One Christmas Song – The Lost Christmas Eve [TSO]

Track 2 - The Lost Christmas Eve

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Christmas songs seem to come in two main variations. There are the traditional ones, think carols or songs derived from them. Then the is the pop songs; basically most stuff played in shops and on the radio. I like some of both kinds but the are a lot that either I don't care for, or out right can't stand. With Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO from now) I have a group that produces a variety in style and tone of Christmas themed songs. Listening to them will give me something pleasant no matter my mood.

TSO are most well know for their Christmas music, they have produced three full double albums of songs and music. They come from a classical school but the are other styles in there. Most noticeably metal and blues. The big thing that sets TSO apart from other bands is the make up of the group. They are a super group, the is a core but they have collaborated with many people, some just for one or two tracks.

On a street in the night
In the cold winter's light
A child stands alone and she's waiting
And the light that's out there
It just hangs in the air
As if it was just hesitating

The Lost Christmas Eve is the title track of its album. On a very diverse album in style this one stands out to me the most. It has a feeling of wonder to it that is hard to tie down. Like with Beathoven's Last Night the song has a deep vocals and lyrics that set a world wonderfully.

World building is a kind of rare thing in songs, most take place in a know setting or head space. Here with this one we get a description of its world and what it is like. The lyrics are prose like in form, though it doesn’t tell a story it feels like it is setting one up. The descriptions take time to set the world up and show its parts to us, we then take a short but wild ride through it.

And the snow it comes down
And it muffles the sound
Of dreams on their way to tomorrow
And when they appear
This night will hold them near
For where they will lead
It will follow

To me this song is like the story A Christmas Carol. The feel between the two is striking it feels so similar with the song being almost Dickensian. The words of dreams and wonders, wrapped within a child sense of wonder at the season. Its like a story of a cold winters breeze and it blows through a place and leaves its presents'.

The is not much of a narrative through line it is more of a song that gives thoughts and feelings of a world of a kind of Christmas fantasy. The song sets up the world well both in appearance and feel. The lack of story it a bonus as every time I listen to it I can imagine a different one.

In this scene on this night
There's an ancient hotel
Where shadows they do tend to wander
And the ghosts that live here
Hold each moment so dear
For time's not a thing one should squander

One major thing about TSO that holds me so much is the power they put into their performances. Here towards the end the tempo goes up and the lyrics are sung with force. The male vocals are brilliant and the power is palpable. It wont be a surprise to know this is my favourite part of the song.

The shifts in tone and style are to be expected but here we have two fairly big ones. First we get the child whispering Merry Christmas over and over which then shifts into the heavy part where the last few verses are powered through. The calming begging is nice but the ramp up is what makes it great.

Windows of frosted ice
Prisming candlelight
And somehow we start to believe
In the night and the dream
As it cuts through the noise
With the whisper of snow
As it starts to deploy

This song has stuck with me since I first heard it. It is a meld of things I enjoy about Christmas and music. It could be argued its not very Christmasy in both style and tone, but to me it is what I want from Christmas. I could see myself moving on from this song as time goes by but in my situation now, it is my Christmas song.

With a dream so intense
That it returns us all
To a child's innocence

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