David Byrne Releases Festive Song, ‘Fat Man’s Comin”
David Byrne has released a festive single, Fat Man’s Comin’, available to buy now on his Bandcamp.
Byrne has revealed that he started writing Fat Man’s Comin’ while he was working on Love This Giant, his collaborative album with St Vincent’s Annie Clark. Having decided that “the story of a fat man in rather odd attire who breaks into people’s homes and leaves mysterious packages” wasn’t quite right for that project, the track sat in the archives until now.
“I always wanted to write a holiday song,” the former Talking Heads frontman said in a press release. “I wouldn’t call it a Christmas song, as the visitation of Santa (formerly known as St. Nicholas, who mainly did punishing) seems to have evolved to be a more secular consumer moment than a religious or spiritual affair.”
Fat Man’s Comin’ will be available exclusively on Bandcamp through the end of the month under a pay-what-you-can model, with all proceeds going towards Reasons to Be Cheerful, the good-news-only publication Byrne founded.
Founded in 2019 by David Byrne, Reasons To Be Cheerful is a nonprofit online news magazine published every weekday. More than three years, 650 stories and 100,000 active subscribers later, RTBC is now a leader in the rapidly growing field of solutions journalism. Its reporting focuses on proven, evidence-based responses to the world’s most pressing problems.
David Byrne’s Fat Man’s Comin’ credits
Written by David Byrne
Produced by David Byrne and Jherek Bischoff
Arranged by Jherek Bischoff
Published by Warner-Chappell / Index
Mixed by Pat Dillett at Reservoir studio
Strings/Woodwinds/Brass recorded by Jherek Bischoff
Paris Hurley – Violin
Alex Guy – Viola
Lori Goldston – Cello
Jherek Bischoff – Bass, Orchestral Percussion
Beth Fleenor – Clarinet
Samantha Boshnack – Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Nelson Bell – Trombone, Bass Trombone, Tuba
Mauro Refosco – Percussion
Kurt Bischoff – Sleigh Bells