Leading up to the release of the EP, Jerry Olsen (producer, SoftWave) sat in the studio and played with a bell sound, which captured him so much that it unintentionally ended up with the creation of SoftWave's first Christmas song! With less than 2 months until December 1 st , they chose to co-write with a former collaboration partner from Great Britain, Barney Ashton-Bullock.
Barney is a playwright, poet and librettist in the project 'Andy Bell is Torsten' alongside Erasure's Andy Bell (see p.3). Barney has previously invited SoftWave to produce 2 remixes for Andy Bell's sold-out LP ('Club Torsten') which ended up on the UK OFFICIAL ALBUM CHARTS in the good company of Vince Clarke (founder of Erasure, Yazoo, Depeche Mode).
And recently SoftWave was invited to do a remix for previously Pet Shop Boys signed artist, Cicero.
lyrics
VERSE 1 (Catrine)
Soothing shadows and reflections
Mirthful memories and dreams
Of the year behind that we survived
And the future we'd wish to see
A time for taking stock
For giving and receiving with love
With just that chance that there may be
An eternity of joy above
CHORUS 1 (Catrine’s version)
Let us wish amidst the Christmas cheer
For peace on earth, an end to fear
Let's use this Christmas time to find
Common cause, community and a steady mind
Let's aspire to find some sanity
Amidst the credit card insanity
Of buying endless more, more, more
Hoping God ain't keeping score of our gluttony
VERSE 2 (Barney)
Put it back on the shelf
Self-service doesn't mean self, self, self
Think about Santa and his elves
And how they give their gifts to ev'ryone else
Ev'ry woman, man and non-binary
Can't gorge themselves on excess gifts and fineries
Can't pretend at Christmas time they cannot see
The hurting and the hopeless and the love they need
CHORUS 2 (Catrine/Barney)
Let us wish amidst the Christmas cheer
For peace on earth, an end to fear
Let's use this Christmas time to find
Common cause, community and a steady mind
Let's aspire to find some sanity
Amidst the credit card insanity
Of buying endless more, more, more
Hoping God ain't keeping score of our gluttony
MIDDLE 8
Soothing shadows and reflections (Catrine)
Mirthful memories and dreams
Of the year behind that we survived
And the future we'd wish to see
CHORUS 3 (Catrine/Barney)
Let us wish amidst the Christmas cheer
For peace on earth, an end to fear
Let's use this Christmas time to find
Common cause, community and a steady mind
Let's aspire to find some sanity
Amidst the credit card insanity
Of buying endless more, more, more
Hoping God ain't keeping score of our gluttony
(SEMI – SPOKEN OUTRO)
A time for taking stock (Barney)
Oh yes indeed (Catrine)
For giving and receiving with love (choir: Catrine)
With just that chance that there may be
An eternity of joy above (choir: Catrine)
Merry Christmas (Catrine)
credits
released December 1, 2022
Music: SoftWave
Composition, synthesizers and production: Jerry Olsen
Vocal 1: Catrine Christensen
Vocal recording 1: Hoyer Songs (Christoffer Høyer)
Vocal 2: Barney Ashton-Bullock
Vocal recording 2: Michael John Allison
Lyrics: Barney Ashton-Bullock
Mix and mastering: Sacki Production (Nordic Music Group)
Coverart: SoftWave
Digital distribution: Gateway Music
Danish synthpop duo SoftWave is;
Catrine C. (vocal), Jerry O. (synths)
Their first full-
length album ‘Game On’ was released to critical acclaim (2019), and million selling electronic pioneers OMD invited them to open on their Scandinavian dates as part of their ‘Souvenir’ tour (2020).
Softwave also did 2 remixes for Erasure's Andy Bell (2021) and Cicero "Love is Everywhere" (2023)...more