Laibach and Silence: White Christmas
White Christmas, one of the most popular and covered Christmas songs, was written by Irving Berlin in 1940.
The song is a rather unusual holiday staple. It was penned by a Russian-born immigrant who did not celebrate Christmas at all, as he was Jewish. Moreover, the piece is far from festive.
The song's nostalgic mood stems from a personal tragedy, the loss of a child. Berlin's three-week-old son, Irving Berlin Jr., died on Christmas day in 1928. Every Christmas thereafter, Berlin and his wife visited the baby's grave.
If you didn't know this, this piece of information will have a curious effect. It will enable you to hear the song for the very first time, even if you've heard it countless times. The song will no longer sound clichéd and old-fashioned, but genuinely affecting and, given current events, painfully relevant.
Well, that was our experience at least. When listening to the song, we couldn't help but be reminded of the bodies of children piling up in Gaza.
In keeping with the sentiment that shaped Berlin's song, we would like to dedicate the new version to the youngest victims of the ongoing massacre.
Silence, 2024
White Christmas, a new collaboration between Laibach and Silence, is out now.
The digital release includes two tracks: the title track and White Christmas (Silence Night). Both were arranged and produced by Silence. The title track features pianist Sašo Vollmaier, violinist Oskar Longyka, cellist Igor Mitrović, Benko, and His Master's Voice.