There’s a scene in Dostoevsky’s Brothers Karamazov where the main characters Ivan and Alyosha discuss the existence of God. Ivan, in particular, questions the idea of God. Alyosha, on the other hand, is a monk, a believer, some may say, a holy fool.
Talk of faith and exalted things is rare in indie rock today. Enter Seattle band Ivan & Alyosha. Throughout their second release, the five song Fathers Be Kind EP, the band chart their own course between divinity and disbelief.
“I left my family and my home/to fight the battle on my own
I stole a car and drove away/but in my hate St. Paul did say
‘Glorify the Lord above/with your drink and making love
Glorify the Lord my son, with your whisky and your gun.”
Ivan & Alyosha began as the solo outlet for Tim Wilson but in spring 2007 the band formed after Tim met Ryan Carbary through a former band mate and mutual friend. Ryan and Tim began playing and recording together and a trip to Los Angeles to work with Eli Thompson (Richard Swift, Delta Spirit) spawned the name Ivan & Alyosha. According to Tim, Thompson is a huge Dostoevsky fan and the name stuck. With that, Wilson and Carbary released The Verse, The Chorus, their debut EP on Cheap Lullaby Records (Joan as Police Woman, The Silver Seas, Teitur). The stand out track “Easy To Love” earned NPR Song of the Day honors as “a propulsive, sweetly booming ode to love as a feat of endurance.”
The name Ivan & Alyosha is apt for a band cutting its teeth. As Ivan in Brothers Karamazov moves through the novel with doubts, Ivan & Alyosha navigate the indie rock world contemplating their path as a band. Tim says he writes songs about what’s current in his life. He recently married and had a son. Songs like “Living for Someone” and “Fathers Be Kind,” reflect Ivan & Alyosha grappling with the idea of being in a band and trying to fashion a career. Not only to follow their dreams but to earn a livelihood and support their families; a feeling he expresses in the former song, “Expecting our first child / Amid the great recession”. Despite the uncertainty, Ivan & Alyosha’s soulful folk tunes suggest a band inspired, hopeful and longing; a band unafraid to probe their collective faith and doubts.
Plus, things are different this time around. Tim and Ryan are joined by two others – Tim Kim and Pete Wilson, Tim’s brother. The band built a studio in a barn at Ryan’s parent’s house in Snohomish, 45 minutes outside of Seattle. Snohomish provides an idyllic setting with a charming main street lined by bars and little distraction. Self-recording their upcoming EP allows the guys more time together to create and perfect the new songs. Recently the band spent a week in New York playing gigs at 92Y Tribeca, Maxwell’s in Hoboken and Brooklyn’s Littlefield. They also took a trip to NPR Headquarters in Washington DC to record an NPR Tiny Desk Concert, and opened a run of shows for the Jayhawks’ Mark Olson.
In the Brothers Karamazov, when Ivan asks Alyosha to renounce his beliefs, Alyosha refuses. Rather, he kisses Ivan on the lips. Seattle’s Ivan & Alyosha are not nihilist indie rockers but a new brand of tender dreamers. And non-believers be damned! God, or no God - these guys are no holy fools. They have their music to prove it.
Happy Christmas
Ivan & Alyosha Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fridays are black every week
And everyone is weeping as Mariah Carey's weeping
All we want for Christmas is for her to go away
Everybody's happy for Christmas
Kevin is home alone again
Hungover at the kitchen table you pray to Jesus you'll be able to hold down the liquor you've had at 4AM
Everybody's happy for Christmas
At least that's what the television says
The gifts you bought on E-Bay will not be delivered by the time you ought to give them to all your family and friends
So cry your little heart out
It's the holidays again
You're lucky to still not be out of your mind
Hear the carol singers destroying Halleluyah
The christmas tree's on fire
And it's making you blind
So put on the sweater your grandma was supposedly knitting
Shut up
Smile
Hear me when I say
It's Christmas time, again
The lyrics of "Happy Christmas" by Ivan & Alyosha depict a cynically ironic perspective on the holiday season. The song begins with the line, "Everybody's happy for Christmas," which immediately sets the tone for the following verses. The opening line suggests a stark contrast between the expected cheerfulness associated with Christmas and the reality of people's lives.
The second line, "Fridays are black every week," implies a sense of desolation and monotony, suggesting that the excitement of Christmas is short-lived or illusory. The reference to Mariah Carey weeping, accompanied by the line "All we want for Christmas is for her to go away," criticizes the commercialization and overplayed nature of Christmas songs, emphasizing the desire for less repetition and more authentic experiences.
The third stanza continues the cynical portrayal of Christmas. "Kevin is home alone again" refers to the iconic movie "Home Alone," but here the singer is portrayed as being hungover and struggling with alcohol. The mention of praying to Jesus to hold down the liquor implies a sense of guilt and desperation, highlighting the darker side of the holiday season for some individuals.
In the fourth stanza, the lyrics depict the contrast between the supposed happiness of Christmas as portrayed on television and the disappointments and frustrations of real life. The mention of gift delivery problems from online shopping emphasizes the disconnection between the idealized image of Christmas and the practical difficulties faced by people trying to meet expectations.
The chorus reflects a resigned and melancholic tone, encouraging listeners to embrace their emotions and frustrations during the holiday season. The line "You're lucky to still not be out of your mind" suggests that maintaining one's sanity amidst the chaos of Christmas is an accomplishment in itself. The reference to carol singers destroying "Hallelujah" and the Christmas tree being on fire symbolizes the disarray and overwhelming nature of the season.
The closing lines of the chorus encourage listeners to put on a brave face and conform to societal expectations, with the suggestion to wear a sweater that was supposedly knitted by a grandma. The command to "shut up" and "smile" conveys the pressure to mask one's true emotions and play the role of a happy participant in the festivities.
Overall, "Happy Christmas" by Ivan & Alyosha provides a critical and introspective view of the holiday season, exploring themes of disillusionment, societal pressures, and the disparity between expectations and reality.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's happy for Christmas
Everyone pretends to be happy during Christmas
Fridays are black every week
Every Friday is filled with consumerism and shopping deals
And everyone is weeping as Mariah Carey's weeping
People are crying just like Mariah Carey, who is known for her emotional performances
All we want for Christmas is for her to go away
All we want is to stop hearing Mariah Carey's Christmas songs
Kevin is home alone again
Kevin, like the character in the movie 'Home Alone', is alone during Christmas
Hungover at the kitchen table you pray to Jesus you'll be able to hold down the liquor you've had at 4AM
You hope that you won't vomit the alcohol you drank in the early morning while feeling hungover at the kitchen table
At least that's what the television says
The TV portrays everyone as happy during Christmas
The gifts you bought on E-Bay will not be delivered by the time you ought to give them to all your family and friends
You won't receive the gifts you ordered on E-Bay in time to give them to your loved ones
So cry your little heart out
Feel free to express your emotions by crying
It's the holidays again
The holiday season has arrived once more
You're lucky to still not be out of your mind
You should consider yourself fortunate not to have lost your sanity yet
Hear the carol singers destroying Halleluyah
Listen to the carol singers who are ruining the traditional hymn 'Hallelujah'
The christmas tree's on fire
The Christmas tree is burning
And it's making you blind
The fire is affecting your vision
So put on the sweater your grandma was supposedly knitting
Wear the sweater your grandma claimed to have knitted
Shut up
Stop complaining
Smile
Force a smile on your face
Hear me when I say
Listen to my words
It's Christmas time, again
The holiday season has arrived once more
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Marin Hraščanec, Ivan Grobenski
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind