I write about this song every year – and I’ll share it once more this season. A “lost” classic that I rediscovered about a dozen years ago – and I’m sure I hadn’t heard it since 1986 or so.
Why don’t you remember it, perhaps? Probably because you might’ve never heard it to begin with. The Damned’s legendary Captain Sensible had the misfortune of recording and releasing it at the end a very busy and iconic year – 1984. The video was not on MTV, to my knowledge, and was barely on American radio – it didn’t get much reception in the Captain’s native England, either! But I did hear it, and often, that Christmas – I’m thinking either on Seattle’s alternative AM station, KJET, or some delicious point on the dial from Canada.
Soon, it disappeared into the mists of time. Neglected. It’s still not easy or cheap to find on CD, or even vinyl.
Thank god that “One Christmas Catalogue” has made a comeback in recent seasons, with commentary from a lot of people writing similar things as I have here. It’s become an easy Top 10 for me, probably higher – not just because it’s great, but because it also instantly dials me back to a wonderful Christmastime, 1984. Christmas, 1980s. I play it loud.
