Sparks- Thank God It’s Not Christmas (REACTION//DISCUSSION) 

OMG. For all these years, I've been misinterpreting this song! I thought he was all alone on Christmas... the 'you' was referring to himself and also implying the listener. Everything is closed, so there is nowhere to go. Thanks for changing my viewpoint. With so many years, so many changes, so many albums of great material, it will be hard to hear it all. Enjoy the trip -- Sparks is totally amazing. (Though not everybody's cup of tea.) This poppy glam sound continues through the next two albums, and then two albums later turns into Euro-disco, which they almost invented. ('Tryouts for the Human Race' has a rather unique viewpoint.) Check out some of their videos too. ('Dick Around' is another epic.) Thanks for sharing your enjoyment, please don't let them fade away -- many treats to come.

Fantastic track. One of my faves from this album. Melody, dynamics, witty lyrics. Archetypal Sparks.

One of the best albums of all time.

I love how you get Sparks.

Superb song Please keep going through this amazing album.

Morrissey of the Smiths heard this song in 1974. He Wrote a letter to one of the major music magazines in England promoting this album. This song in particular, I believe is the prototype for almost all the Smiths songs and Morrissey’s career.

I can't wait for you to get to the 'Indiscreet' album. I have all their Holy Trinity 'Kimono My House', 'Propaganda' and 'Indiscreet' all up on my wall of albums. Damn! I need to get around to watching their documentary.

Sparks "Angst In My Pants" & "Eaten By The Monster Of Love"

I would assume, he is happy. Because she is not 'present'! Peace & partridges under a pear tree.

Probably my favorite track on the album, I'm seeing them in march!!!

I liked it. Enjoyed your reaction as always. Thanks.

Honestly one of my favorite Sparks songs ever. A real banger with wicked lyrics.

Hey Justin, hello from a cold and windy UK. I've just been listening to Paul McCartney's final album with Wings, 1979's 'Back To The Egg' while making a casserole (Italian sausage with cannellini beans, chilli and rosemary). Left it simmering on the hob while I come to check out your latest review. The shift in time signatures on this Sparks song are crazy, but it just works. A real banger of a track. And usual wry lyrics from Ron, adopting a playboy character for this one. Although I think perhaps the narrator of the song protests too much? Really glad you're enjoying the start of your Sparks journey. There's so much great stuff to come. Right off to prepare the veg and grill the ciabatta. Have a great evening.

I'm so happy to have discovered your channel, your informed and honest reactions to all sorts of good music are a treat! I love this song by Sparks. They have so many different eras, I recommend you check out their songs Number one song in heaven and Suburban homeboy. Two very different songs from different decades.

Ron Mael killing it with his piano solo. 😃I always share your Sparks videos on Sparks forums on Facebook and of course Twitter. I am seeing them in April for the fourth time. First time was in 1982 in Toronto, second time was over thirty years later.

But surely JP the best time to play a song called ‘Thank God it’s not Christmas’ would be anytime BUT Christmas? So your timing is perfect! 😁

yes yes yes

Am assuming you viewed the documentary on them. Charming.

This is the best Sparks song. So much energy.

Funny to hear you call the drummer Norman,always be Dinky to me

This song is one of my earworms, at some point in the year it gets stuck on repeat in my brain. thank you.

"The narrator of this song seems to be telling a fairly straightforward story - he loves to be out on the town, flirting and living it up, and the only time he dreads is Christmas, because everywhere is closed and he’s forced to spend “quality time” at home with his partner. However, as the song goes on, there’s an implication that he may not be being completely honest, and that he might secretly be putting on a show to keep up his public image, when actually he really wants to just stay away from the limelight and spend some time in bed with his partner, despite his protests." “We’ve been going to the same party for ten years. And in no way is that depressing.”

Hey thanks Justin, more pop perfection from Sparks. 😁

Killer bass by Martin Gordon!

Evening, Justin. Dave from London, where it will be Dinner At Eight and it's my turn to cook it! Loving my reacquaintance with Kimono My House from such a unique, entertaining band. This song has a spiky, new wave-like feel to it, anticipating bands like Magazine (just a hint maybe of Shot By Both Sides). Russ and Ron certainly cover some pretty bonkers topics. UK listeners might be tickled by their later track Now I Own The BBC. Wouldn't that be fun! P.S. my song ref Dinner At Eight is by Rufus Wainwright.

Love this song, especially the verses.

This song has the potential to go in many different directions, but they keep it in this compressed pocket that never reaches the 'release' . Great song.

Such a good album!

LOL. A "Bah Humbug" Christmas song perhaps??? 🤣

I'm curious to see how you would react to Sparks from different decades! One of my favorites is the music video for "When Do I Get To Sing 'My Way'" from 1994! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-C8dqCQ2MHfQ.html

Keep covering this album, track by track. It's such a gift to the ear. :-) Love Sparks and always have. Thanks for loving them too!

Tomorrow and Tuesday the Mael’s will be performing at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, in LA and will mark my 19th and 20th time I’ve seen them. Unfortunately someone isn’t going to make it to Tuesday show, meaning I have a ticket that isn’t going to be used. Can you use it?

They sound modern to my ears. Maybe that's because I'm getting old ?!

Great to hear this again. I haven't listened to this album since about 1976 (I bought it in 1974).

Fantastic chorus and what a build up. You should consider doing No.1 in Heaven, their collaboration with Giorgio Moroder, which has a song sung from the perspective of a sperm battling against the odds to fertilise an egg, 'Tryouts for the Human Race'.

Love the ambiguity in the lyrics here. The narrator talks a big game, but he sounds just as bored with his drinking and womanizing as he claims to be at home with his family for the holidays. Maybe the boring common denominator is actually him.

I liked 'This town' but never bothered with Sparks. Some great stuff on here, excellent musicians, all 'on the money.' This one is uncanny, he sounds like Marc Bolan re-incarnated.

For once I have heard it already because I bought the album after the last song off this CD. Music for a party or while you do the housework. I like it. Meanwhile I am trying to climb out of the rabbit hole I have been in. May have to buy more music just to get past it. In 5 months from today the first performers will be arriving for the folk fest but who is counting.

Hard to rate the songs on the KMH in order of favourites as they all are classics.. This is the heaviest one I guess ... Was a good break between the 2 sides and next set of tongue twister tracks.. The 2 bonus B side tracks are excellent as well if you are using the later edition of the album..

Dude, please do reaction on "equator" Sparks. There's such an awesome vocal!

Sounds good. Need more listens. How about some Doobie Bros. bro?

JP, Have you listened to Lil Beethoven?

Hey JP, I think it's about time to take a look at Moondog. I believe he is right up your alley. It might behoove you to investigate his story a little bit before a first listen. Of course, if you already know, then you already KNOW.

The river is "The Sane", I think (but you'd have to check if it ever became life-critical). It's the Sparks version of *Erotic Nightmares* ? (Not really, but this is an OK enough excuse to mention Erotic Nightmares. By *Steve Vai* ). ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WXBq89bf1o0.html (takes a while for the elephants to come walking through the dream) Weird. My ears must be going funny, because I'm missing pieces of this, but it's the official RU-vid clip. (It's one I own the CD of - or owned - had a break-in once, where they took all the good stuff.) Hmm ... bastards popped the entire window frame out. Bloody expensive break-in too.

sparks! again, so soon... interminable drivel.

Just fantastic, but then the whole album is , propaganda album next please when you've finished this one please,.