Freiheit - why

[NooNakedJacuzziness]

WHY do you only hear Keeping the Dream Alive at Christmas time? (although apologies to all Freiheit obsessives who play it year round). There's absolutely no mention of snow, Christmas, reindeer, mistletoe and there are no sleigh bells in the background.

Is it the only song not to have anything to do with Christmas that's become a Christmas standard? Even Stay another Day has sleigh bells. Certainly keeping the royalties dream alive for Freiheit though!

Oh I didn't know it was a Christmas song. Big Freiheit fan here!

Sorry I'm no help whatsoever!

Stick the radio on if you're in the UK @dizzydizzydizzy - I've heard it at least 3 times this week!

Wow! Well I listen to mostly Radio4 which probably explains how I haven't noticed.

Because it was in the charts at Christmas in 1988? But you’re right-not a “Christmas” song from the lyrics/instrumentation sense at all.

PS Jingle Bells hasn’t anything to do with Christmas either! No mention of the word “Christmas” or anything “Christmassy” except for snow and sleigh bells. 😉

Yes you're probably right @Procrastination4 - just in the charts at the right time. I'll give Jingle Bells a pass for uses of 'snow' and 'sleigh' though.

I’d never thought of it, but you’re quite right, I think of it as a Christmas song. Another one on my Christmas playlist is The Power of Love by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. It’s on other playlists as well because I love it, but it always reminds me of Christmas

How about Stay Another Day by E17?
Always played at Christmas

Same with the Frog Chorus!!

Yes, Frog Chorus is another random one. The power of Love had a nativity themed video but that's the only connection there I think (love that one too)

Jona Lewie's Stop the Cavalry is an anti war song and nothing to do with Christmas but, because it contains the words 'Wish I could be home for Christmas', is always played at Christmas.

I’m in my 50’s and had to Google it. I had no idea what it’s called because you’re right it’s only played at Christmas.
Believing in something better is quite Christmasy especially as it’s such a small window of magic.
It’s also got that hideous 80’s tone that Cliff made popular.

I can never hear the song on the radio without remembering Terry Wogan and his jokes about 'adjusting his Alpenstock' every time the song was played

Never heard of it.
50 years old.
From the States.
Have lived in Germany during the 90s.
Spent 2 months in Munich in the early 90s.
Speak fluent German.
Never heard of the song or the band.

I've heard it loads recently but hadn't connected the festive dots! I lived in Germany when it reached number one, maybe that's why I never questioned it.

I do like Münchener Freiheit but I prefer the German versions of all their songs - with the English versions it feels like they're trying to cram lyrics in to make it make sense in English but it misses the mark.

Always gets on my wick that Stay Another Day is considered a Christmas song! Haven't heard the Freiheit one in years though (a pity, I really like it) - then again, I don't listen to the radio much.

Ha! You're not wrong. It's on loads of the Christmas compilation albums. I don't mind the song, but it's often struck me as odd that it's included.
Mind you, you could say the same about The Power of Love by FGTH (which I also love, by the way). The song has no mention of Christmas but it does have a video portraying the nativity, which I've often thought was just a cynical marketing tool used just because it was released in the winter and yet it is always included on Christmas compilation albums!

@FestiveFruitloop That'll be because Stay Another Day has some jingly bells in it and the band wore furry hooded, white outfits in the video! Another cynical marketing ploy, in my opinion!

I love it. Came on the radio the other day and for some strange reason made me cry! Dh thought I’d gone mad. Blaming it on the never ending covid.

Even Joni Mitchell's beautiful 'River' - which is played extensively in December - isn't really about Christmas; it's just mentioned as an aside in the first verse.

Radio stations don't only play 'American Pie' in February, just because it happens to mention February and the fact that it's cold then!

I was 16 in December 1988 and in the first year of sixth form with all my mates. It was the first Christmas we went “out-out” to the local youngsters’ pub and nightclub, hoping we looked 18 and would be served! Reminds me of good times! I’d listen to the radio whilst getting ready and this song would often be on.

Madonna’s Dear Jessie is another one but that was the following year.

Jona Lewie has a show on the Now Christmas channel and he says that his anti-war song was never meant to be a Christmas one, but that he’s pleased it became so popular and still gets played.

Ha, i wondered this about "2 become 1" which is def not related to xmas but was obviously a xmas no1

Remember all those X-Factor acts that always got the number 1 spot for years on end? They don't seem to play those anymore (thankfully).

Remember all those X-Factor acts that always got the number 1 spot for years on end? They don't seem to play those anymore (thankfully).

The various Lad Baby sausage roll-based songs seem to die a death and plummet into unplayed obscurity pretty quickly, too - thankfully.

I mean, if somebody with my username still doesn't want to hear them, then who on earth does?!