約莫在一個月前得知Aimee Mann要出張聖誕專輯，心裡頭第一個感想是：「不會吧」。但基於對她聲音的迷戀，在聽過官網釋出的〈I'll Be Home for Christmas〉之後，完全忘記台灣會有代理這件事，便從國外訂回來這張《One More Drifter in the Snow》（中譯為「雪中漂流」），通常約耗時一個月的海運，卻在一個禮拜後迅速到貨，彷彿知道我等不及，或許我會在老死前無數個聖誕節夜晚播放的一張專輯。為何這位以電影《心靈角落》（Magnolia）原聲帶、《Bachelor No. 2》、《Lost in Space》等專輯聞名的Singer/Songwriter要出張很容易就變得平板無趣的聖誕專輯？根據她的說法，靈感是從Johnny Mathis 1958年的的耶誕專輯《Merry Christmas》開始，她想做張不那麼摩登現代，反倒復古慵散可直溯Mel Torme、Dean Martin、Frank Sinatra、Julie London等人的專輯。
另一個發想則是從Vince Guaraldi Trio於1965年的史努比電影《A Charlie Brown Christmas》，片中Charlie Brown深受聖誕節等節日的意義所苦，本來要導演一齣關於Nativity的聖誕故事，卻失去導演職位、落得找聖誕樹道具的下場，不想搞得很商業的他，硬是不買聖誕樹，卻撿回看起來非常寒酸的樹枝充當，變成大家的笑柄...。
原來Aimme除了懷舊以外，還打算用她擅長的尖銳、一貫的犀利，冷眼旁觀這個聖誕節。誰說聖誕歌曲就一定得「Jingle All the Way」呢？
專輯以〈Whatever Happened to Christmas〉開場，Aimme照樣以濃厚的鼻音、淡淡的寂寞，帶出一個下著雪的耶誕夜晚，為整張專輯定了基調；稱不上快樂的歌曲，非常適合呆在家，凝望窗外的寒冷氣候。所以像是〈Christmas Song〉、〈I'll Be Home for Christmas〉、〈Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas〉、〈White Christmas〉都是這樣的小哀愁；在寧靜中Aimee也不忘請來Grant Lee Buffalo的Grant Lee Phillips唸白，搞怪詮釋起鬼靈精（Grinch）的角色，是怪的要命的〈You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch〉；同理可證於〈God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen〉，兩首怪歌滲透進來破壞我的憂傷。
十首歌還包含了她老公Michael Penn與知名電影配樂家Jon Brion的舊作〈Christmastime〉，當然也獻上了新歌〈Calling on Mary〉。從這首歌我們不能不竊喜，Aimee仍完美保留了她一針見血的批評（如「Salvation's coming cheap today」），以及每個人心底無可救藥的孤單（如：「Calling on Mary is voluntary. Unless you're alone like me」），甚至專輯名稱《One More Drifter in the Snow》都是出自這裡。唯一的全新創作，為這次的聖誕專輯下了最令人感動的註解。
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Aimee Mann / Calling on Mary
I heard the sidewalk Santa say:
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
Salvation's coming cheap today
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
I searched the skyline for a star
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
And baby I wondered where you are
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
'Cause comfort's not possible when
You look past the joy to the end
Calling on Mary is voluntary
Unless you're alone like me
If there's a star above, then it can look like love
When they light up the Christmas tree
When I was young I couldn't see
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
All that my true love gave to me
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
She offered sight to the blind
But I'm not the miracle kind
Calling on Mary is voluntary
Unless you're alone like me
If there's a star above, then it can look like love
When they light up the Christmas tree
And to all the lost souls down below:
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
What's one more drifter in the snow?
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!
If there's a star above, then it can look like love
When they light up the Christmas tree
If there's a star above, then it can look like love
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曲目：
1. Whatever Happened to Christmas
2. Christmas Song
3. Christmastime (Michael Penn)
4. I'll Be Home for Christmas
5. You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
6. Winter Wonderland
7. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
8. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
9. White Christmas
10. Calling on Mary" (Aimee Mann, Paul Bryan)
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PS.
專輯內我最喜歡的歌是：〈I'll Be Home for Christmas〉（請點官網連結，可試聽）、〈Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas〉，原因無它，就像Aimee想要達成的一樣，他們是我心中最有聖誕感覺的歌。
歌詞出處
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