“Count the Days” is one of those rare Christmas songs that tick all the right boxes for seasonal imagery and sonic infectiousness, yet has so much more to say beyond the usual saccharine surface and fake cheer that other, lesser songs rely on. As such, it sits in the rarefied space where songs get to rub shoulders with the likes of “Stop The Cavalry” and “Fairy Tale of New York” (which this song in turn, obliquely references), the echelon of Christmas songs that have so much more depth and so much more to say about life.
It’s a gentle song, one soaked in the nostalgia that descends at this time of year, but more specifically, it suggests that the build-up to the main event may actually be more exciting than the big day itself. As children, we would count the days, opening the door on the Advent calendar and wishing the weeks would pass by faster. As adults, and in the fast-paced modern life, it might just seem like a lot of work for a short blast of fun.
And slowly the song rises from its folksome foundation and heads into more lofty musical heights, deftly adding guitar riffs and shimmering sonics; a beat drops in, glockenspiels peel, and finally banks of additional voices join the throng until it reaches some lovely anthemic sounds, both chiming and utterly charming.
It’s a song about the loss of innocence, but perhaps, very subtly, it’s also a reminder that not everyone looks forward to Christmas; for some, it is just another cold week to get through.
It is a beautiful song, but also a powerful and poignant one.
