Siouxsie & the Banshees "Il Est Né Le Divin Enfant" (w/ Rikki Meece)

Totally Rad Christmas!

What's up, dudes? It’s a Siouxsie and the Banshees Christmas, as Rikki Meece from the Sleigh Bells and Mistletoe Podcast and I break down two songs from goth rock band! Yep, it’s “Israel” v ”Il Est Né Le Divin Enfant” in the Thunderdome! We talk the band’s catalogue, their Christmas music, their look and sound, and definitely their lyrics! In other words, we get into it all! Two songs enter, one song leaves!

"Israel" was released as a stand-alone single in between the albums Kaleidoscope (1980) and Juju (1981) on November 28, 1980 by record label Polydor. While touring in Europe in autumn 1980, the band wanted to write a Christmas song to be released on time for December of that year. They composed it on the road, which was quite unusual for them. It was the first time that Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin composed a single with guitarist John McGeoch and drummer Budgie. The song was co-produced by Nigel Gray: it prominently featured a 30 singer Welsh choir on backing vocals. It soon became a classic of their repertoire and was regularly performed during encores at each of their tours.
Subsequently, “Il Est Né Le Divin Enfant” was released as B-side to “Melt” on November 26, 1982. The tune for this carol can be found in R. Grosjean's Airs des noêl lorrain (1862), where it is called 'Ancien air de chasse', and it is indeed the case that an old Normandy hunting tune 'Tête bizarde', though in 6/8, is melodically very similar. The Shorter New Oxford Book of Carols editors postulated that the tune is an 18th century composition in a rustic style. The text of this carol was first published in Dom G. Legeay's Noêls anciens (1875-6). Most Common translation is from Edward Bliss Reed from 1930.

Synths? Check. ‘80s Goth videos? Yup. 19th century carol with a quasi-canon? Definitely! So put on your makeup, grab your mic, and sing along with this post-punk goth episode! It’s a Siouxsie and the Banshees Christmas!

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