Wondrously awful or disturbingly festive, you take your choice with this strange double offering from Glen Campbell; a man who sadly left us this year.
Presumably from some U.S. show of the time, this apparently dates from 1985 but - in that strange way that sometimes happens - it not only looks older, it seems to have come from another dimension entirely.
The story is Pat Boone - yes I assume it is THE Pat Boone (ask yer Gran!) - has bought some kid (from a US TV show apparently) to the Campbell Ranch in California because said lad doesn't feel it's particularly festive on the warm and sunny West Coast. I'd have given the little sod a clip round the 'ear and told him he was in one of the greatest places on Earth and to enjoy himself while he could but, no, instead our Glenn sings to him on his horse and all is made perfect when he sees the cowboys a-singing and a-dancing around the chuck wagon
I saw Glen Campbell on his farewell tour; playing Southend-on-Sea on November 5th 2011 - no that isn't a typo! - and it was a strange, yet exhilarating night. Backed by his adoring family, Campbell was in top form but showing signs of the dementia that eventually took him; playing an Essex coastal town with Guy Fawkes celebrations going off all around must have confused him further, considering he could sell out any venue with his own brand of fireworks back in his heyday in the 1970's.
When Campbell passed away in August a social media tribute from me was met with varying degrees of acclamation. Some were aware of Campbell's astonishing session work that, had he done nothing else, would have marked him out as a musical great. Some agreed that he was a great interpreter of other's songs - check out the excellent 'Meet Glen Campbell' album and the astounding version of the Foo Fighters 'Times Like These' among many other songs by U2, John Lennon, Green Day, Tom Petty etc. - while many agreed that, if nothing else. 'Wichita Lineman' was one of the greatest records ever made.
Some though saw the man as a one of those Vegas-style crooners with a US TV show type persona who belonged to some other circus they weren't part of. I can understand that and, for anyone who sees Campbell that way, this excruciating video - or indeed any of his Christmas offerings - isn't likely to make you feel any different.
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