#1129 Christmas Songs, Christmas Billboard, Exempt

Show 1129 Friday 18 December

Watch today's show at YouTube or BlipTV.

Hi I'm Sarah. Welcome to The Daily English Show.

Today we’re studying a Christmas song called White Wine In The Sun. It’s by Tim Minchin.

I really like it and it reflects some of my thoughts about Christmas. And it’s very funny. Well, it’s funny and cynical at the start and it’s quite moving at the end.

He’s saying that even though he’s not religious, he enjoys Christmas because it’s a time when family get together.

I'll be seeing my dad

My brother and sisters

My gran and my mum

They'll be drinking white wine in the sun

You might not like this song if you’re a Christian. But it could be worth a listen if you’re interested in how some non-Christians feel about Christmas and Christianity.

He says:

I don't go in for ancient wisdom

I don't believe just 'cos ideas are tenacious it means that they are worthy

Tenacious means: continuing to exist, have influence, etc. for longer than you might expect.

So I think he’s saying: just because some ideas have been around for a long time, it doesn’t mean they are good ideas.

I get freaked out by churches

Some of the hymns that they sing have nice chords but the lyrics are dodgy

STICK NEWS

Kia ora, in Stick News today, there’s been an outcry in New Zealand after a church erected a Christmas billboard that’s been called offensive, inappropriate and disrespectful.

St Matthew-in-the-City is a church in Auckland, New Zealand.

On Thursday they put up a new billboard in front of the church.

They said they erected the billboard to inspire people to talk about the Christmas story.

But according to news reports, Christians from other groups are outraged.

About six hours after the billboard was erected, it was defaced with brown paint.

And that was Stick News for Friday the 18th of December.

Kia ora.

Word of the Day

Today’s word is exempt.

If you’re exempt from something it means that you have official permission to not do something or to not pay something.

This is from the song:

And yes, I have all of the usual objections to the miseducation

Of children who, in tax-exempt institutions, are taught to externalize blame.

Tax-exempt institutions – he’s talking about churches or religious organizations who are tax-exempt – which means they don’t have to pay tax.

friday joke

Why does Santa have three gardens?

So he can hoe, hoe, hoe.

conversations with sarah

#718 When did that come out?

Step 1: Read Jane’s lines.

Step 2: Repeat Jane's lines and talk to Sarah.

Jane Is that your favourite Christmas song this year?

Sarah Yeah, probably. Although I also love Lady Gaga’s Christmas song.

Jane When did that come out?

Sarah It came out last year actually but I only just found it.

Jane What’s it called?

Sarah Christmas Tree. I’ll send you the link.

Jane OK, thanks, I’ll check it out.

Sarah Yeah, you should probably wait until your kids have gone to bed too. It’s not exactly kid-friendly.

White Wine In The Sun by Tim Minchin - LYRICS

I really like Christmas

It's sentimental, I know, but I just really like it

I am hardly religious

I'd rather break bread with Dawkins than Desmond Tutu, to be honest

And yes, I have all of the usual objections to consumerism

The commercialization of an ancient religion

To the westernization of a dead Palestinian

Press-ganged into selling Playstations and beer

But I still really like it

I, I really like Christmas

Though I'm not expecting a visit from Jesus

I'll be seeing my dad

My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum

They'll be drinking white wine in the sun

I'll be seeing my dad

My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum

They'll be drinking white wine in the sun

I don't go in for ancient wisdom

I don't believe just 'cos ideas are tenacious it means that they are worthy

I get freaked out by churches

Some of the hymns that they sing have nice chords but the lyrics are dodgy

And yes I have all of the usual objections to the miseducation

Of children who in tax-exempt institutions are taught to externalize blame

And to feel ashamed and to judge things as plain right and wrong

But I quite like the songs

I'm not expecting big presents

The old combination of socks, jocks and chocolates is just fine by me

Cos I'll be seeing my dad

My brother and sisters

My gran and my mum

They'll be drinking white wine in the sun

I'll be seeing my dad

My brother and sisters

My gran and my mum

They'll be drinking white wine in the sun

And you, my baby girl

My jetlagged infant daughter

You'll be handed round the room

Like a puppy at a primary school

And you won't understand

But you will learn yourself one day

That wherever you are and whatever you face

These are the people who'll make you feel safe in this world

My sweet blue-eyed girl

And if, my baby girl

When you're twenty-one or thirty-one

And Christmas comes around

And you find yourself nine thousand miles from home

You'll know what ever comes

Your brother and sister and me and your mum

Will be waiting for you in the sun

Whenever you come

Your brothers and sisters

Your aunts and your uncles

Your grandparents, cousins and me and your mum

We'll be waiting for you in the sun

Drinking white wine in the sun

Darling when Christmas comes

We'll be waiting for you in the sun

Drinking white wine in the sun

Waiting for you in the sun

Drinking white wine in the sun

Waiting for you

Waiting

I really like Christmas

It's sentimental, I know

Christmas Tree by Lady Gaga - LYRICS

Ra pa pam pam (whoa) (4x)

Light me up put me on top lets falalalala lalalala

Light me up put me on top lets falalalala lalalala

The only place you'll wanna be is underneath my Christmas tree

The only place you'll wanna be is underneath my Christmas tree

Light me up put me on top lets falalalala lalalala

Light me up put me on top lets falalalala lalalala

Ho ho ho (Ra pa pam pam) under the mistletoe (Ra pa pam pam)

Yes everybody knows (Ra pa pam pam)

We will take off our clothes (Ra pa pam pam)

Yes if you want us to we will you

Oh oh Christmas, My Christmas tree's delicious

Oh oh Christmas, My Christmas tree's delicious

Light you up put you on top let's falalalala lalalala (let's go)

Light you up put you on top let's falalalala lalalala (let's go)

Ho ho ho (Ra pa pam pam) under the mistletoe (Ra pa pam pam)

Yes everybody knows (Ra pa pam pam)

We will take off our clothes (Ra pa pam pam)

Yes if you want us to we will, you

Oh oh Christmas, My Christmas tree's delicious

Oh oh Christmas, My Christmas tree's delicious

Here here here (Ra pa pam pam)

The best time of the year (Ra pa pam pam)

Take off my stockings where

I’m spreading Christmas cheer

And if you want us to we will, you

Oh oh Christmas, My Christmas tree's delicious

Oh oh Christmas, My Christmas tree's delicious

Space Cowboy, Lady Gaga, Lady Gaga and she goes

Space Cowboy, Lady Gaga, Lady Gaga

Here we go

Cherry cherry boom boom!

links

today's news
today's STICK NEWS pictures

music

show start
artist: Kevin MacLeod
track: Future Cha Cha
from: Brooklyn, NY, United States
artist site

WOD start
artist: DJ iPep's
album: Home Mix 2007
track: Game Toy
from: EVREUX, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

friday joke start
artist: AdHoc
album: Toutes directions
track: Sumbala
from: Annecy, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

cws start
artist: Kevin MacLeod
track: The Jazz Woman
from: Brooklyn, NY, United States
artist site

qa start
artist: ioeo
album: triptracks
track: triptrack2
from: Saint Raphael, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

qa bgm
artist: ioeo
album: triptracks
track: triptrack1
from: Saint Raphael, France
album at Jamendo
artist at Jamendo
artist site

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