Hello Reader,

Welcome to this week's issue of The SQ1 Reader.

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SQ1 Original Content - 📚 The Surprisingly Sad Sounds of Xmas (CEFR B1.2)

If I were in an anglophone country right now, it would be inescapable. There would be no way to get away from it. In every shop, in every supermarket, belting out of the speakers of every car and truck; every Christmas song you have ever heard in your life on repeat for almost a month.

And the UKs perennial favourite?

Well, it's none other than Fairytale of New York by the Pogues.

And with the sad news that their lead singer Shane MacGowan passed away this week, the song is very likely to ride back to number one in the Xmas pop charts on the back of a wave of nostalgia.

As Helen Brown of the Daily Telegraph wrote, the song moves from,
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​"maudlin to euphoric, sentimental to profane, mud-slinging to sincerely devoted in the space of four glorious minutes – it's seemed perfectly suited to Christmas – a time which highlights the disparity between the haves and have nots around the world."

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A slightly more modern Xmas classic in the UK is the haunting cover of Tear's for Fears Mad World by Gary Jules.

I first heard it when watching the now cult classic movie, Donnie Darko. Shortly after its release the song became a surprise Xmas hit in the UK and seems to be sticking around as part of the annual replaying of favourite songs.

Give them both a listen to sample a taste of a UK Xmas. Maybe listen to Fairytale of New York last so you can finish on a more upbeat note though ;)

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See you next Monday!

Matt Keighley

Representative Partner @ Square One Japan Ltd.

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