Vankleek Hill’s Christmas song video – featuring clips of local residents acting out scenes – is online and available for viewing.
Gingerbread Town, written by Hadrian’s Wall lead singer Neil Emberg and performed by the band, was released on YouTube on Sunday, December 20, at 5 p.m.
The band had released the lyrics a few weeks ago and asked Vankleek Hill residents to film clips of themselves doing some of the activites depicted in the song. The response was almost overwhelming.
“It was to the point where in one section I had to line up a bunch of photos in the kick drum, because there’s such a variety of pictures I had to find a way to include them all.” says Emberg, who himself shot some footage of local businesses for the video.
Gingerbread Town describes scenes and activities in Vankleek Hill and shows the love Emberg has for the community in which he lives.
“The song is about Vankleek Hill and the things we do as family and friends,” says the songwriter. “From sliding to snowmobiles, to everything that goes on in the streets, to the bells ringing.”
As the band could not get together as they usually would for a recording, each member of Hadrian’s Wall had to record their individual parts for the song. Emberg then mixed all of the tracks together and combined them with all of the submitted clips to create the final video.
Here are the full lyrics to Vankleek Hill’s very own Christmas song Gingerbread Town, by Hadrian’s Wall:
Gingerbread Town – Written by Neil Emberg
Happy Christmas to all! Raise a glass, hold it high
It’s a yearly tradition for friends far and wide
There’s laughter around us and there’s joy in the air
and gingerbread houses decorated with care
The snow’s falling down, all through the town.
The church bells ring in Harmony
Oh, You gotta love winter
It’s the best time of the year
to spend time with the family
and sing songs of cheer
La la la
Joyeux Noel all the Streets are aglow,
decorations and lights on the telephone poles
Send your letters to Santa Through Canada Post
Just use the right postal code “HOHOHO”
And the shops are all open there’s hot chocolate too
(Or go to the tavern to get some Beau’s brew)
On the eve before Christmas Children can’t wait to see
what Santa will leave them, under the tree
Instrumental
Merry Christmas hills are covered with snow
We’ll go sliding with friends till we can’t feel our toes
Skidoos on the trails, and cross country skis,
We’ll put rum in our eggnog (And a fake fire on tv)
Fa la la la la la la la la la la la
Happy Christmas to all! Raise a glass and rejoice
Santa checks his list twice (So keep your sticks on the ice)
there’s laughter all around us and there’s joy in the air
and gingerbread houses decorated with care
stockings full of toothpaste and new underwear.
What would a song about Vankleek Hill be without a mention of the Windsor Tavern?
The video for the song ‘Gingerbread Town’ contains terrific videos and photos submitted by area residents, including this beautiful shot of snowmobiles at the Vankleek Hill Fairgrounds. Photo by Chris Cameron
