I was to sorry to learn that Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer passed away Wednesday. In addition to his ELP contributions, he left us the enduring holiday single, "I Believe In Father Christmas." I've written about it before, but it warrants elaboration. On November 14, 2014, I wrote, "Yet another explanation for why I was an existentialist from an early
age: This is the first Christmas 45 I was ever given. Lake's
thoughtful, measured lyrics offer an unusually tempered view of the
season. By a slight margin, Lake's original version with a choir's
backing is the best one; his version with Emerson, Lake & Palmer in
which the piano has the last word is a close second."
I've always thought it was unusual for a Christmas song that has been played on the radio since 1975 to acknowledge feeling let down while concluding on an optimistic yet realistic note. Lake's lyrics, "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," admit that life is sometimes difficult, but that doesn't mean you can't wish others well and hope that things turn out positively for them.
That's as reasonable and realistic of an outlook as any I've ever read on a Christmas card.
