriage

[@entrapta.exe_]

is 44 days about Junko Furuta? her case made me sick to my stomach :( this poor innocent kid tortured brutally for over a month straight all because she didn't want a romantic relationship with this guy.

[@corosiloro6396]

⁠​⁠@@entrapta.exe_ The guy and her actually had never met prior. The men who did it had a history of assaulting random women and picked her out that time :( May she rest in peace.

[@thiccrat]

just a note, i dont think victims necessarily get anything positive from people getting traumatized by their stories. its perhaps unnecessary to traumatize yourself in this way, especially given how many stories there are, its literally impossible to know them all. adding more trauma to the world just means the perpetrators cause yet more harm. i regret every story ive heard or read that goes into such unnecessary, traumatizing detail. i am very fucked up from what i know of humanity and its not helpful to anyone. there are levels of detail that goes from information to just straight up learning all the lurid details of someones worst moments as some fucked up entertainment.

[@chucklnuts]

As dark as this song is, it exhilerates extreme nostalgia for me, like talking kitty cat or the 3ds

[@Paylord-isBigBoned88]

OMG someone else that has Talking Kitty Cat series nostalgic to them.. that used to be the shit during my childhood. I used to watch it when I was about seven, I was completely heartbroken after getting back into the channel after a few years and hearing how it all came to an end. R.I.P Steve Cash. I hope I'm talking about the same thing you are- ✋️😭

[@chucklnuts]

@@Paylord-isBigBoned88 R.I.P. Gibson, Shelby, Sylvester, Grumpy Cat, And Steve Cash.

[@ing-acnl9455]

This vid was amazing and i gotta say you're REALLY pretty, like girlie the way the light reflects in your glasses and the beautiful frames on your glasses, just sooooo pretty and your hair is gorgeous. Also your singing is amazing

[@soursugarrr]

My grandmother passed away from lung cancer last year, and this song helped me get through a lot of crying fits after. So hearing that Ronnie passed away from lung cancer the year before is kind of bizarre.

[@killiantallon8086]

what i love about the song is how on the nose it is. it doesnt pull its punches by only vaguely alluding to the whole situation, it gives specific details about the toxic relationships and name drops them as you said in the video.

[@CobAnimates]

I always knew there was some sort of story to this song, and it’s one of my favorite songs. It’s very shocking what the story is, and the name “Christmas Kids” makes so much more sense after watching this

[@therocknrollgamer9572]

I, an autistic 15 year old boy, who is a fan of The Ronettes and Phil Spectors work, can relate a bit to the song. When I started secondary school in 2021 at 13, I began a friendship with a girl who I had developed a strong crush on. Our friendship was fine for a few months, until I developed jealousy towards her when I started following her on social media, therefore I started questioning the friendship. She also began competing with me for a bit that time too. The school year ended, and we only saw eachother once during the summer break, where it resulted in her competing against me again, where I had a panic attack. We didn't see eachother until the new school year began, and things got worse. She began mocking, and gossiping abt me to new students in the class that time, and I wasn't aware of it until conflict happened after school ended on one November evening, where I found out abt her talking bad abt me to those new students. The school intervened and banned us from going near each other. I was happy we weren't allowed to go near each other. But she still antagonised me through the months. Apparently I had to witness her argue and physically abuse her mother one time, eventually leading her to stop being friends with those friends she lied to abt me. She ended up getting self isolated 1 to 1 classes because of it. The school year I am in is coming to an end, and because she's still in my school, I can't stop thinking of her still, as I am tramatised still abt it. I just wish that narcissistic troublesome lying girl with adhd was never part of my life. And I am glad you made this video, and I am happy I came across it tonight. Fantastic video :) 👍

[@Pricksel]

No one cares about your experience

[@affection3498]

I'm really sorry about that. :( People can be so cruel. I hope you never have to meet someone like that again.

[@therocknrollgamer9572]

@@affection3498 thx for your empathy. I make sure it doesn't happen again, by avoiding any contact with any girl that I develop a crush on. I know it's a bit strange of me to say that, but because of my PTSD abt what happened, it stops me from doing it. But again, thx for your empathy and understanding

[@ilovecheese42]

oh my gosh i’m so sorry that happened to u😵‍💫🫶💗

[@pliskin5161]

God women are so evil…..

[@RADE3656]

Dang. I was jamming to this song for three days straight. Now I can’t even look at the album cover. It just gives me chills. Some things are better when you don’t know I guess

[@Bunnupy]

Recently, it's been making a trend on TikTok once more. For me, it's in the form of Welcome Home videos, and it's really ironic considering how happy the art can be..

