I have notices Madonna's Christmas song, Santa Baby is practically a christmas classic. I also her a lot of rock star Christmas songs played often. But I don't hear Prince's one and only Christmas song. Why do you think it's not played with other Christmas songs in most areas? Do you think the song content is to dark?

Song here:

http://www.last.fm/music/Prince/_/Another+Lonely+Christmas

Prince is not listed here:

Top 100 Christmas Songs

Pop Performances

http://top40.about.com/od/holidaymusic/tp/Top-100-Christmas-Songs.htm

100 Great Christmas Bummers

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20163256,00.html

8. Prince, ''Another Lonely Christmas''
Not only is his girlfriend gone, not only is she dead, but she died...on December 25! (Of pneumonia, or strep — he's not sure.) Of course, this being a Prince song, there's a verse devoted to fondly remembering her naked.

[Edited 12/19/10 20:28pm]

I would think because it's a rather dark song.

Charlie Brown had a bummer christmas. But that show is still played.

Not sure what other Xmas songs you are talking about, but as far as Madonna's, that was released on a Xmas album and promoted as such. Another Lonely Xmas was a b-side and I don't remember it even being played around Xmas when it was released.

motherfunka said:

Not sure what other Xmas songs you are talking about, but as far as Madonna's, that was released on a Xmas album and promoted as such. Another Lonely Xmas was a b-side and I don't remember it even being played around Xmas when it was released.

It was played in the mid 80's on radio around xmas! But it wasn't a huge hit or anything.

it's a b-side not associated with a Christmas project. plus the song itself barely has anything to do with Christmas. not to mention that the lyrical content is apropos only on December 26th.

radici27 said:

I would think because it's a rather dark song.

Besides the word "Christmas" is never really sounded ike a christmas song...i mean, where are the christmas bells??

littleredcorvette said:

radici27 said:

I would think because it's a rather dark song.

I wouldn't say it's a dark song, a sad song & who wants 2 be sad at xmas?

A reminiscing song about a loved one lost & the date Prince chose just adds 2 it's sadness.

BTW I love this song, the music, words & the way it was arranged!!!!

^ All good reasons.

Honestly, I don't think I've ever even heard Madonna's version of Santa Baby, but if it does get played, that's a reason right there - it's a cover of a very well known and oft-covered song.

[Edited 12/20/10 2:42am]

It's not exactly up there with Cliff and co is it. Mind you I'm not sure what songs you play (or read that as "have played to you incessantly in every mother fucking store for three bastard months!!!") in the States. Or the rest of Europe for that matter. In fact if Eurovision song contest is anything to go by I'm surprised we don't have even more immigrants to the UK in a bid to get away from the tripe.

Personally I think it's because it's not happy and it's Prince.

And it has no snow bells.

purpledoveuk said:

Because it's a b-side, it's shit and it's depressing

I've heard it played on XM.

I can HONESTLY say that here in St. Louis, Missouri it is played regularly around the Christmas season and I LOVE IT!

Another thing to note is that it's not that easily accessible on some kind of release that radio is likely to play. Yeah, I know, it's all digital now and played from a hard drive. But it's only really available as part of "The B-Sides", the third disc of a box set that may or may not be out of print. For it to get played, a PD would have to remember that it exists and go hunt it down to rip it into the database, and that's not likely to happen when they've got a stack of Christmas CD's sent to them every year with plenty of well-known material to draw from.

I'd say that if it gets added to one of those endless Now That's What I Call Christmas discs or something similar one of these years, then the likelihood of hearing it on the radio every Christmas season is dramatically increased.

regcart said:

I can HONESTLY say that here in St. Louis, Missouri it is played regularly around the Christmas season and I LOVE IT!

i hear it in the dc area all the time during xmas..it gets played.always has..since it was released in 84.matter of fact when he dropped the single i would die 4 u,it was in the holiday season (around november i think) and he was doing the purple rain concert in dc .

I think it's rather good myself.

Wasn't there an eagles song or one of it's members did a song that was about a lonely Christmas?

I don't think the songs is all that dark. I just think Prince go short changed some how.

He is a major artist, and that song should be played. I am surprised many of you are buying into radio not playing it.

It is an incredibly arranged song. Listen to it.

Many people do have a lonely Christmas and could relate to this songs. Not everyone has a merry christmas. Prince's song reminds us of those who we need to wish a Merry Christmas to. I think that in itself is beautiful.

It's an awesome song, very emotional, but it's DARK. Not just sad...it's a dark song.

Sad songs are alright for X'mas (folks can't get enough of that stupid song about the kid wanting to buy his mom a new pair of shoes for Christmas before she dies)...but "Another Lonely Christmas" hits a different nerve. I can't explain it.

muskiediver said:

Wasn't there an Eagles song or one of it's members did a song that was about a lonely Christmas?

