The best have loved this song since a child as you get older you understand the meaning and how powerful and true the lyrics are thankyou and god bless greg lake 🙏 ❤️
My favourite Christmas song. It almost covers exactly how I feel about things. It’s not about the idealized Christmas- it’s about the real one a lot of people go through.
Hauntingly beautiful. Greg's voice was absolutely angelic. Hope you will take the time to look up a live version, with a much older Greg, together with Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson, where the pair performed this in a church. That was beautiful too.
It's just beautiful isn't it, I've been listening on loop, so much so ive decided to purchase a flute as ive not played since high school but listening to Ian Anderson gave me chills.
First time I heard this song was when it debuted on "The Midnight Special", December 26, 1975. I cried like a baby during that ending with full symphony and choir. I thought it was going to make you cry too there for a minute.
My favorite too...that last line; "Hallelujah, Noel...be it heaven or hell; the Christmas we get, we deserve." Always makes one think to be deserving. I believe this was done in 1975. ♥and thanks.
Beautiful! Many people asked me why ELP and Greg did so many war themes ( video depictions only here) Most don’t think, these guy’s were all raised in Britain right after WW2. They were raised while England had to rebuild after Hitlers Air Force and missiles continuously bombarde their country. It would leave an indelible impression on anyone.
Emerson Lake and Palmer, one of the biggest bands in the Progressive Rock movement. They were pioneers in the genre, unbelievably beautiful original music, and mind bending versions of so many classical pieces. You have not scratched the surface. And no, nothing whatsoever to do with Home Alone.
The music is Prokofiev's Troika which is a recognizable Christmas tune. I don't recall this from Home Alone but I do remember John Williams used bells throughout his score. Gregg Lakes song is a lament about the loss of purity we experience as the innocent beliefs of our youth give way to the reality that Christmas is manufactured holiday intended to sell people things they don't need. Yet, each of us gets to choose how we celebrate the holiday to make it meaningful in our own way despite the gross commercialization.
A little bit of musical history. This version was the original Emerson, Lake and Palmer release. Keith Emerson was the keyboard player of the group. The musical interludes of this song that he plays was the Troika from the 1933 composition, Lieutenant Kije Suite written by classical composer Sergei Prokofiev.
@@crimsonwizard2560 So you've spotted my skullduggery! Damn and blast! It WASN'T a cover version, but the original! Greg Lake's use of a time machine is why we think he was first. I'm so ashamed of myself. Or was there something else you were talking about?
It was about the communication ? Of Christmas, This was released in the year of 1975.....went to number 2 beaten by....who was no one.....Queen..bo rap..
Nice lyrics about being sold a bill of goods , all crap materialism/consumerist/add man world that is x-mass now. Completely missing the spiritual and non materialist aspect of the date. Deeply meaningful song done with a magical touch .
Not sure this guy understands what the song is about. Ok, he absolutely doesn't understand as he probably wasn't even born when the Vietnam war was happening.
Actually, Greg always said it was a protest of the commercialization of XMas. And being filmed in Sinai & West Bank it would have been one the many conflicts there. He wanted to film it there b/c that's where XMas began, etc. I have never heard Greg say it was about Vietnam, but all war is bad. War is war & the same everywhere.
According to an interview Greg Lake did at the time of the records release in 1975 Greg Lake stated "the song started out as an anti Vietnam war song when it was being written the previous year". That is why the video shows war scenes towards the end, it eventually became an anti commercialization of Christmas record when released in 1975 but he did not want the anti war theme to be totally lost so kept the scenes in towards the end of the video. There were three versions of the record released with Greg Lake on it, the first was the 1975 single on Manticore Records Number K13511 the second version was on ELP's Works Volume 2 LP released in 1977 with a third version with Greg Lake on his own was released in 1993. The third version is very hard to find but was featured on a compilation CD which I managed to get a copy of. I hope that clarifies the anti Vietnam war reference for you.@@rmn3186
Home alone? Really? It's a song about disillusionment. Wishing people well despite the season not because of it. The first Christmas was in a holy land drenched in blood. The backbone of the piece is from Sergei Prokofiev did they use that in Home Alone?
Check out Greg Lakes band - Emerson Lake and Palmer and a little Christmas Eve Easter egg-; Jimi Hendrix was jamming with them and planning a album the band being H.E.L.P. Hendrix Emerson Lake Palmer - it would have been beautiful and sadly it wasn't meant to be, but take a minute and imagine Hendrix leading to this ...
Not so. Hendrix never jammed with them, maybe with Emerson when he was with the Nice, but not with ELP. Carl talks about it several times when being interviewed (RUclips). There was talk of Hendrix and his drummer Mitch Mitchell but that went nowhere & they had Carl Palmer come in. If anything it would have been HELM or something.
@@rmn3186 Thanks for stating it as it happened. It freaks me out to think there are people who think one band would have been big enough to have both Emerson and Hendrix. That was obviously something that would never happen. And the notion that they would have called it something as stupid as HELP is hilarious and really makes me wonder what people are thinking with.
Huh? The sum total of your "reaction" is that it sounded like it was from "Home Alone"???? That's the best you've got? It was an anti-Christmas song that lamented the lies of Christmas. Did you even listen to any of the lyrics?
