Hwæt! Hirahara Ayaca swefna cyst | secgan wylleþ

2006-11-17

Hwæt! Hirahara Ayaca swefna cyst | secgan wylleþ

I heard my first Christmas single of the year today: HIRAHARA "Jupiter" Ayaka's "Christmas List". I'd seen the cover in a shop the other day, and had guessed that it was probably one of those "the only thing on my Christmas list is you" numbers, but I was wrong. Hirahara's Christmas list is much more altruistic, including as it does universal friendship, an end to war, "the justice" for all (definite French influence there), and eternal love.

In fact, since it is as I later learned a translated cover of "Grown-Up Christmas List" by David FOSTER and Linda THOMPSON, I can give you the official English version:

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
Every man would have a friend
That right would always win
And love would never end

(Sorry, ladies, no friends for you. But at least you won't get heart disease.)

To spare my more cynical commentors the trouble, I will note that the video-song combination does indeed seem to blur the distinction between Santa Claus and Jesus in a slightly unnerving way. What the glowing cross effect most reminded me of, though, was the Dream of the Rood.

Popularity factor: 5

Will:

It's a wonderful thing that Avex and Sony Japan don't know about YouTube yet.

Matt:

Hey, maybe they do know and just aren't taking things down because they recognize that it's basically a free, on-demand version of MTV, and good for business.

HAHAHAHAHAHA just kidding.

IbaDaiRon:

Bah, hambaggu!

I like my video better. :)

Anyway, where I come from at least, it used to be considered extremely gauche to make any mention of Xmas before Thanksgiving was done with, but I suppose that's not true any more. The Religion of the True God of America (Capitalism) will not be denied! And I won't get started on the silliness of a non-Western nation making such a fuss over an Xian holiday.

Bah, I say. Bah!

(Btw, an old sore, but never one too old to be picked at again.

David FOSTER and Linda THOMPSON

Thanks for confirming my opinion for me...if only in my own mind.)

Chance:

Speaking of Santa and Jesus blended...

A friend of my father's once told me he saw, in japan around Christmas, a crucified Santa Claus used as a mall decoration. It makes for a good anecdote about how Japan incorporates and twists US culture... this it has a chance of being true?

Matt:

Ron: You mean your opinion of my curious mannerisms? ;)

Both my parents are somewhere between deist and atheist as far as I can tell, so it doesn't seem odd to me to celebrate Christmas even though one ain't Christian. I find it interesting that Japan didn't bother borrowing the "Christmas is for families" thing, though, presumably because New Year already filled that role.

Chance: I've heard this a few times, but never seen evidence or any specifics, so I always assumed it was either an urban legend or, maybe, some Japanese artist's (knowing) joke. I don't think Takashimaya would do it, but Village Vanguard might...

Hey, I just checked Snopes and they say the same thing:

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/cross.asp

2006-11-17