I Believe in Father Christmas

"I Believe in Father Christmas"
Single by Greg Lake
B-side"Humbug"
ReleasedNovember 1975 (with orchestra)
Recorded1974
StudioAbbey Road Studios, London
Genre
Length3:31
LabelManticore
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)Peter Sinfield
Producer(s)
  • G. Lake
  • P. Sinfield
Greg Lake singles chronology
"I Believe in Father Christmas"
(1975) 		"C'est La Vie"
(1977)
Official video
"I Believe in Father Christmas" on YouTube
"I Believe in Father Christmas"
Song by Emerson, Lake & Palmer
from the album Works Volume 2
ReleasedNovember 1977 (without orchestra)
Genre
Length3:17
LabelAtlantic
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)Peter Sinfield
Producer(s)
  • G. Lake
  • P. Sinfield
Works Volume 2 track listing
12 tracks
A-side
  1. "Tiger in a Spotlight"
  2. "When the Apple Blossoms Bloom in the Windmills of Your Mind, I'll Be Your Valentine"
  3. "Bullfrog"
  4. "Brain Salad Surgery"
  5. "Barrelhouse Shake-Down"
  6. "Watching Over You"
B-side
  1. "So Far to Fall
  2. "Maple Leaf Rag (Odeon Rag)"
  3. "I Believe in Father Christmas"
  4. "Close But Not Touching"
  5. "Honky-Tonk Train Blues"
  6. "Show Me the Way to Go Home"

"I Believe in Father Christmas" is a song by English musician Greg Lake with lyrics by Peter Sinfield. Although it is often categorised as a Christmas song, this was not Lake's intention. He said that he wrote the song in protest at the commercialisation of Christmas.[1] Sinfield, however, said that the words are about a loss of innocence and childhood belief.[2] Released as Lake's debut solo single in 1975, the song reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart, number 17 on the Irish Singles Chart[3] and number 98 in Australia.[4]

  1. ^ "Greg comments about "Father Christmas"". The Official Greg Lake Website. Archived from the original (MP3) on 30 January 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  2. ^ "Peter comments about "Father Christmas"" (Text). The Official Peter Sinfield Website / Song Soup on Sea. Retrieved 25 December 2009.
  3. ^ "The Irish Charts - all there is to know - Greg Lake". Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  4. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 172. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.