I don't think it was anti Christmas but a concern for the over commercialization of Christmas, and a need to get back to the true meaning of Christmas.
@@Billgibson-zh1zp Did you bother to listen to the lyrics? "They sold me a dream of Christmas They sold me a silent night And they told me a fairy story 'Til I believed in the Israelite" That''s pretty obvious that he's saying the entire Christmas story is nonsense.
The best have loved this song since a child as you get older you understand the meaning and how powerful and true the lyrics are thankyou and god bless greg lake 🙏 ❤️
My favourite Christmas song. It almost covers exactly how I feel about things. It’s not about the idealized Christmas- it’s about the real one a lot of people go through.
ja! so ist es!
Greg Lake was a legend. Miss him. 🙏
One of my favorite Christmas songs. I literally was watching this with my mum yesterday. She has dimetia. But remembers every word to songs. ,
Music has that power x
Hauntingly beautiful. Greg's voice was absolutely angelic. Hope you will take the time to look up a live version, with a much older Greg, together with Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson, where the pair performed this in a church. That was beautiful too.
I did not know there was such a collab, off I go to find it. Thanks!
It's just beautiful isn't it, I've been listening on loop, so much so ive decided to purchase a flute as ive not played since high school but listening to Ian Anderson gave me chills.
Lake and Anderson would this for quite a few years together for charity.
First time I heard this song was when it debuted on "The Midnight Special", December 26, 1975. I cried like a baby during that ending with full symphony and choir. I thought it was going to make you cry too there for a minute.
I remember watching that same episode while we were at a friend's house partying. God how I miss the 1970s😊
My favorite too...that last line; "Hallelujah, Noel...be it heaven or hell; the Christmas we get, we deserve." Always makes one think to be deserving. I believe this was done in 1975. ♥and thanks.
my favorite Christmas non-carol.
ELP, super talented
Don't forget to mention the Prokofiev's theme extract from Lieutenant Kijé !
The music from this is based on Prokofiev's Troika.
Also known as the Russian sleigh ride song
Yes! Thank you for recognizing that.
Just the parts between verses.
@@marynovak5800Yes. A troika is a Russian sledge pulled by three horses abreast.
A beautiful man with a beautiful voice! RIP Greg!
Best Christmas song ever. 🎅
It's haunting. That's what makes it so unique.
my favourite Christmas song.... definitely a wow song!
So glad you did this. One of my favorite Christmas songs! Thanks!
One of my fave xmas songs. wasn't till I was older that I really learned the lyrics. Now ♥ it even more!
New subscriber. I first heard this song in 1975. I was 20 yrs old United States Marine on Okinawa. So many memories. Thanks for playing this song.
Beautiful 😍
Beautiful! Many people asked me why ELP and Greg did so many war themes ( video depictions only here) Most don’t think, these guy’s were all raised in Britain right after WW2. They were raised while England had to rebuild after Hitlers Air Force and missiles continuously bombarde their country. It would leave an indelible impression on anyone.
And then Vietnam.
Only kept off Christmas No. 1 by Bohemian Rhapsody in 1975. Timeless seasonal classic in the UK.
Emerson Lake and Palmer, one of the biggest bands in the Progressive Rock movement. They were pioneers in the genre, unbelievably beautiful original music, and mind bending versions of so many classical pieces. You have not scratched the surface.
And no, nothing whatsoever to do with Home Alone.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching you enjoy this!!! My all time favorite Christmas song!!!
The music is Prokofiev's Troika which is a recognizable Christmas tune. I don't recall this from Home Alone but I do remember John Williams used bells throughout his score.
Gregg Lakes song is a lament about the loss of purity we experience as the innocent beliefs of our youth give way to the reality that Christmas is manufactured holiday intended to sell people things they don't need. Yet, each of us gets to choose how we celebrate the holiday to make it meaningful in our own way despite the gross commercialization.
Greg Lake was the Lake in the 70's super group Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Keith Emerson is the playing the keyboards and Carl Palmer was on percussion.
Greatest Christmas song ever
Best Christmas song! Ever!
The video was shot in the Sinai and West Bank btw.
Fabulous yet haunting juxtaposition of holiday dreams with the harsh realities of war. Beautifully bittersweet. .. Merry Christmas all.
I love love this song !
My favourite Xmas song ever, closely followed by Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas. Both still bring a tear to the eye. x
Greg Lakes “Songs of a Lifetime” is a terrific album!!
A little bit of musical history. This version was the original Emerson, Lake and Palmer release. Keith Emerson was the keyboard player of the group. The musical interludes of this song that he plays was the Troika from the 1933 composition, Lieutenant Kije Suite written by classical composer Sergei Prokofiev.
Greg Lake (Emerson Lake and Palmer) wrote this song 50 yrs ago , way before Home Alone
A absolute classic❤
Emerson Lake and Palmer the musicians musicians😮
We miss you, Greg.
Yes we do. Loved the music of Emerson, Lake and Palmer.
The last few bars of this are completely insane
Welcome to good music. 🙂
I love this song. And meaning. Many miss it. The sympathy must have loved it.
