It was warm today and it’s going to be warm tomorrow, in the 80s or even 90s, inland, which, I gotta tell ya, makes it hard to crank up much sincere enthusiasm for a lugubrious dirge of a Christmas song about having rain in your soul of souls.

This was written not long before Christmas 1983 (hence the reference to Big Brother) and it was raining and I was kind of depressed. And I did spend at least part of Christmas drinking strong coffee with strong liquor in it (whisky rather than brandy) and listening to music (Eno rather than the Pistols)… but I was having fun doing it. It was like being in a song.

This Christmas (Is Going to Be Different)

Theres rain in the streets, rain in the gutters of this city
Seems like it always rains at Christmastime here
There’s rain in my heart, rain in my shoes and in my soul of souls
and if they have rain in heaven you can bet its raining up there

Now Santa Klaus is all around just like big brother
His twinkling eyes follow you wherever you go
People spending money buying fancy toys for themselves
Then give them to the kids and wonder why they feel so old

Ah, but this Christmas is going to be different
I’m going to have a happy holiday
This Christmas is going to be different
Cause I dont think I can take another blue Christmas day

Christmastime Nineteen Hundred 81
Driving up the coast with the wife in our beat up SAAB
It was raining all the way, we fought all the time, it was our last chance
we headed for ‘Frisco, we made it to Reno, it was that kind of trip

The earth drifts from the sun, the days get cold, it’s Christmas
if you’re with someone youre warm, but alone is alone, on Christmas
The nights are long, more time for dreaming on Christmas
But when you wake up you find its all just a dream on Christmas

Ah, but this Christmas is going to be different …

Sitting round the fire, watching the rain on Christmas
i got some brandy in my coffee, trying to crank up some cheer
I got the Pistols on the box, god save the queen, je suis l’anarchie
Well Im trying real hard to make it turn out okay this year.

Ah, but this Christmas is going to be different
I’m going to have a happy holiday
This Christmas is going to be different
Cause I dont think I can take another blue Christmas day
(C)1984,TK Major www.bluetrip.com