SOUNDTRACK: COCTEAU TWINS-“Frosty the Snowman” (1993).
Cocteau Twins released Snow, a “holiday” EP in 1993. Their version of “Winter Wonderland” is quite sublime. This version of “Frosty the Snowman” on the other hand is a bit…off.
I don’t know if the tempo is too fast (I think that may be it), or if the lyrics are too silly (even if the Twins weren’t filled with gravitas, most of the time you couldn’t hear what they were saying anyhow) or if they just can’t get their brand of lush to envelope the song, but it just doesn’t quite work for me.
[READ: December 13, 2011] “The Tragedie of Frosty the Snowman”
My work director sent this article around as an amusing academic piece for the holidays. It’s a short article (one and a half pages) but it does a good job of analysing the real tragedy that is Frosty the Snowman: “Frosty’s tragedy is not simply that he must melt, thaw, resolve into etc.–this is merely the common fate of all men, persons, who are made out of snow.”
The tragedy of Frosty is personal, for he has an inner greatness. When he encounters the magic hat he claims to be coming “back again someday.” But can he every really understand that? [We watched this special just the other day, and it must be said that Frosty, who seems to be quite naive and unaware (what’s a traffic light?) is also quite savvy about a lot of things that he should not know–winter flowers, frozen boxcars]. (more…)
I Just Read About That... 