[@jennyshammer]

Christmas Kids-Lyrics Ronnette, my dear, don't ever disappear Do what you want as long as you stay here I need you now, I love you so much, more than you could know The Christmas kids were nothing but a gift And love is a tower where all of us can live You'll change your name, or change your mind And leave this fucked up place behind But I'll know, I'll know I'll know, I'll know I'll know, I'll know I'll know, I'll know Appearing unsightly, with devils inside me If you ever try to leave me, I'll find you, Ronnie If you ever try to leave me, I'll find you, Ronnie If you ever try to leave me, I'll find you, Ronnie If you ever try to leave me, I'll find you, Ronnie I'm leaving, Phil, I'm leaving now I'm going to escape, but you won't know how Or where to find me when I'm gone I'll drink myself to death insi-i-i-i-i-i-ide this prison cell, thi-is prison cell So, get me out of here Get me out of here Get me out of here Get me out of here You'll change your name, or change your mind And leave this fucked up place behind But I'll know, I'll know I'll know, I'll know I'll know, I'll know I'll know, I'll know

[@SN4CKBUGZ]

I nearly wanted to scream when I re-read those lyrics.

[@AiValentine23]

I had heard this song here and there on Insta reels and definitely was digging the sound, but never looked for it because I forget everything. Then I clicked on what I thought was going to be something funny since it was using a clip from Hotel Transylvania. Turns out it was alluding to an older sibling finally leaving the toxic environment and having to leave their younger sibling behind while the chorus played and it was so haunting. I immediately had to listen to the full song because I apparently love dread. I’m hooked now and need to listen more of Roar.

[@starg1rl0nline]

Didn’t even realize they were both on the album cover … 😅 such a good video! I love your vibe, I just had to subscribe

[@goblindude4242]

I was in a really sick obsessive relationship I later realised I was groomed into, and this was one of the songs we considered ‘our relationship song’. I feel so lucky it ended the way that it did because I could and likely would have been in serious danger if things had gone any differently. Now when I hear it it just reminds me of TikTok but it’s so eerie to know the story behind it looking back.

[@lemonmeat]

dude same thats really disturbing :( bc i never looked up the backstory or the meaning of the lyrics i used it as a song to cope with me wanting to save a partner (who groomed me and my current partner) and now i use the song to cope with that o_o

[@Moody__Mango]

You’re awesome, I really enjoyed watching this video. I’m like, processing everything, that was .. a lot. I knew some of this story but not the whole picture. Christ man.

[@sailorjup]

i’ve loved this song for YEARS i have no clue how i never picked up on this omg amazing video

[@jimjamjako]

LMAOO SAME

[@campediem]

i love ur pfp!

[@sailorjup]

@@campediem ty scott tenorman pfp

[@lee_likes_bees]

Christmas Kids is one of my favorite songs but I had no idea that it was a real story holy shit, I can see why you couldn't get this out of your mind

[@strawberryafternoon9000]

thank you SO much for making this video. i went through the exact same thing, i couldn’t get the names or the. song out of my head and i knew something dark happened but not what. it was almost scary how you described exactly what i experienced with this song. i NEEDED this video, thank you so much. rest in peace ronnie 🫂

[@strawberryafternoon9000]

@IUseF12 the lorax.

[@gloomiiii]

This is such a sad story.. RIP Ronnie, you were a legend.

[@l3ftward]

I feel so bad for Phil and Ronnie's kids, especially the twins. like, imagine you and your sibling being given as gifts in an attempt to fix a failing marriage

[@Dave_the_Bunny_Gator]

Even though I already made a video with the song, Christmas Kids, I wrote an apology in a comments, because I thought it was an edgy song, and I didn't know that it was about an abusive couple! Thanks for making this video btw! I learned a lot about it!

[@youarenowawarepodcast8896]

I don’t have TikTok, but I’m ecstatic to know Roar is reaching a larger audience. I love this band!

[@Lvcifer--666--]

Before i even knew about the backstory of this song, it always made me so sad. Like the song just gave me a pit in my stomach. Its crazy how powerful music can be.

[@BeanKally]

This is my fav song, honestly learning about the story behind it makes it hit even harder-

[@Willissssss]

Fr

[@shrekwes6812]

Just sayin, you have such a soft voice and a relaxing vibe which makes the video very enjoyable to watch. The VHS type quality also makes this perfect to watch at night. So keep it up gurlllll

[@memphis5395]

So I just discovered this album again, and this specific song has been bothering me lately with the mystery of it, and the minute I saw your video I got a sort of closure for my feelings so, thx!!

