Listening to Les Fradkin’s single, “Say You Love Me For Christmas,” brings home the point that there is sometimes a holiday song sound. Like this one, these songs often have jingling jingle bells tinkly through them and a rhythm and melody that sounds a bit like an old girl group song. And we can probably credit/blame Phil Spector for that. He created a large swath of the girl group catalogue, as well as released an essential Christmas album – applying all his sonic trademarks – with A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector. Fradkin’s single owes much to that Spector template, making Phil’s sound a kind of gift that just keeps giving. Fradkin’s single is one more similar take to put under the Christmas tree.
With its gently swaying rhythm and upfront keyboard, Fradkin has gifted the world with his unique spin on the holiday single. It’s both a Christmas offering, and a love song. And let’s face it, Christmastime is a great time to goose a romantic relationship. Folks are already in a giddy, childlike mood, so why not use these fertile circumstances to one’s advantage? Then again, can we really trust an ‘I love you’ during the holiday season? Is it true love, or is the other one just temporarily overcome with winter season emotion? Whatever the case, Fradkin is not going to let a good opportunity go to waste. He’s giving his lover an ultimatum: say you love me!
The song’s chorus states: “Say you love me for Christmas/And you’ll be my Santa Claus.” It’s nearly an answer song to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” On it, she comes off as no kind of a material girl. Sure, she could wish for ‘all her favorite things,’ but this year, her wish is made of flesh and blood. Similarly, Fradkin simply wants a declaration of sincere love. Really, now, is that asking too much? Well, it sure puts a whole lot of pressure on that other one, doesn’t it? What happens if that other person refuses? If that person denies being in love, it not only risks ruining a relationship, but also threatens to put a damper on the entire holiday season. And if that other lies, and says ‘I love you,’ such dishonesty would likely lead to some serious trust issues. Therefore, one should probably not make such a demand unless one is pretty darn sure the other one is willing to grant that requested ‘I love you.’
While Fradkin name-drops many of the familiar elements of Christmas. There’s decking of the halls and letting it snow, but he has a more pressing concern on his mind. It’s a little like a young child that wants only one particular gift for Christmas. Everything depends upon satisfying that want/need.
Finding true love makes most everything else unnecessary. When someone feels loved, they start to feel like a king or queen. All seems to be as it should be and in order. Although romance and the Christmas holiday have been intermingled many times in the past, Les Fradkin’s single is a unique spin on this integration. Let’s hope many find a little loving this Christmas, then they can then apply this nice new song as their romance soundtrack.
-Dan MacIntosh