Xmas with Simon

Written by:

Mark E Smith, Craig Scanlon, Simon Wolstencroft

Initial release:

High Tension Line

Date:

December 1990

Subsequent releases:

Shiftwork
Listening In
The Fontana Years
The Fall: Singles 1978 – 2016
Group on initial release:
Mark E Smith – vocals; Craig Scanlon – guitar; Steve Hanley – bass; Simon Wolstencroft – drums

Commentary:

Andy Peart in an interview with MES (“Badmouth Strikes Again”, Sounds; 8 December 1990):

“…the hilarious ‘Xmas With Simon’ again dispels images of Smith as the archetypal dour Mancunian, showcasing a deeply sarcastic view of the festive season laced with some cheeky cheap keyboards. But The Fall writing a Christmas song? Surely not.

[MES] ‘Most people record their Christmas singles in January and I thought, If we’re going to force the record company to bring out a single before Christmas, we might as well write a festive song. It features Simon on keyboards, which is quite shocking in itself but I like things like that. It is a cynical song. Atrocious lyrics!

‘The outside opinion of The Fall is that we have no sense of humour but someone who’s into The Fall understands the humour within the songs. That’s the secret of our accessibility. I find extreme sarcasm very funny indeed.

‘I must admit I don’t like Christmas in England because everywhere closes down for three weeks. It’s disgusting. You can’t get any bread or milk and that’s what the song’s about. Christmas is more of a family time… where families can beat each other up.'”

The song would later be reworked as Christmastide and released on the limited edition of Levitate in 1997.