Another wonderful to share with you, that was shared with us by a reader… Tracy Newman and the Reinforcements’ “Mama, I Know You Ain’t Santa”.
So I got another submission this week of a song that a reader would like to share with us. I thought at first it was a nice little indie tune, but the more I read, the more I discover there are some familiar names behind this sweet and poignant little tune.
First the song though. It’s great. A sweet ode to a single mom at Christmas, what they call ‘a heartfelt “Thank You” to all single moms at Christmas’. ‘Mama, I Know You Ain’t Santa’ paints a sad and sentimental tale of a Christmas where a young daughter’s mom is doing her best at being Santa and wants to help out to keep Christmas special for her little brother. Geez, the description alone could melt your heart. But add to it a sombre performance by Tracy Newman and the Reinforcements and it’ll surely bring a sniff or two.
The performance has a great little singer/songwriter feel, very folky and very folksy, with just a hint of twang. The vocals remind me a bit of Patty Griffin, which is nice compliment in my book. Smooth, sweet and sincere; just what the song needs.
And it’s sad, but not maudlin. The press release puts it in the company with ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ and ‘If We Make It Through December’ on the list of saddest Christmas songs ever, and I’d buy that. I think it definitely deserves a bigger audience, so if you’re in the mood for a little tug at the heartstrings, head on over to http://tracynewman.com/ or https://tracynewman.bandcamp.com/track/mama-i-know-you-aint-santa to check out the song for yourself. At only a dollar, I can’t imagine a better deal.
About the Writers
Oh, and the famous names… The song was written by Lynne Stewart and Tracy Newman. Tracy you might know as an Emmy-winning writer on the shows ‘Ellen’, ‘The Drew Carey Show’, and ‘Cheers’, among others, while Lynne is also an actress in TV shows like ‘Pee Wee’s Playhouse’ and films like ‘American Graffiti’. She also played Charlie’s Mom on ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’! But those are just bonus trivia. We’re talking about the song here, and it’s a good song, and a song worth hearing! After all, any song Dolly Parton calls “one of the best songs I have heard in years”, deserves a listen. So check out the links above.
Oh, and here’s the one-sheet of information I received along with the single. It’s a nice background and full of good information, but do yourself a favour and let the song do the talking.
Update: I’m pleased to be able to share the name and the website of the artist who made the cover art. Her name is Amy Ray and her site can be found here: http://amylaurelray.com/. I really like the simple style. I hope she showcases more of her paintings on her website in the future.