'Window in the Skies' vs. 'Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)'

[The Slow Loris]

Before you laugh, take note: these two songs are very similar. In fact, I think 'Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) is even more similar to 'Windows' than is 'Original of the Species'. Besides the Beatles influence, I don't feel much of the same vibe coming from 'Original' as I do 'Christmas'. Both 'Windows' and 'Christmas' have this sort of 60s pop repetitive chorus; both are "feel good"; and both are very "Christmasy" (for lack of a better word). They both just sort of roll along in high spirits, like a train not ready to stop. Bono's vocals soar in each song (the way he sings "soul" in 'Windows' could almost be the same vocal take as 'Christmas', I swear).

At first I thought 'Windows' reminded me of 'Angel of Harlem' -- but that comparison just didn't sit well with me. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew it was a song like 'Angel of Harlem, from that same era, with those soaring, soulful vocals, but I couldn't put my finger on which song. All along it was 'Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)'....both could be holiday classics by next year.

Which of these songs do you enjoy more? Feel free to discuss the comparison...

*looks for cover*

 

[Canadiens1131]

Christmas Baby by a fucking mile. Holy shit I appreciate it just for the production values. U2 did that song at just the right point in their changing sound to send it into the stratosphere.

 

[corianderstem]

You do know Christmas was done most famously by Darlene Love, right? In the 60s, on Phil Spector's Christmas album?

You didn't reference it specifically in the original post, but it seems odd to mention all that you talk about regarding the song but not mention the original.

So no, I don't hear the Beatles in 'Christmas'. I hear Phil Spector's Wall of Sound, because it's a Phil Spector song.

But to your original point, I do agree that Windows and Christmas both sound very "Christmasy," for lack of a better word. They're very joyous.

I find it an odd comparison otherwise, simply because U2's version is a fairly faithful rendition of the Darlene Love/Phil Sepctor version (I'm not sure if that's the original version or not).

 

[coolian2]

I've never heard Christmas

 

[Sicy]

 

[corianderstem]

Search for it on You Tube ... it's got to be there. It's a must-hear, for sure.

 

[The Slow Loris]

You do know Christmas was done most famously by Darlene Love, right? In the 60s, on Phil Spector's Christmas album?

You didn't reference it specifically in the original post, but it seems odd to mention all that you talk about regarding the song but not mention the original.

So no, I don't hear the Beatles in 'Christmas'. I hear Phil Spector's Wall of Sound, because it's a Phil Spector song.

But to your original point, I do agree that Windows and Christmas both sound very "Christmasy," for lack of a better word. They're very joyous.

I find it an odd comparison otherwise, simply because U2's version is a fairly faithful rendition of the Darlene Love/Phil Sepctor version (I'm not sure if that's the original version or not).

I saw no reason to mention who wrote the original song. I'm not comparing the original, afterall. And yes, of course I know it it's a cover! I've had the cover album, A Very Special Christmas for some time. Now to the important part: I think you misunderstood my post (I apologize if I wasn't very clear). My point was not that 'Christmas' had any Beatles influences. I don't really think it does. I was making the point that despite having little or no Beatles influences, 'Christmas', reminds me far more of 'Windows' than 'Original of the Species' does -- and that is despite the Beatles influences found in both 'Windows' and 'Original of the Species'. My overall point is that 'Christmas' and 'Windows' have much more in common than 'Original of the Species' and 'Window' ever did.

Now, of course you can agree or disagree with that, but I just thought you should know what I was trying to say first!

As for which song I prefer, I adore the classic tone of 'Christmas', and I've always been partial to Bono's crackling Lovetown era voice. It's the same voice found on 'Angel of Harlem', 'Everlasting Love', and 'Unchained Melody (and yes, I know the last two are also covers ). There's just something so golden about that era.

One thing I must say about 'Windows', though: It saves me from buying the entier Beatles/Lennon/McCartney discography.

 

[corianderstem]

I apparently did misunderstand ... and I figured you did know it was a cover (since you seem to know what the hell you're talking about ), but thought I'd throw it in there in case someone came in and didn't know it wasn't an original U2 song.

I thought it was worth mentioning, anyway.

I LOVE their cover of Everlasting Love - it's got the same spark of joy you can hear in both that and Christmas - they sound like they're enjoying the hell out of playing them.

Oh, and for the record (as if anyone cares), I don't think WITS and OOTS are similar at all. So on THAT front, at least, I agree with you.

 

[The Slow Loris]

I apparently did misunderstand ... and I figured you did know it was a cover (since you seem to know what the hell you're talking about ), but thought I'd throw it in there in case someone came in and didn't know it wasn't an original U2 song.

I thought it was worth mentioning, anyway.

I LOVE their cover of Everlasting Love - it's got the same spark of joy you can hear in both that and Christmas - they sound like they're enjoying the hell out of playing them.

Oh, and for the record (as if anyone cares), I don't think WITS and OOTS are similar at all. So on THAT front, at least, I agree with you.

Sorry for the confusion! (I think I confuse even myself sometimes.)

*pointless interlude incoming* It's a rather damp and chilly night here in the Pacific Northwest, isn't it? Oh wait, it's the Pacific Southwest for me.

Re: 'Everlasting Love' and many of the songs from that era, I really feel U2 were falling in love with music at that time. You could really feel the joy. It's like they were giving the world a hug back in 1988-89 -- really embracing who they were and the music that took them in. Giving the world a little Heart aaaaand souuuuul....

