They say that you should write about what you know. That is precisely what songwriter Lisa Benedetto has done to put an authentic spin on her latest single, a humourous and heartwarming Christmas song. But more than that, it is a song that embodies the spirit of Christmas, evokes warmth and nostalgia, and plays with iconic images of the contemporary holiday season by conjuring its most powerful icon, Santa Claus, to give him his older title, St. Nicholas.
Calling on her high school experience as a supermarket cashier, she weaves a story that is instantly recognizable and highly resonant, driven by gentle country tones and singalong pop accessibility.
A bit like the poem that first brought this colorful character into the public consciousness, Clement Clarke Moore‘s “A Visit From St. Nicholas,” Lisa Benedetto’s lyrics offer comfort and laughter and remind us that although St. Nicholas is a seasonal icon, he is also a patron saint bringing joy and love to the world. Through his interaction with the young boy of the song, again based on someone she once knew, we see joy being spread and cherished memories being made.
As the guitars chime and the steel pedal spreads emotive sonics around, we are presented with a touching tale. But the song is about more than this simple interaction—as heartwarming as it is—and it is about belief. Belief that the world can be filled with love and light, empathy, understanding, and companionship, perhaps inferring that if we can find such compassion at this specific time of year, then why not the rest of the year?
Christmas songs generally don’t aim for the highest of sonic standards. Then again, they don’t have to; that isn’t the point. It is enough that they bring a bit of fun and festive cheer at the year’s end, and even the most popular ones seem jarringly out of place at any other time of the year. But, as “Saint Nick to Aisle Six” proves, they can be more than they seem, more than just a festive foray, more than a seasonal singalong.
Belief, memory, and nostalgia are powerful, and all those emotions set the tone for the song. It is more than just a simple story; it evokes powerful memories and poignant ideas. And when was the last time a Christmas song did that?
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Artist Webpage at Bongo Boy Records
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