Queen icons Brian May and Roger Taylor today, Sunday December 15, posted their personal Christmas messages to worldwide fans with the gift of a new specially created animation film for the band’s ‘Thank God It’s Christmas’ track originally released in November 1984.
‘Thank God It’s Christmas’ was a rare song writing collaboration between Roger and Brian. The song spent six weeks in the UK charts over the Christmas/New Year period 1984/1985. It enjoyed a second lease of life Christmas 1995 coupled with the hit single ‘A Winter’s Tale’ from the Made In Heaven album. Here the track receives a fully animated treatment.
The concept for this new animated film came directly from Brian and Roger who explain their thoughts behind it with Roger saying: “Ironically, Christmas tends to be such a stressful time for so many of us. So many emotions, joyful memories of past Christmas’ as delighted children and responsible adults / parents. Its just a great relief when it finally happens.”
Brian adds: “The video goes a little further by including a subtle reminder that we as humans now need to feel a responsibility for the welfare of ALL creatures on Earth — not just for our own benefit, and that of our grandchildren, but out of respect for the rights of the animals themselves.”
Working with Brian and Roger, the film was directed
Lyrics:
On a cob web afternoon,
In a room full of emptiness
By a freeway I confess
I was lost in the pages of a book full of death;
Reading how well die alone.
And if were good well lay to rest,
Anywhere we want to go.
In your house I long to be;
Room by room patiently,
Ill wait for you there like a stone.
Ill wait for you there alone.
And on my deathbed I will pray to the gods and the angels,
Like a pagan to anyone who will take me to heaven;
To a place I recall, I was there so long ago.
The sky was bruised, the wine was bled, and there you led me on.
℗ 2015 Decca, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Released on: 2015-10-30
Producer: Solomon Grey
Studio Personnel, Mastering Engineer: Nick Watson
Studio Personnel, Recording Engineer, Associated Performer, Keyboards, Vocals, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Programming: Joe Wilson
Studio Personnel, Recording Engineer, Associated Performer, Keyboards, Vocals, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Programming: Tom Kingston
Studio Personnel, Recording Engineer: Syd Green
Studio Personnel, Remixer: Lane 8
Associated Performer, Programming: Daniel Goldstein
Composer Lyricist: Joe Wilson
Composer Lyricist: Tom Kingston