Snoopy’s Christmas.

Former Central Otago Deputy Mayor and staunch Cromwellian Neil Gillespie has always loved Snoopy’s Christmas, “because it is the epitome of Christmas,” and he knows it winds some people up, but he enjoys the message the song brings.

“Love is not the right word to describe what I think about this song, but I ‘get it.’ It’s the story of Christmas and humanity.”

Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning) - Alan Jackson.

An important song in reflection of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York.  

“It’s a really powerful song to me, and follows along the same theme of humanity,” he said.

Neil and I were talking about the important message in this song just a day after the terrorist attack on Bondi Beach in Australia.

Goodbye Earl - The Dixie Chicks (now just The Chicks).

A big fan of country music, Neil has seen The Dixie Chicks perform live - they have since dropped the middle part out of their name - changing to just The Chicks in June 2020 to distance themselves from the word ‘Dixie,’ which carries connotations of the Confederate South, slavery, and segregation, especially in the context of growing racial justice movements like Black Lives Matter.

 “The song is about a bad bastard and they dealt to him,” Neil said. Nuff said. Have a listen for yourself.