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seedarklyxeroWelcome to a Holiday Edition of SeeDarkly Sunday DisCOVERies; exploring goth/industrial cover songs in the spirit of the season!
First time here? Click here for details from first entry.
It's week two of a two week feature of goth/industrial holiday covers and it's the third Sunday of the month where the cover is usually one from the twentieth century as a "Third Sunday Throwback."
This cover makes the cut to qualify as both:
The Crüxshadows: Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
During the 60's and early 70's there was an issue that bore heavy on the minds of the nation: the war in Vietnam. It ignited countless movements to end the U.S. involvement in it. John Lennon and Yoko Ono were among many activists working to communicate a message that would encourage a peaceful end. They engaged in a number of non-violent demonstrations which led to an international effort launched on multiple media platforms to spread the message, "WAR IS OVER! If You Want It – Happy Christmas from John & Yoko."
After the success of his single, Imagine in 1971, Lennon then had the notion that his peace message could be more effective through his music. So, drawing from their campaign a couple of years prior, Lennon and Ono released Happy Xmas (War Is Over) on December 1, 1971.
It was not really successful in the U.S. that year. It was, however, tremendously so in Brittan in November of the following year and charted again in the U.S. during that holiday season.
It is not clear if the single had the intended impact based on its relatively weak sales at the time but the original and various covers of the track have been a standard of seasonal radio airplay ever since.
In 1995, Projekt Records began releasing a series of holiday albums with various goth/industrial artists covering many Christmas classics and some originals. Their second compilation in the series, Excelsis vol. 2 ~ a winter’s song, was released in 1999 and included a cover of Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by The Crüxshadows.
For Rogue, the lead singer of the band, this would appear to be a seminal moment of inspiration that would take a few more years to gestate. In 2010, he announced his wife and he were awaiting the birth of his daughter, and that he'd finally recorded a cover of O Holy Night because he'd wanted to record a Christmas song for years. That track and another celebrating his wedding anniversary in December were made available for free download from the band's website. Thus began a holiday tradition and he has released original Christmas music for free download every December since. He has been working through the month for this year's track and has reported on Twitter that it should be ready soon.
Among an uncounted amount of covers, The Crüxshadows version might be the only one both haunting and strangely uplifting in its darkwave style. It's a perfect addition to any playlist for goths celebrating the season.
The Cover:
The Original:
Next week:
I've been sitting on two great new covers that I can't wait to share... so unless I track down an amazing industrial cover of Auld Lang Syne before next weekend, it will either be foxy or tearful!
Comments, suggestions, discussions, etc... welcome!
I spin twice more this month: once after X-mas in western Mass. and on N.Y.E. south of Boston. Check my schedule for details.
Happy Holidays! See you here next week once more before the year ends. ^_^
Explore the darkness,
-Xero
Previous DisCOVERies
Dec 13 - Rotersand - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (RoterSanta) (Harry Reser/Tom Stacks)
Dec 06 - Celldweller - Imperial March (John Williams/London Symphony Orchestra)
Nov 29 - Virgins O.R Pigeons - People Are People (Depeche Mode)
Nov 22 - Wäks - Tanz Mit Laibach (Laibach)
Nov 15 - Libitina - Gothic People(Common People) (Pulp)
Directory of All DisCOVERies
First time here? Click here for details from first entry.
It's week two of a two week feature of goth/industrial holiday covers and it's the third Sunday of the month where the cover is usually one from the twentieth century as a "Third Sunday Throwback."
This cover makes the cut to qualify as both:
The Crüxshadows: Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
During the 60's and early 70's there was an issue that bore heavy on the minds of the nation: the war in Vietnam. It ignited countless movements to end the U.S. involvement in it. John Lennon and Yoko Ono were among many activists working to communicate a message that would encourage a peaceful end. They engaged in a number of non-violent demonstrations which led to an international effort launched on multiple media platforms to spread the message, "WAR IS OVER! If You Want It – Happy Christmas from John & Yoko."
After the success of his single, Imagine in 1971, Lennon then had the notion that his peace message could be more effective through his music. So, drawing from their campaign a couple of years prior, Lennon and Ono released Happy Xmas (War Is Over) on December 1, 1971.
It was not really successful in the U.S. that year. It was, however, tremendously so in Brittan in November of the following year and charted again in the U.S. during that holiday season.
It is not clear if the single had the intended impact based on its relatively weak sales at the time but the original and various covers of the track have been a standard of seasonal radio airplay ever since.
In 1995, Projekt Records began releasing a series of holiday albums with various goth/industrial artists covering many Christmas classics and some originals. Their second compilation in the series, Excelsis vol. 2 ~ a winter’s song, was released in 1999 and included a cover of Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by The Crüxshadows.
For Rogue, the lead singer of the band, this would appear to be a seminal moment of inspiration that would take a few more years to gestate. In 2010, he announced his wife and he were awaiting the birth of his daughter, and that he'd finally recorded a cover of O Holy Night because he'd wanted to record a Christmas song for years. That track and another celebrating his wedding anniversary in December were made available for free download from the band's website. Thus began a holiday tradition and he has released original Christmas music for free download every December since. He has been working through the month for this year's track and has reported on Twitter that it should be ready soon.
Among an uncounted amount of covers, The Crüxshadows version might be the only one both haunting and strangely uplifting in its darkwave style. It's a perfect addition to any playlist for goths celebrating the season.
The Cover:
The Original:
Next week:
I've been sitting on two great new covers that I can't wait to share... so unless I track down an amazing industrial cover of Auld Lang Syne before next weekend, it will either be foxy or tearful!
Comments, suggestions, discussions, etc... welcome!
I spin twice more this month: once after X-mas in western Mass. and on N.Y.E. south of Boston. Check my schedule for details.
Happy Holidays! See you here next week once more before the year ends. ^_^
Explore the darkness,
-Xero
Previous DisCOVERies
Dec 13 - Rotersand - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (RoterSanta) (Harry Reser/Tom Stacks)
Dec 06 - Celldweller - Imperial March (John Williams/London Symphony Orchestra)
Nov 29 - Virgins O.R Pigeons - People Are People (Depeche Mode)
Nov 22 - Wäks - Tanz Mit Laibach (Laibach)
Nov 15 - Libitina - Gothic People(Common People) (Pulp)
Directory of All DisCOVERies