Greg Lake and “I Believe in Father Christmas”

I love this song, next to Queen’s ‘Thank God Its Christmas’ this is one of my favourites. Sung by English musician Greg Lake of the group, Emerson Lake and Palmer and lyrics by Peter Sinfield it made number two in the UK Singles Charts in 1975. Held off the number one spot by no other than Queen and Bohemian Rhapsody.

Although it’s played most in the festive season it was not Lake’s intention to be considered a joly tune. He said that he wrote the song in protest at the commercialisation of Christmas. Sinfield, however, said that the words are about a loss of innocence and childhood belief.

All I know is it continues to put a smile on my face every Christmas. Have a listen here.

I Believe in Father Christmas

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’s birth
I remember one Christmas morning
A winters 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
And they told me a fairy story
’till I believed in the Israelite
And I believed in father Christmas
And I looked at the sky with excited eyes
’till 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’ll be snow at Christmas
They said there’ll be peace on earth
Hallelujah noel be it heaven or hell
The Christmas you get you deserve