Greg Lake - I Believe In Father Christmas Reaction

[@Andy-Capp]

Best Christmas song around. Theres a live version of this played in a church with Ian Anderson on flute. Absolutely brilliant.

[@pedroV2003]

One of the few that I can stomach.

[@mk3interstate]

@@pedroV2003 st Brides Fleet Street, London. the best live version.

[@devonvergiels5185]

ELP, Emerson Lake and Palmer, one of the giants of Progressive Rock, you have a HUGE catalog of music to explore. Don't stop here, these guys were unbelievably great.

[@DaveBartlett]

Don't forget Greg Lake's part in King Crimson throughout most of the '60s

[@rokker101]

A modern Christmas Carol sang by the late great Greg Lake ... sadly missed but never ever forgotten ... RIP Greg you were an angel on Earth x

[@gerardmccavana4905]

A great, darker Christmas message. Brilliantly put together

[@louisaklimentos7583]

I love this song !

[@jaccilowe3842]

My favourite Xmas hit of all time. Always hits me in the feels especially the final verse.

[@jonnyl1302]

I can't believe Americans don't know these Christmas classics - what do you all listen to at Christmas?!

[@Roh_Echt]

It's actually not a protest song. Pete Sinfield wrote the lyrics to this when working on Lake's solo album, and Pete said (quote from Songfacts): "Some of it was based on an actual thing in my life when I was eight years old, and came downstairs to see this wonderful Christmas tree that my mother had done. I was that little boy. Then it goes from there into a wider thing about how people are brainwashed into stuff. Then I thought, 'This is getting a bit depressing. I'd better have a hopeful, cheerful verse at the end.' That's the bit where me and Greg would've sat together and done it. And then I twisted the whole thing, with the last line, 'The Christmas you get, you deserve,' which was a play on 'The government you get, you deserve.' I didn't necessarily explain all the politics or the thoughts behind it. It's not anti-religious. It's a humanist thing, I suppose. It's not an atheist Christmas song, as some have said."

[@hazelanderson1479]

RIP Pete Sinfield, died 14 November 2024.

[@jameshunter7303]

Greg Lake was in Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP). Sadly passed away 5 or 6 years ago. Another good Christmas one if you are after more to react to is Mike Oldfields “In Dulci Jubilo”. Video is great, as you see him play all the instruments used on the track

[@edwardallen4051]

And previously King Crimson

[@glennthompson1173]

Dec 7, 2016

[@RossanoMacchioni-gm4mg]

This track is in DVD ELP live e studi collection in 2006

[@chargerbox]

Its one of the best Christmas songs out there...how can you not like it and the message its giving.

[@colrhodes377]

Emerson, Lake and Palmer were one of the biggest progrock bands ever. I'm amazed that you had never heard of Greg Lake! 🥴

[@Mr2stardiver]

typical americans never heared of any great muscians or great music

[@DaveBartlett]

The instrumental section between verses may sound familiar - it's "Troika" by Prokofiev, which I've always thought was the most 'Christmasy' tune ever!

[@hanierfamily]

We are unfamiliar with that one.

[@glennthompson1173]

My favorite Christmas song.

[@kev8471]

Good morning to you both from the UK. I hope all is well. Regarding this beautiful song, I believe it was written as a protest to the commercialisation of Christmas and the loss of its true meaning. I find the last line very powerful and, to me, the strings at the end sound tortured, representing pain and despair- but hope prevails! Wishing you well❤️

[@thesoundlikechameleons2082]

Great Christmas 🎄 song.

[@robertbagley9199]

Absolutely love this track, along with 2000 miles by the Pretenders, A spaceman came Travelling by Chris De Burgh, Christmas Wrapping by The waitresses, and maybe a couple more which make a nice change from the usual sugary sweet ones stuffed down our throats at this time of year,

[@timkemp9673]

My favourite Christmas Song... after Jethro Tulls ' Solstice Bells'... Have you covered that one yet? That's something else I can tell you. Good work Guys, keep it up!

[@Katehowe3010]

I've requested that one a couple of times myself. There's still time! 🤞

[@pepelemoko2820]

For me this is the one and only proper Christmas song and is delightfully beautiful. It does what it says on the tin, it's a Christmas message without all the tedious crap we get fed and that's why I think it's the most beautiful Christmas song ever. I'm sure you've been bombarded with the revelation that this guy is one third of Emerson Lake and Palmer, so I won't mention it.... oops! Have a wonderful Christmas Haniers and a prosperous New Year, with my very best wishes from Bonnie Scotland.

[@kingbeauregard]

My take on it: we can choose peace and goodwill, or we can choose conflict and war. And if our Christmas is happening in times of conflict and war, well, whose fault is that?

[@brucebrown73]

This was soon after Vietnam war. A little bittersweet take. Camel’s and desert from Christ’s birth. EL&P were insanely great in their first 5 albums. Try “ From the Beginning “ from Trilogy album. That’s a good start, but boy do they have some Epic suites Tarkus, Pictures at an Exhibition, are brilliant and worth the time. You will come back to them over and over.

[@markfenney4216]

It would have been number one in the U.K. when it came out but was held off the top spot by a certain Queen record!

[@Malfie657]

A nice thoughtful alternative to some of the more sugary Christmas hits that come along every year. I'd definitely recommend "In Dulci Jubilo" by Mike Oldfield and "A Spaceman Came Travelling" by Chris de Burgh as other less-played Christmas alternatives.