[@Fadedagent64]

i never really though about roar as the type of band to sing songs about abuse in one of their songs. im aware that bands in general do talk about heavy topics such as outkast with "hey ya". i think this adds a whole nother layer of depth to roar's songs and this has made me think more thoroughly about songs. really appreciate this video and hope you get much praise from much more people from now on. P.S. i really enjoyed the cover you made. shit kinda shmacks.

[@mia95808]

the way you make your videos its like talking to someone on a late night sleepover or a face time. i caught myself replying to you out loud. its really comforting honestly.

[@reneemachuca3026]

I listened to the cover that you made. It’s very relaxing even though the meaning behind the song is pretty dark, but I sang to it

[@criffincs]

Definitely not the darkest song but still really dark for sure.. Edit: Great video. I enjoyed this a lot. Your vocals are nice too.

[@darkodarko2803]

wow i’ve been playing that song without knowing the context behind it this whole time. i heard the lyrics and kept wondering why it’s even called christmas kids.

[@f_lenzo6930]

Same I thought it was a breakup song 💀

[@kathryn74]

i thought it was about someone being friends with a kid named ronnie since they were kids during christmas and when they grew up he was gonna try and find them again but…. 💀

[@puffpow]

I simply adore Roar's music, listening to all of their songs. This one is one of my favorites, and I read about the backstory and the meanings. I'm so glad they're getting the attention they deserve; their music is the definition of a hidden gem. If anyone is interested in more of their music, some of their other good songs are Hope, Poor Grammar, Copperfield, Paralyzed, and I'm not going to help you. This song- Christmas Kids- is on their EP, "I Can't Handle Change," with a song in it of the same name. The entire EP is dark and dreary, and it's really good musically. Other songs on there are Duck Or Ape, Heart For Brains, Baby Bride Rag, and I'm Just A Fan. P.S: Great Video, definitely worth a subscribe. You look very pretty, by the way!

[@verytallfox9960]

YES!!!! I’ve been waiting for someone to cover this song in a video for some time now. I also found Christmas Kids through I Can’t Handle Change, maybe in 2017 or 2018? Some sort of photography class, I was not doing photography lol. But yeah, you covered the events very thoroughly so thank you for bringing attention to this and covering it so respectfully!

[@NEOWRRLD]

12:58 He looks like a doctor suess character 💀

[@lilytheeverchaotic]

Lol

[@lawsolos56]

the lorax

[@indirectobject7487]

The reason he kept buying her *children* is because he knew he could use them against her. It's a very common tactic in abusive households. It's pretty much "If you leave me, I'll hurt the children, and it'll be your fault."

[@sarahcamarillo3410]

Ronnie handpicked Zendaya to play her in an A24 biopic of her memoir, so that should be coming at some point.

[@xohoneyvee]

No wonder Spotify kept recommending me this song, I always enjoyed listening to “Be My Baby” on Spotify and at first I thought it was because it was trending and had zero correlation to the Ronnie and Phil case because I didn’t pay much attention to the lyrics. I thought Christmas kids was about a teen in a dysfunctional home who ends up running away and changing their identity to make something of themselves not this. No wonder this song is so dark. And before you judge, the name dropping was too fast for me and I only heard of the Phil and Ronnie case once. Also the album cover of Phil looks like a member of the Beatles

[@Diamond_sleeps]

1. Your video is incredibly informative and interesting 2. The editing is very pretty and eye catching 3. Your voice is beautiful

[@floptropicancitizen__]

Horror games would be scarier if they added phils face as a jumpscare tbh

[@gingertea3778]

Never realised this song had such a dark backstory. I thought the lyrics were just dark but I didn’t know how it was made was also disturbing. I honestly think most people on TikTok don’t even know or understand the story of the song. I didn’t get it just from the lyrics either until I watched this-I just thought it was kind of a melancholy song that definitely had a story in it but not important enough for me to really think about.

[@thevoidstaresback4464]

There actually is a greek myth for this! So Narcissus was a beautiful hunter and a lot of people indeed fell in love with him. He was an asshole though so he told them all to put themselves out of their misery. Nemesis, the goddess of revenge and karmic retribution noticed this and decided to punish him by showing him an extremely reflective pond. Narcissus fell in love with his reflection and starved to death staring at it for days. Anyway good video I'm glad someone dug into this song I love it!