One among my favorite fashionable Christmas songs is Driving Dwelling For Christmas by Chris Rea.
That is the story of how he got here to write down it (information from the Guardian web site)
Chris Rea, singer-songwriter
The story of Driving Dwelling for Christmas is sort of a basic festive story. It was 1978, coming as much as Christmas. It was throughout for me: I used to be nearly out of my report contract, and my supervisor had simply advised me he was leaving me. I simply wanted to get residence to Middlesbrough from London, however the report firm wouldn’t pay for a rail ticket, and I used to be banned from driving.
You do some loopy issues whenever you’re younger. My spouse bought in our previous Austin Mini, drove all the best way down from Middlesbrough to Abbey Street studios to choose me up, and we set off again immediately. Then it began snowing. We had £220 and I used to be fidgeting with all of it the best way residence. We stored getting caught in visitors and I’d look throughout on the different drivers, who all appeared so depressing. Jokingly, I began singing: “We’re driving residence for Christmas … ” Then, each time the road lights shone contained in the automotive, I began writing down lyrics.
We ultimately bought residence at 3am. It was so chilly inside the home that the snow tumbled on to the doormat and didn’t soften. There was one letter – from PRS America. My music Fool (If You Think It’s Over) had been successful within the US, so there was a cheque for £15,000. We went from being right down to our final £220 to having the ability to purchase a home. The music went in my previous tin filled with unfinished stuff.
Some years later, my profession had rotated and [keyboard player] Max Middleton and I had been testing two new pianos. We began joking round, taking part in this Depend Basie-type factor. I pretended I used to be Nat King Cole. Somebody stated: “That’s an awesome tune, that. It is best to get it down.” I went again to my tin, and the phrases to Driving Dwelling for Christmas fitted completely.
I’d by no means supposed to write down a Christmas hit – I used to be a severe musician! So initially, the music got here out on a B-side. Then a DJ flipped it over and began taking part in it, so Max urged we re-record it and add some strings. Max performed the distinctive jazzy intro, we did a basic Fifties Christmas carol-type association, and liked it. At first, it was one other radio hit – however then it began re-entering the Prime 40 yearly.
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I like the thought of a musician having a tin of un-finished work – like a crafter with unfinished objects and works-in-progress and I reckon he is accomplished fairly effectively out of this piece since 1988!
