Christmas Tails

by The Electric Sprout Foundation

/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card
    Download available in 16-bit/44.1kHz.

      £9 GBP  or more

     

1.
2.
Winter, the time tales are told Of solstice traditions of old Around the globe from ancient times in lands both near and far Native peoples celebrate Gloria Saturn the god of old Rome, worshipped in every home Week-long celebrations reign, at Saturnalia Feasting, drinking, gambling, gifts Gloria Marking St Lucia’s Day, the time Nordic Christians pray The Festival of Lights enjoyed, in Scandinavia Candles, wreaths on maidens’ heads Gloria Christian peoples mark the day Jesus Christ was born they say Join the world and celebrate, spread the story far Stable, shepherds, wise men, priests Gloria So Christian and pagan unite, to celebrate solstice-time right Worship gods, enjoy the feast, the gifts, our morning star The fellowship of Christmas time Gloria
3.
Yuletide or Christmas Who cares what it’s called mate? Let’s get drunk! Let’s get drunk on... Oak trees have lost their leaves and Jack Frost is here As the nights are the longest of the year Cold, dark, so far from the Sun It’s up to us to find our warmth So Yuletide or Christmas Who cares... Actually a lot of people do really care what they call it and I think we can include them too can’t we? Alright So... Let’s get drunk! Let’s get drunk on... Love this Christmas Let’s get drunk on love Ooooooooo How many words are spoken to name a tree While the tree knows nothing of it’s name To give is to have there is nothing to lose On a land that gives so freely to us all So Yuletide or Christmas Whatever you would like to call it Let’s get drunk! Let’s get drunk on Love this Christmas Let’s get drunk on love Love this Christmas Let’s get drunk on love Ooooooooo Love this Christmas Let’s get drunk on love Love this Christmas Let’s get drunk on love
4.
Well the factory closed down, they turned out the lights Blanket of snow for the old town tonight Your face in the window shining through After all this, I’m coming back to you One star guiding me home It’s just one star so you’re not alone By the fire light night after night It’s just one star ’til I’m by your side Tomorrow we’ll dance with love in our eyes The laughter will echo through northern skies The fire will hold us, stars never fade Leading us home where the love light is made One star guiding me home It’s just one star so you’re not alone By the fire light night after night It’s just one star ’til I’m by your side One star guiding me home It’s just one star so you’re not alone By the fire light night after night It’s just one star ’til I’m by your side Now the kettle still sings, the fire burning low Like two cracked cups under the mistletoe It’s the same old house, but the years fell fast Here’s to coming home, and here’s to a love that lasts One star guiding me home It’s just one star so you’re not alone By the fire light night after night It’s just one star ’til I’m by your side One star guiding me home It’s just one star so you’re not alone By the fire light night after night It’s just one star burning so bright It’s just one star guiding me home It’s just one star so you’re not alone By the fire light night after night It’s just one star ’til I’m by your side
5.
Will you be my snowflake? Will you be my cup cake? Will you be my honey bee? I’ve been waiting in your garden For you to notice me Will you come and risk it? Will you be the biscuit For my cup of tea? Will you be my lump of coal of love? I will be your Christmas Tree Nights are dark and lonely underneath the stars Will you be the Venus for my distant Mars? Will you be my snowflake? Will you be my cup cake? Will you melt my frozen heart? I could be your Christmas present The jam inside your tart Will you be my hot rod? Will you be a new pod For my lonely pea? Will you be my Christmas fairy? I will be your Christmas Tree
6.
Where are the songs of season’s past in darken’d air? Aye, they do rest in scratches of nib by dripping candlelight conjured by sips of snowball through sugared rim Mind’s eye runs memory montage of past yuléd joys of frosty crownéd winter spectres... All our billowy tempests blesséd by cherubim breath With curléd ribbon we give our hearts to the Body Winter In magic hearths we see familiar faces absent from The Feast Their harmonies once sang so softly in our fleshéd ears Their voices we try in vain to recall, recall, re... Where are the songs of season’s past in darken’d air? Aye, they do rest in eternal whistles from invisible lips From the peace between past conversation After the lull of fables at bedtime In frantic festive paper rips and rustles Shuffles of shoes to a one two three The World, Our Family Spring the crosséd season currant buns Summer toes dipped in salt and sandycastles Autumn blood singeth to the Body Winter Our sanguine hymn through seasons four
7.
Christmas Day, Christmas Day Everyone loves Christmas Day Songs to sing, gifts to bring To celebrate the new-born King Hear the Christmas angels sing the tale of joy See the shepherds kneel at the cradle of the boy We can sing our praises too Gloria in excelsis Christmas time, Christmas time Everyone loves Christmas time Jokes to say, games to play Peace for all the world to pray Ox and ass and wise men worship by his bed God incarnate born to die for us instead We can bring our worship too Gloria in excelsis Christmas hope, Christmas hope Everyone loves Christmas hope Joy increase, endless peace Greed and poverty to cease As we join together sharing Christmas cheer May we keep on giving throughout the whole year We can make a difference too Gloria in excelsis Gloria in excelsis
8.
