Who could possibly say what was going through Mike Oldfield’s mind when he created this flight of festive whimsy? An instrumental reworking of a 15^th Century Christmas carol, ‘In Dulci Jubilo’ combines traditional English folk instrumentation with the electric sounds of 1970s progressive rock.

A musical prodigy hailing from Reading, Oldfield shot into the public consciousness at the age of just 20 with his seminal album Tubular Bells (1973). Now most associated with its quite fleeting usage in the film The Exorcist, it’s an almost entirely instrumental prog rock masterpiece, on which Oldfield plays the majority of the instruments. It skyrocketed his career and launched the fledgling label that released it – founded by some guy named Branson…

Two albums quickly followed, the second of which, Ommadawn (1975), contained the jaunty seasonal number we’re looking at here, later released as a single.

As with Tubular Bells, Mikey plays everything except the recorders, kortholt (a kind of olde-worlde oboe) and snare drum. If you’re interested in a more traditional choral setting, the Choir of King’s College Cambridge do a decent job.

The upbeat, catchy, repetitive and mildly irritating tune begins with a simple folky recorder over rhythmic piano, bass and acoustic guitar. Layers are gradually added: more woodwind, synths, snare and finally a brazenly triumphant electric guitar solo.

The interesting thing is it’s quite an impressive musical endeavour, and yet it’s also slightly ridiculous. It has become a bit of a running joke amongst certain of my friends. Partly because I delight in exasperating them by putting it on repeat and dancing like a loon. But I think mostly because the whole thing is so utterly bonkers. Genuine musical skill meets a bizarre mis-matching of styles meets sheer indulgence – especially when that guitar solo kicks in. It puts an image in my mind of Oldfield, slightly stoned and sleep-deprived, shut up alone for hours in a fag-end littered, windowless studio desperately seeking inspiration, before finally picking up a book of 15^th Century carols and some antique woodwinds and shouting “Yes! At last! This is it!”

All that being said, it is actually quite Christmassy and great fun! I cannot help but chuckle when it comes on, especially if I’m not expecting to hear it (I caught it in the canteen at work this very afternoon, sandwiched between ‘I Wish It Could be Christmas Every Day’ and Shakin’ Stevens).

Who knows, maybe that was Mike’s plan after all. A musical practical joke designed to either tickle or infuriate the listener. And if you really can’t get over the annoyance, try imagining me dancing along in a giant turkey costume, air-guitaring on an inflatable Fender Stratocaster and waggling my giblets like nobody’s business. Maybe that’ll raise a smile.

The split-screen original music video for ‘In Dulci Jubilo’ is quite fun!

Here’s another link to the Christmas Playlist

And if, like me, you now fancy giving Tubular Bells a listen, hear it is

Tomorrow, a visit from the King….