Disappointing that all this masterpiece makes you think of is Home Alone
Miss you brother best band ever ELP
U2 did a lovely cover for some charity. They stopped being U2!!! and went back to being "that nice Irish rock band, U2."
I adore it.
no they didn't.
@@crimsonwizard2560 So you've spotted my skullduggery! Damn and blast! It WASN'T a cover version, but the original! Greg Lake's use of a time machine is why we think he was first.
I'm so ashamed of myself.
Or was there something else you were talking about?
This version actually has part of the ELP version used on the beginning part. Very interesting.
My favourite xmas 🎄 song
Dude, how long did it take you to find this song it’s only been out over 40 years
A vey old track, It was probably 'borrowed' by the music director for 'Home Alone'!
This was recoded 25 years before home alone. At the of 12 Greg Lake wrote Lucky Man. I wish these experts would do some research prior to critiqueing
Such an amazing song more than likely mom's last Christmas
It was about the communication ? Of Christmas, This was released in the year of 1975.....went to number 2 beaten by....who was no one.....Queen..bo rap..
Lake/ELP took the jingle from Prokofiev's Troika (I believe).
The orchestra and choir knock this song out the park…Orchestra and choir do what they do well…
Emerson Lake and Palmer
A Lake single that ELP did for their Works II album.
Home alone came way after this Bro
Video shows Greg plays a 6 string acoustic guitar, but it sounds like a 12 string acoustic, I think?
Came out in 77 long before home alone
It actually came out in 1975 not 1977.
If anything, Home Alone tried to copy this song as this song came out well before the film.
Nice lyrics about being sold a bill of goods , all crap materialism/consumerist/add man world that is x-mass now. Completely missing the spiritual and non materialist aspect of the date. Deeply meaningful song done with a magical touch .
Not sure this guy understands what the song is about. Ok, he absolutely doesn't understand as he probably wasn't even born when the Vietnam war was happening.
Your Spot on it was actually an anti Vietnam war protest song.
Actually, Greg always said it was a protest of the commercialization of XMas. And being filmed in Sinai & West Bank it would have been one the many conflicts there. He wanted to film it there b/c that's where XMas began, etc. I have never heard Greg say it was about Vietnam, but all war is bad. War is war & the same everywhere.
According to an interview Greg Lake did at the time of the records release in 1975 Greg Lake stated "the song started out as an anti Vietnam war song when it was being written the previous year". That is why the video shows war scenes towards the end, it eventually became an anti commercialization of Christmas record when released in 1975 but he did not want the anti war theme to be totally lost so kept the scenes in towards the end of the video.
There were three versions of the record released with Greg Lake on it, the first was the 1975 single on Manticore Records Number K13511 the second version was on ELP's Works Volume 2 LP released in 1977 with a third version with Greg Lake on his own was released in 1993. The third version is very hard to find but was featured on a compilation CD which I managed to get a copy of. I hope that clarifies the anti Vietnam war reference for you.@@rmn3186
Why can`t we see the Video???
You can see the video on RUclips.
Home alone? Really? It's a song about disillusionment. Wishing people well despite the season not because of it. The first Christmas was in a holy land drenched in blood. The backbone of the piece is from Sergei Prokofiev did they use that in Home Alone?
Check out Greg Lakes band - Emerson Lake and Palmer and a little Christmas Eve Easter egg-; Jimi Hendrix was jamming with them and planning a album the band being H.E.L.P.
Hendrix Emerson Lake Palmer - it would have been beautiful and sadly it wasn't meant to be, but take a minute and imagine Hendrix leading to this ...
Not so. Hendrix never jammed with them, maybe with Emerson when he was with the Nice, but not with ELP. Carl talks about it several times when being interviewed (RUclips). There was talk of Hendrix and his drummer Mitch Mitchell but that went nowhere & they had Carl Palmer come in. If anything it would have been HELM or something.
@@rmn3186 Thanks for stating it as it happened. It freaks me out to think there are people who think one band would have been big enough to have both Emerson and Hendrix. That was obviously something that would never happen. And the notion that they would have called it something as stupid as HELP is hilarious and really makes me wonder what people are thinking with.
Way, way overproduced. There are much better versions by Greg Lake - more acoustic. By the way, he’s not a new artist he’s been dead for 8 years.
dont think Keith or Carl was on this version
No they were not, it was Greg Lake only, but ELP did do a version together which I think was in 1993
You are truly silly in a sad way
Are you being serious when you say a new artist??
Got nothing to do with home alone dude
Huh? The sum total of your "reaction" is that it sounded like it was from "Home Alone"???? That's the best you've got? It was an anti-Christmas song that lamented the lies of Christmas. Did you even listen to any of the lyrics?
I don't think it was anti Christmas but a concern for the over commercialization of Christmas, and a need to get
back to the true meaning of Christmas.
@@Billgibson-zh1zp Did you bother to listen to the lyrics?
"They sold me a dream of Christmas
They sold me a silent night
And they told me a fairy story
'Til I believed in the Israelite"
That''s pretty obvious that he's saying the entire Christmas story is nonsense.