Now, I’m not one of those you’d ever hear say “I believe” But I came upon a stable when walking home one Christmas Eve And it struck me kind of interesting so I pushed against the door Inside was damp and darkness and straw upon the floor My eyes adjusted to the light but there was nothing much to see No shepherds, kings or gifts and things. Nothing said ‘Nativity’ No lowly lamb or oxen craned to watch me from a stall And of virgins, halos, angels, well, I witnessed none at all Outside the sky seemed starless. Inside there was no sound But something like a manger had been left there on the ground I approached it slowly, looked inside, not wishing to intrude Found credit cards and baubles, sales receipts, leftover food I dug deep in that detritus; raked my fingers through the mess Cleared a path to something moving, something breathing (more or less) I found an infant Jesus, struggling to be heard Put my ear to its mewling but I couldn’t catch one word It was trying to tell me something, not just me but all mankind But the junk I’d cleared kept tumbling back and the babe became enshrined In commercial waste and debris, clutter and crap of every kind Its limbs were stilled, its mouth was gagged, its newborn eyes went blind I gave it up, went back outside, I’d things I had to do I hadn’t time to wait until that infant’s words broke through I looked up to the heavens, still no star was to be seen I’d have to follow head or heart. There was nothing in between
9.
Deep in the velvet sky, they followed new-found light Shining to guide the way along the desert night Bringing gifts of opulence to one they called the King Strange phenomenon that nature came to bring New light bringing meaning One light, many worlds Maybe a star gone nova or a comet passing by? How many eyes on different worlds saw guidance in their sky? So we think of those we love at any time of year Think also of the broken child who lives their life in fear But may that bring compassion to help you on the way And come to know the meaning of the light this Yuletide Day New light bringing meaning One light, many worlds Maybe a star gone nova or a starship passing by? How many eyes of different kinds saw guidance in their sky?
10.
Up here in the frozen north Winters are long and dark We make our own entertainment In our lodge of bone and bark We listen to the old ones They tell the tallest tales The mushrooms are red and white The old ones like to cook and eat them For inspiration and dreams As the smoke rises through the roof Into the endless dark of a northern sky Tundra wonder, yellow snow Bang the drum and dance Dance with the shaman through the darkness The reindeer eat the mushrooms too As they forage in the snow Sometimes they wander near the bone and bark lodge Relieving themselves as they go Tundra wonder, yellow snow Bang the drum and let it go Drink and dance through the darkness of a northern sky The old ones know to eat the snow And watch the reindeer fly Through the endless starry northern sky Oh, how the reindeer fly Jack Frost climbs aboard his pig shaped sled In his robes of white and red Riding through the firmament In his robes of white and red Looking for smoke down below Rising from a bone and bark lodge Tundra wonder, yellow snow Bang the drum and let it go And fly through the darkness Of this northern sky Now Jack Frost climbs aboard his pig shaped sled In his robes of white and red Riding through the firmament In his robes of white and red Looking for smoke down below Rising from a bone and bark lodge Tundra wonder, yellow snow Bang the drum and let it go Tundra wonder, yellow snow Bang the drum and let it go Tundra wonder, yellow snow Bang the drum and let it go Fly through the darkness Of the northern winter sky
11.
Winter star How do you shine so far? Out in space Twinkling that icy face Lead us North Out of the sun’s hot reach Light the dark What do you have to teach? Winter star Winter star Winter star Winter star It’s a custom For us to make a wish So contemplate The awful scope of hate Man’s out there A hundred miles from Earth But can’t resolve His cruel ways from birth Winter star Winter star Winter star Winter star Winter star Winter star Bring us peace Winter star So give us hope Don’t be a misanthrope Your shining might Just cool the urge to fight Lead us north Show us what life is worth Light the dark Out there in Man’s hard heart Winter star Winter star Winter star Winter star Winter star Winter star Bring us peace Winter star
12.

about

A collection of new Christmas songs produced by independent artists from South Cheshire and beyond. For sale here exclusively and only until 31st January 2026. All profits will go to the RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre:
www.facebook.com/rspcastapeleygrange/

Order includes print-at-home CD two-page booklet and rear tray artwork, and an image of the completed community artwork, the source material for the album cover.

You can buy the album now and the final album will be sent to you automatically on release day.

Track each sale and the total raised so far here:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NH9QpmO1-nJ2TPL1zBjpz09BpU_s9QgTq56p5jb6-as/

credits

released November 28, 2025

Featured Artists:
Fall in Green
The Forrest Dick Band
John Lindley
Paul Parish
John Miller
Nastee Chapel
Glyn Roberts
The Shaw Sisters
Mark Sheeky
We Are Nomad
Andrew Williams

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Mark Sheeky Crewe, UK

Mark Sheeky is an artist from Cheshire. Surrealist art rock/pop; piano and spoken word; and game-influenced electronica. No autotune, no beat detection, no compressed tracks. Made 100% with self-designed and programmed software since 2001.

contact / help

Contact Mark Sheeky

Streaming and
Download help

Shipping and returns

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Christmas Tails, you may also like: