It looks like it’s that time again. No sooner than the leaves begin to turn, Christmas music in is the air.
And first up so far this year is Bells Of Home from Circa Blue, the title track from their Christmas album produced this year with National Media Services. Each year the studio and production facility in northern Virginia selects one of their clients, and records a holiday-themed project as a promotional vehicle for both the company and the artist.
Bells Of Home is something of a throwback, the sort of song that was quite popular in the US during World War II. In fact, writers David Morris and Dawn Kenney looked back to the war in Europe during Christmas of ’44 as their inspiration. As David explains:
“At its heart, Bells of Home gets at something most of us have felt at some point: Being homesick at the holidays. Once we identified a soldier as our narrator, the possibilities for images and contrasts came pouring out. The hardest part was finding a battle that fit our story line – a fierce firefight, in the snow, on Christmas Eve. We wanted historical accuracy because we knew some listeners would check us. We found what we needed in Belgium in 1944. With the factual frame and a bit of imagination, Dawn and I pulled Bells of Home together quickly. It’s a tribute to families, to traditions and to those who gave up their holidays – some temporarily, some permanently – simply because, as the song notes, ‘some things are worth fighting for.’ “
Steve Harris gives the song an appropriately subdued performance, and the band offers a low-key bluegrass arrangement.
Here’s a taste of the track…
Radio programmers can download the single now from Airplay Direct.
