Kate’s Original Christmas Song – “A Round of Christmas Cheer”


Available for download on MySpace throughout the holiday season: www.myspace.com/kategaffney I will also perform it in concert this month.


My friend and fellow musician, Jimmy Pritchard, invited me to Positive Promotions TV Studio in Delaware to participate in Tim Quall’s On-Air Christmas Party. (airing Dec 20-26 and also on YouTube) A party? This sounded like fun. But doesn’t most fun involve a catch? This one did. I had to learn a Christmas song, or I could write my own if I wanted…Oh boy, here we go. I’ve never been much for the Christmas spirit – that’s what happens when you are heartbroken at 16 on Christmas. And every year, like clockwork…somebody must have sent out a memo or something. Okay, enough crying in my beer. This year, I’m taking a stand!
Like every good student, I do enjoy a challenging assignment. However, being the procrastinator that I am, I only thought about learning said Christmas tune until two days before the event. Then I started scrambling. If you don’t know by now, it just isn’t my style to pull out “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” or “Jingle Bells,” so I tinkered with a non-traditional Christmas song by Dar Williams called “The Christians and the Pagans.” It was going well, but I kept getting distracted with new music that I am working on and I never finished practicing the song. “Okay, what now?” you ask, “What is she going to do? She has to perform on TV tomorrow!” Joni Mitchell to the rescue! I pulled out her album Blue and started learning “River” which is her song, laden with beautiful Christmas imagery. In the past, music friends of mine have suggested I cover that song, and this was my chance.
It was going pretty well, I was finding a nice arrangement and all of a sudden something hit me over the head like a ton of bricks – it was not the Star of Bethlehem falling from the sky or Santa’s sack of coal tossed off his sleigh – it was a melody for my very own Christmas song. One day before the big show and I possessed a half-written Christmas song and 2 half-rehearsed cover songs. Something had to be done and I went to sleep with visions of sugarplums dancing in my head…okay, enough of that, I actually went to bed freaking out! When I woke, I wrapped the original song up the next morning over coffee and French toast and hit the road for Delaware, singing along to my freshly demoed version of “A Round of Christmas Cheer” – and if you care for a drinking song version you can always call it “A Round of Christmas Beer” – whichever floats your fancy. It’s interchangeable.
If you care for background on the song, read on. If you want to listen to it and form your own story, now’s your chance to download it and enjoy. Ah, you’re interested in the story? Okay, so I thought about the one woman who is likely the most broken hearted on Christmas – Mrs. Claus herself. Poor lady has to sit at home every Christmas Eve while her famous hubby goes gallivanting all over the world spreading joy and laughter to all the children in the land. Do you think it ever occurred to Santa that maybe the Mrs. would want to go along for the ride? What a concept! And so today is born, my very own Christmas song. Its pretty safe to say it will also be my only Christmas song, but Christmas songs keep on giving each year! And I give it to you. It put me in the holiday spirit and I hope it does the same for you. And I’m a tough one…I’ve been saying Bah Humbug for the past decade. So, Ho Ho Ho, instead!

Naked Folk Calendar

Okay, so I’m tastefully covered, but naked nonetheless…here’s a great Holiday gift idea from local photographer, Jayne Toohey.
2007 NAKED FOLK, the third annual calendar is a fundraising project to supplement the cost of health insurance for musicians. Photographed by Jayne Toohey, the musicians who have "exposed" themselves this year include, Karen Mal, Taxi Chain, (Grier Coppins, Josh Hicks, Dennis Mohammed, Ayron Mortley, Jim Bish), Freebo, The Red Dirt Rangers (John Cooper, Brad Piccolo, Ben Han), John Flynn, Kate Gaffney, Jimmy LaFave, LisaBeth Weber & Maggie Marshall, Lowen & Navarro, Stephane Wrembel, Antje Duvekot and The Four Bitchin' Babes, (Debi Smith, Sally Fingerett, Deirdre Flint, Nancy Moran).
Each 12x12, high quality, b&w calendar provides photos of each performer, their birthdays and bios. It also lists folk festivals in the US and Canada. Calendars are $20.00 plus shipping and can be purchased at www.nakedfolkcalendar.com Mail orders - P.O. Box 1542, Media, PA 19063 $20.00 plus $5.00 shipping. Jayne Toohey is a freelance photographer from Media, Pennsylvania. Jayne2E@msn.com
Previous calendars showcased Christine Lavin, Laura Love, Emma's Revolution, Janis Ian, Too Human, Vance Gilbert & Ellis Paul, Suzanne Vega, Full Frontal Folk, Joseph Parsons, Eric Schwartz, Jack Hardy, David Massengill & Lisi Tribble, Tanglefoot, Sonia, Kate McDonnell, Susan Werner, Utah Phillips, Modern Man, Annie Wenz, Wendy Fuhr & Eric Allen, Tom Prasada-Rao & Cary Cooper, The Mammals, Red Molly, Jody Gill & Dave McCloskey.

What I Learned This Year

“Live never to be ashamed if anything you do or say is published around the world – even if what is published is not true.” -- Richard Bach, Illusions

Ah yes, I have learned that it is important to keep my personal life out of print. Though this is not always a reality given my profession and if personal information does get published, you can bet that it’s altered. I invite you to get to know me through my songs and authorized internet ramblings. You know, straight from the horse’s mouth kind of thing.

Looking Ahead

I am focused on writing my next album. I am penning new songs, collaborating with other writers, and trying on other people’s songs for size. I am rekindling the relationship with my artistic side. Much more to come on this front in the New Year! If anyone is head-over-heels over my music and would like to become involved in furthering along this project in any way, please make contact. I look forward to returning to the many wonderful places I visited this year. The road is good to me. I am grateful for all of your support. Stay tuned...

Have a joyous holiday season!

Rock n Roll, Kate