Santa the Independent Clause

Songs for the Season—

Santa is a complete thought in a five-year-old’s world. Same goes for Frosty and Rudolph. Santa and Mrs. Clause, who showed up at the 12 Days of Christmas event we played at the Folsom Community Center, was an incredible agent of goodness. We were privileged to sit near enough that we could hear Santa’s conversations with those tiny tots, eyes all aglow. Life-affirming energy flowed from the Clauses, powerful subjects and verbs.

Here are a few tunes my wife and I recorded in our home on my phone in a practice session in early November to prepare for the job (both are very drafty but fun to jam on). For the performance Jill Brodd and husband Jeffrey handled lead vocals and harmony—moments of real magical harmony—with Jeff on his trumpet, Jill on her flute. We’re hoping we are hired back next year and can add more songs to the repertoire.

When Santa was ready to leave, I shook hands with him and said, “Even I believe in you now, Santa.” “Come here,” he said. “Give Santa a hug. Even musicians can get hugs.” After all the hugging he had done the past two hours, he still had one left in his bag.

Rudolph, then Frosty