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A good weekend to you. My favorite holiday song is by an outspoken atheist.
Tim Minchin, the huge talent who may be best known for his awarding-winning musical, Matilda, was a young Australian who had been a hit at the 2005 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. But winter came, bookings were slow, and Tim and his wife, Sarah, saw snow fall outside their London window as they held their newborn daughter, Violet. They longed for the warmth of Australia’s sun, and family.
The 2009 song Tim wrote, "White Wine in the Sun," begins with his suspicion of the season:
I'm looking forward to Christmas Though I'm not expecting A visit from Jesus
They look forward to a trip home, to summer on the other side of the world:
I'll be seeing my dad My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum They'll be drinking white wine in the sun
"It was the most emotional of my songwriting life,” Tim told me once. “It begins with skepticism of religion, then throws in a tiny baby and love of family. Pretty manipulative, really. And shockingly sincere."
And heart-piercing: And you, my baby girl My jetlagged infant daughter You'll be handed round the room Like a puppy at a primary school And you won't understand But you will learn someday That wherever you are and whatever you face These are the people who'll make you feel safe In this world
I switch on holiday music — Nate, Judy, Bing, Mariah, even Adam Sandler — on Thanksgiving Day. But Tim Minchin’s song is a classic for the heart. Listen here, and keep tissue close.
Scott Simon is one of NPR's most renowned news anchors. He is the host of Weekend Edition Saturday and one of the hosts of the morning news podcast Up First. Be sure to listen to him every Saturday on your local NPR station, and follow him on Twitter.
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