And back to OOTS not being too similar to WITS other than the Beatles influence. It's funny, cause The Beatles were just SO diverse that you could have 100 songs all sounding like the Beatles that wouldn't necessarily have to sound alike at all.

 

[corianderstem]

*pointless interlude incoming* It's a rather damp and chilly night here in the Pacific Northwest, isn't it? Oh wait, it's the Pacific Southwest for me.

Those of us who live up here like to reassure everyone that it really doesn't rain that much here, not as much as people would have you think.

Then we have a November like this, and I shut up and go back to building my ark.

 

[ScooterXX7]

Christmas, definately. The song is incredible. I love it.

 

[The Slow Loris]

Those of us who live up here like to reassure everyone that it really doesn't rain that much here, not as much as people would have you think.

Then we have a November like this, and I shut up and go back to building my ark.

Yeah, when I lived in Vancouver I would tell everyone that it was a myth how much it rained, and that the summers were indeed dryer than Toronto (which apparently gets twice as much rain in the summer according to the stats), but invariably, it would rain every single time they came to visit.... and so the "myth" persists!

 

[The Slow Loris]

Oh, forgot to mention one more thing about 'Christmas' and 'Window': they both have a little Bono ("Elvisy"?) speaking interlude.

 

[alanah]

IMHO, Bono's voice is very nice on 'Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)', but I still don't feel the same thing on WITS. Anyway, I really love 'Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)' and of course I know it was recorded 20 years ago. Btw, no matter it's a cover song, indeed it sounds pretty awesome to my ears!

 

[JCOSTER]

I love "cbpch" for christmas. At the msg show last year on 11/22 I was hoping for a little snippet of it, but they other ideas instead.

 

[Bono's shades]

This is funny. I was just thinking earlier this evening that I should dig out my Christmas music mixtape that has Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) on it. Who cares if it isn't even Thanksgiving yet? There's snow on the ground already where I live!

 

[LyricalDrug]

Window in the Skies. "Christmas" is a fun little cover song, but "Window" is one of the band's 10 best songs ever. And they wrote it.

 

[Screwtape2]

Christmas by a lot. Window is catchy but it feels lifeless under the heavy production. It doesn't have the energy or passion of Christmas. Christmas is one of those songs that stays fresh while Window gets pretty annoying after awhile.

P.S. Zero original lyrics is better than Bono's fun-with-rhyme Window lyrics.

 

[david]

i can see myself listening to "window" in june. i can't see myself listening to "christmas" in june.

 

[bgmckinney]

Window in the Skies. "Christmas" is a fun little cover song, but "Window" is one of the band's 10 best songs ever. And they wrote it.

 

[pgv]

I find this really hard actually, becaue christmas is a really good song and I love u2's version ALOT more than any of the others I've heard. It's actually my alltime favourite christmas song, and I admit to listening to it in the middle of summer too!
But it has to be window in the skies, given than this is now one of my favourite u2 songs of all time and I only heard it a few weeks ago. As soon as I heard it on the beachclips I knew that I loved it, and hearing the proper version just sealed the deal.
Now thats saying something coming from a HUGE boy and october fan. Window in the skies can't sound much more different than anything off Boy if it tried!

 

[ElectricalVoice]

I also pointed this out in another thread, but noone seemed to notice it. I think WITS sound similar to Christmas in the way Bono sings at the end. And of course the rythm makes it sound Christmas-ish.

 

[U2girl]

Window.

 

[U2Man]

bono changed the lyrics for cbpch.

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

Death Cab do a nice cover of it.

By nice I mean Death Cabby.

 

[U2Man]

Hi guys...

don't forget my version...

 

[u2wildhoney]

IMHO, Bono's voice is very nice on 'Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)', but I still don't feel the same thing on WITS. Anyway, I really love 'Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)' and of course I know it was recorded 20 years ago. Btw, no matter it's a cover song, indeed it sounds pretty awesome to my ears!

I tend to agree, first I heard U2 performing Crhistmas (Baby Please, Come Home) about 19-20 years ago, on a bootleg called the Cork Connection! It was amazing!

Nevertheless, I think WITS has a great music, but I do not consider the lyric of WITS to be brilliant and do not like Bono's voice here,in this song because of some very high sounds....

 

[randhail]

We got a snippet of Christmas at 12/5 in Boston - it was hot, especially after seeing the video in a store a couple hours before the show. It was a sign.

 

[jacobus]

Christmas Baby by 1000 miles...its fresh, funny and has positive message...wheras WITS is way too polished and too much of everything.

 

[doctorwho]

I've never heard Christmas

I have to agree with Sicy:

In the U.S., this U2 song plays quite frequently on the radio during the holiday season. This and the original "Do They Know It's Christmas" (which is the far, FAR superior version). And of course, all the cutesy songs by Madonna, Mariah, Wham, etc. Even though some are remakes, they've become the new staples of Christmas, just as Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Elvis were (and still are) years ago.

The song is readily available for download, legal or otherwise.

As for the topic of this thread, sorry, I didn't hear any of "It's Christmas" in WITS, but I'll listen to WITS a few more times to see if I pick up on it. It's just that WITS is an original song with a Beatles vibe to it, and "It's Christmas" is a Specter remake. So other than perhaps the songs having some 60's roots to them...