Please Come Home For Christmas. It was a remake of Charles Brown's song. Prince's song is played every year where I live on the R&B oldies station.

Thanks. Yea this doesn't sound to happy:

"Please Come Home For Christmas / Funky New Year"

Please Come Home For Christmas
Bells will be ringing this sad sad news
Oh what a Christmas to have the blues
My baby's gone I have no friends
To wish me greetings once again
Choirs will be singing Silent Night
Christmas carols by candle light
Please come home for Christmas
Please come home for Christmas
If not for Christmas by New Years night
Friends and relations
Send salutations
Sure as the stars shine above
But this is Christmas
Yeah, it's Christmas my dear
It's the time of year to be with the one you love
So won't you tell me
You'll never more roam
Christmas and New Year
Will find you home
There be no more sorrow
No grief and pain
And I'll be happy, happy, once again
Ooo, there be no more sorrow
No grief and pain
And I'll be happy, Christmas, once again

But it gets air play.

I think Another lonely christmas is about Wendy and her sister.

She never died but they broke up. I am not sure if this was written during the time period (perhpas not). But my point is I don't think it's about death.

I think it's about how you feel when you broke up.

A chick broke up with him on Christmas.

An now another lonely christmas is mine.

It's actually a very good christmas song. Very moving and the ending is very dramatic. Like Mozart or Beethoven. I think its utterly ridiculous for any Prince fan to not support the idea of this song being played during christmas. It is not to dark. It shows Prince's brillance. And just the fact he did not do an ordinary Christmas song, only shows his genius and why he has rose above other pop stars. Sure he has made some recent mistakes (MN vikings song). But Another Lonely Christmas is a classic.

That stupid "Christmas Shoes" song is depressing as hell, and awful.

I've wondered this too, and the simple answer is that it doesn't appear on any Christmas compilations. I don't think Clear Channel says "let's round up every christmas song ever" - no, they just grab a couple box sets and play them over and over.

A shame, though - it's a great song, and with Bruce, Madge, and MJ all represented with Christmas songs, Prince should be too!

billymeade said:

That stupid "Christmas Shoes" song is depressing as hell, and awful.

I've wondered this too, and the simple answer is that it doesn't appear on any Christmas compilations. I don't think Clear Channel says "let's round up every christmas song ever" - no, they just grab a couple box sets and play them over and over.

A shame, though - it's a great song, and with Bruce, Madge, and MJ all represented with Christmas songs, Prince should be too!

Thank you Billy! Thats all I am saying. I can't believe some people are saying it's a bad song and should not be played during Christmas. I know some markets like Detroit played it. They played it alot during 84 and there after. I am inspiried when I hear it. I don't feel sad. It's like bummer dude. But there are a lot of people out there who have a lonely christmas. It's just a simple fact. Prince cleverly touched on this, and it's brilliant All around.

So is God instrumental but thats another thread.

I've heard the song played once on the radio, however, it wasn't during Christmas. It was Prince hour on a R&B station. I absolutely loved the song the moment it began. Lately, I've boycotted the radio so I couldn't tell you at the moment if the song have been played at all. I couldn't imagine anyone hating that fabulous song.

Hi All! I don't know what stations you mean but it still and has always gotten quite a bit of airplay on Urban/R&B or R&B/Soul stations through the years. Especially in larger cities so I don't know....

Avaspeaks said:

Hi All! I don't know what stations you mean but it still and has always gotten quite a bit of airplay on Urban/R&B or R&B/Soul stations through the years. Especially in larger cities so I don't know....

Which city have you heard it?

I am talkng about everywhere.

Someone pointed out it was not on a compilation. And that maybe one of the reasons.

But I mean come on, he is Prince. And IF your gonna play Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, and all the other pop artist, at least include Prince!

muskiediver said:

I think Another lonely christmas is about Wendy and her sister.

She never died but they broke up. I am not sure if this was written during the time period (perhpas not). But my point is I don't think it's about death.

I think it's about how you feel when you broke up.

A chick broke up with him on Christmas.

An now another lonely christmas is mine.

It's actually a very good christmas song. Very moving and the ending is very dramatic. Like Mozart or Beethoven. I think its utterly ridiculous for any Prince fan to not support the idea of this song being played during christmas. It is not to dark. It shows Prince's brillance. And just the fact he did not do an ordinary Christmas song, only shows his genius and why he has rose above other pop stars. Sure he has made some recent mistakes (MN vikings song). But Another Lonely Christmas is a classic.

Eh, the radio has ruined tons of great songs by overplaying them, why add another song to that list? I think it's great that it's an "underground" song that only hardcore Prince fans dig.

Craig Charles played it TODAY on radio 2 in the UK.

I nearly crashed my car, and not because of the narnia type scenery