New Door Records
Buy: Apple Music | Amazon MP3 | Todd Snider Website (Purple Version)
I remember listening to Todd Snider back in high school, hearing “My Generation (Part 2)” and loving his thoughtful, clever, funny songwriting. I believe my art teacher Kate hipped me to him. That was probably most folks’ introduction to Todd — the song, not my teacher Kate, of course! It is an incredibly clever, catchy song. I dipped in and out of his career over the years, owned a few records, and always truly enjoyed his work.
Over the weekend, I saw that Todd had passed. Lord, he was only 59. An undiagnosed case of walking pneumonia was what took him. I hadn’t realized how deadly pneumonia can be — a 30-day mortality rate of 15%, which is wild. Of course… it got me thinking: with Todd’s huge catalog, there has to be a Christmas song. Turns out the only real Christmas track (beyond the odd live cover) that Todd had a hand in was Billy Joe Shaver’s “Merry Christmas to You,” which he performed on (and perhaps helped write?). It was a bonus track on Shaver’s 2002 album Freedom’s Child, and isn’t easily available to buy as a download.
However, Todd does have a spectacular talking-blues tune called “Happy New Year.” Classic Todd Snider — a perfect piece of storytelling with clever lyrics, social commentary, and a big old dose of humanity. There are two versions: the initial release from 2006’s The Devil You Know and the “Purple Version,” a re-recorded version Todd generously offered as a free download on his website. It’s a spooky listen, folks — the song has a good dose of mortality, and now it hits perhaps a bit too close to home.
Now Christians don’t walk out on me just yet
You know whose name I’m yelling as I’m clutching my chest
The one my dad told me to and his told him to
And I probably pray as much or more than you do
Believe? shit, every word I sing
That bit is something for sure, but there’s also a moment in the spoken introduction to the Purple Version where he says, “and then there was that late day in November when it all ended.” Spooky.
The song also ends differently:
Father forgive us for what we might do
You forgive us and we’ll forgive you.
And we’ll forgive each other ’til we both turn blue.
And we’ll whistle and go fishing… in heaven.
I’m a bit speechless.
Bottom line: Todd Snider was a treasure. The world is a bit less bright.
EDIT: I received a note from a reader (hi Stu!), and he has provided me with an MP3 of Todd Snider performing an alternate version of “Go Tell it On the Mountain” than I am accustomed to. So there is an official release of a Todd Snider performing a Christmas song.
OK. So we know where it is from now. The song is on a 1995 release called The Sounds Of Starry Nights, a CD/cassette, “presented by MIFA and Union Planters as a musical reflection of the season at the holiday light show Starry Nights.” Starry Nights is a Christmas light show held at Shelby Farms Park in Memphis and is the largest annual fundraiser for Shelby Farms Park and Shelby Farms Greenline. Shelby Farms is one of the largest urban parks in the country – one might call it Memphis’ Central Park or Golden Gate Park, I’d imagine. Pretty damn cool….
Now, if you head out there looking for this release, pay special attention to the track list on the back. There are multiple issues of this Starry Nights release, each from a different year, and with no noticeable change of title. However, the cover art varies slightly, which helps. I have yet to see a cassette edition with Todd’s track on it, though I assume it does exist.
Thanks to Stu for the update!!!
Christmas Underground 