Musician and songwriter Pete Sinfield has died
He wrote hits for Cher, Five Star, Bucks Fizz, Cliff Richard, Celine Dion (Think Twice)
and the Greg Lake Christmas classic I Believe In Father Christmas
www.dgmlive.com/news/peter-sinfield-has-died

He must have made an absolute packet out of Think Twice by Celine Dion. Thirty years ago this month it was starting an unbelievably slow and long climb to the No1 spot which it would reach well into the new year of 1995, looked like stalling after three weeks at No2 only to grab what I thought would be an unexpected brief one week at the top spot but then held No1 for an incredible 7 weeks thereafter. I bought it. An amazing chart run and very real durable hit then. But it seems largely overlooked now despite how massive it was for months in 1994/95, and everyone focuses on the later Titanic one she had.

He didn't do too badly with The Land Of Make Believe by Bucks Fizz, the one that made us realise they were not only for Eurovision after all, knocking out a further gigantic topper at New Year 1982, a song that only ever brings very fond childhood memories of a time I wish I could make believe all over again.

What a songwriting talent, except Rain Or Shine, I hate that!

Funnily enough I was watching him on tv only an hour ago on a repeat of "Top of the Pops - The story of 1982", where he explains that he wanted to write about the dark side of Christmas in "The land of Make Believe". He was also in King Crimson of course. Not my cup of tea, but loved my many.

Can we remember him for being a songwriter for Chris Squire, King Crimson, ELP and Premiata Forneria Marconi, rather than writing songs for Bucks Fizz, Leo Sayer, Cher and 5 Star?

Greg Lake must have been poorly or knocked on the head when he sang I Believe In Father Christmas.

Please back me up Wyot.

He co-wrote "I belive in Father Christmas" with Greg Lake and of-course, there was the middle eight by Prokofiev. Sinfield wrote the lyrics.

Green Man wrote:
Can we remember him for being a songwriter for Chris Squire, King Crimson, ELP and Premiata Forneria Marconi, rather than writing songs for Bucks Fizz, Leo Sayer, Cher and 5 Star?

Greg Lake must have been poorly or knocked on the head when he sang I Believe In Father Christmas.

Please back me up Wyot.


I feel suitably chastised!

I loved the Greg Lake Christmas song!

JK2006 wrote:
I loved the Greg Lake Christmas song!


One of the absolute best, so why does this one not do the business in the charts and get listened to like so many of the old Christmas songs do each year nowadays. It never re-charts. It didn't feature in last years Top 100 at Christmas despite entries from what can be described as some very unfashionable old timers like Perry Como, Andy Williams, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin and such like. How come Greg Lake isn't cool at Christmas? He was in 1975 as runner up. Odd.

The song gets played plenty of times at Christmas and often features in the top 20 chistmas songs at the lower end. To my mend it is better than "Fairy Tale of New York". That slurred drunken opening line really gets on my nerves. I guess that everyone that wants this song, already has it, since it was released in 1975.

robbiex wrote:
The song gets played plenty of times at Christmas and often features in the top 20 chistmas songs at the lower end. To my mend it is better than "Fairy Tale of New York". That slurred drunken opening line really gets on my nerves. I guess that everyone that wants this song, already has it, since it was released in 1975.

I agree there Robbie, same with Wham. You never hear the Beach Boys Christmas played but you hear Phil Spector's Christmas stuff he produced.

If you want to torture your mortal being listen to Jon Anderson's 3 Ships.

I am ashamed to admit I did have it and binned it after a few listens. The only track I did enjoy was Ding Dong Merrily On High it sounded like Yes but that is being generous. What makes the album a chore is that there are no fade-outs so it's like one long dull Christmas medley like Jive Bunny on cocaine.