Song of the Mother Xmas Union
This song dates to Leon's Inter-Action period of 1970-72. It has its seed in an earlier song, written for the real Father Xmas Union, which has been lost to time. The Father Xmas Union was formed in 1969 by Ed Berman to protest the sale of toy guns to children, and with a more general agenda against commercial exploitation of youngsters. Leon wrote a song in support of them, which does not survive - but the union spawned a counterpart movement from women, which gave rise to this follow-up song, thankfully preserved in book and on disc.
Leon's song is a feminist text in which the women (which is to say, wives and mothers) down tools and demand the men in their lives do the Christmas cooking and housework. The song also contains lines suggesting the Mother and Father unions should merge, which apparently really happened.
The song was unknown in audio form until it was included on Leon's 2011 retrospective, The World Turned Upside Down, in a recording of uncertain vintage.
Leon's song is a feminist text in which the women (which is to say, wives and mothers) down tools and demand the men in their lives do the Christmas cooking and housework. The song also contains lines suggesting the Mother and Father unions should merge, which apparently really happened.
The song was unknown in audio form until it was included on Leon's 2011 retrospective, The World Turned Upside Down, in a recording of uncertain vintage.
"The Father Xmas Union was formed in 1969 to protect children's fantasies from exploitation by religious and commercial interests... The Mother Xmas Union was formed later as a necessary counterpart to the FXU; a merger was proposed, accepted and effected." - LR (That's Not the Way It's Got To Be (songbook), 1974)
“I wrote a song for the Father Xmas Union which I have no memory of now. But I do remember the song I wrote for - this being the 1970s - the Mother Xmas Union.” - LR (sleevenotes to The World Turned Upside Down (CD box set), p21)
“I wrote a song for the Father Xmas Union which I have no memory of now. But I do remember the song I wrote for - this being the 1970s - the Mother Xmas Union.” - LR (sleevenotes to The World Turned Upside Down (CD box set), p21)
Recordings
Version 1 (2011)