[@Katehowe3010]

"In Dulci Jubilo" is a great Yuletide song, but don't tell me it's not sugary!

[@Malfie657]

@@Katehowe3010 I know what you mean, but I suppose there are degrees of sugariness!

[@Katehowe3010]

@@Malfie657 😉

[@colrhodes377]

A spaceman came travelling, is a great Christmas song and really does deserve to be played

[@mkelly1004]

You must try 'Take a Pebble' by Emerson Lake and Palmer, a good first listen me thinks.

[@VinE83656]

Emerson, Lake and Palmer recommendations: Still You Turn Me On, From the Beginning, Knife's Edge and their biggest songs are Karn Evil 9 First Impression Part 2 and biggest of all is probably Lucky Man. They have some great, longer epics as well and killer instrumentals like Fanfare for the Common Man and the Peter Gunn Theme.

[@christinestromberg4057]

Always loved this. Nice to see it again. :) The references to the middle east at Christmas should be fairly obvious.

[@Concreteowl]

A Hymn for hard agnostics.

[@timarnold8267]

You don't know who Greg Lake was?! He was the vocalist and bass player of the greatest proressive band of all time. This song, although very christmassy sounding (which was intended) was a cynical view of the commercialism of christmas, and an obsevation of the whole lie about the religion behind it. "T hey sold me a fairy story till I belived in the Israelite"... let me spell yhat out to avoid confusion. He's saying "they" lied to him about the existence of god and jesus. It's one of my favourite songs just for those lyrics!

[@pedroV2003]

IIRC Greg Lake said that the song was basically a comment about the commercialisation of Christmas. But frankly before I read that I thought it was more a comment about the holiday itself. As far as the desert setting I might remind y'all that the first Christmas (if you believe in that sort of thing) occured in the mideast so there's that. P.S. The recurring theme is take from classical composer from the "Troika" portion of Sergei Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kijé Suite. Anyway, it might help you if you actually read the lyrics They said there'll be snow at Christmas They said there'll be peace on Earth But instead, it just kept on raining A veil of tears for the Virgin Birth I remember one Christmas morning A winter's light and a distant choir And the peal of a bell and that Christmas tree smell And their eyes full of tinsel and fire They sold me a dream of Christmas They sold me a Silent Night They told me a fairy story Till I believed in the Israelite And I believed in Father Christmas And I looked to the sky with excited eyes Then I woke with a yawn in the first light of dawn And I saw him and through his disguise I wish you a hopeful Christmas I wish you a brave New Year All anguish, pain, and sadness Leave your heart and let your road be clear They said there'd be snow at Christmas They said there'd be peace on Earth Hallelujah, Noël, be it Heaven or Hell The Christmas we get, we deserve

[@loganpierce9244]

2:33 Qumran; where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found…

[@brucebrown73]

Of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer

[@SWog617]

Christ was born in Bethlehem, where there is no snow on Christmas, but there are camels.

[@jamesharrison7354]

it's a brilliant track good buddy's ......

[@ThatGirl-ku5dq]

We’re taught about Jesus and Christmas. All backwards.

[@grahamrogers3345]

Have you ever reacted to "The Voice" by John Farnham.

[@ericericj7326]

ELP Best band EVER!

[@peterthompson8014]

The desert setting is meant to symbolize Bethlehem and the nativity.

[@Katehowe3010]

I only mentioned this the other day. Along with The Pretenders, you have now played 2 of my 3 favourite Christmas songs. Any chance of Jethro Tull's "Ring Out (Solstice Bells)"? 👍

[@racheldicker5611]

That is the reality christ was born in modern Israel, a bit hot

[@fredbettesworth5397]

wah! - the story of the blues

[@kevinsievert4531]

or perhaps you remember Christmas started in Bethlehem with Jesus in a cradle...in the desert. Just a context thought

[@bruceeide4359]

My only question is, "Who the Heck are These Two Media Parrots"???

[@jasontaverner391]

The melody and arrangement is a Trojan Horse for the actually lyrical meaning.

[@delorangeade]

I used to like this one more than I do now. I always liked the bitter taste of it, but the overblown orchestral ending now leaves me underwhelmed. That was the effect ELP largely had on me as well, although there was no doubting the level of talent in the band. I believe Greg Lake, Robert Fripp of King Crimson and Andy Summers of The Police all had the same guitar teacher in Bournemouth, in England.

[@kevcall]

He was English and lived very near me when he was a young man.. This quite a cynical (but accurate) song I feel. Maybe not to everyone's taste if you're religious..

[@jillhobson6128]

With thanks to Prokofiev.

[@1tommymulligan]

Here's a different Christmas song about World War 1 Christmas truce kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHiWnWCFd8mWhqs

[@Hieronymous69]

Here's Emerson, Lake and Palmer for you including an incredible drum solo kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmKcc6OIns99epY

[@mattjohn4731]

"I Believe In Miracles" (Ramones!)

[@barrypotter5751]

Never knew that was a Christmas song the ramones writing songs about Christmas you learn something new every day

[@PrecogDE]

Erm... you didn't know Greg Lake or Emerson, Lake and Palmer before? Just commenting it? Please try something different topics with better experience.

[@hanierfamily]

How does one learn about something if they don't try to experience it?

[@Rob-fs8vq]

Greg Lakes greatest song?....21st century schizoid man.

[@stevel2504]

Great song and very poignant

[@snowdog87]

you skipped half the song the song couldn't be clearer Don't get it ? Don't quit your day jobs