Hello booklovers,
Today we are giving you something a little different! Anna, another fantastic committee member, presents us with Sir Paul McCartney’s festive hit ‘Pipes of Peace’. Whilst always a favourite in Anna’s family, the link between the song and the centenary of the end of the First World War makes ‘Pipes of Peace’ is particularly relevant in 2018.
Anna writes…
‘In my late teenage years, the Christmas of 1983 was memorable for a number of reasons, not least as the beginning of my sometimes wobbly tour through the trials, tribulations and immense joys, of life at university. But at this point also, when Top of the Pops was still the must see programme on the telly on a Thursday, Paul McCartney produced another classic song and an epic video (even in an era of great videos, this was the 80s remember) to go with it, and in the process, united two particular interests of mine at the time, I was a big fan of Paul McCartney, and of First World War poetry, and there they were both together in this song. The tune has a festive feel anyway, but the subject matter; messages of harmony and reconciliation, coupled with the video, depicting a version of the famous truce of Christmas Eve 1914, bringing British and German soldiers together in peace, for a few hours, was very powerful to my eyes.
Obviously over the last few years we have become much more familiar with images from the First World War, as we have been commemorating the 100 years anniversary, but in 1983, such depictions were not so common, and I found the season, the song, and the vivid imagery of the video, all to be immensely affecting at that time, which was a period of great change for me anyway. To me this is a Christmas song that in the best tradition of such music, mixes a bit of whimsey and a catchy tune, with a much deeper message. It reminds me personally of a particular Christmas, after which my life took the course which has brought me to where I am today. But you don’t have to be a fan of Sir Paul,to admire the sentiment, or the timeless quality of his Pipes of Peace, particularly in the run up to Christmas 2018, and remembering 100 years ago.’
Food for thought, wouldn’t you agree? Have a listen to this wonderful tune via the video below…