9. Stop The Cavalry - Jonah Lewie (1980)
Key Lyrics Mary Bradley waits at home In the nuclear fall out zone Wish I could be dancing now In the arms of the girl I love Less of a case of 'stop the cavalry', more 'stop the rancid cheesiness', Jonah Lewie was the man who brought us this perennial Christmas classic that was kept off the top spot by posthumously released John Lennon songs. "Stop The Cavalry" is a Christmas song with a pacifist, peace promoting agenda, which is fair enough, but the seriousness of the message is dwarfed by the jaunty brass band music and Jonah singing 'Dub a dub a dum' every 20 seconds. The idea of a soldier out on the frontline wishing he was home for Christmas is a poignant one, but the music is inappropriate. Mind you, this is a Christmas song and not Metallica's One we are talking about so maybe I am being too harsh. But once you get the central melody of 'Stop the Cavalry' in your brain, you will be begging for a gun to end your pain.
Clare Simpson
Contributor
My first film watched was Carrie aged 2 on my dad's knee. Educated at The University of St Andrews and Trinity College Dublin. Fan of Arthouse, Exploitation, Horror, Euro Trash, Giallo, New French Extremism. Weaned at the bosom of a Russ Meyer starlet. The bleaker, artier or sleazier the better!
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Clare