Dying inside
Are you familiar with “Cliff Richard Dying Inside“? It refers to the expression on the septugenarian pop star’s face in every photo on his annual fan calendars. In 13 days, it will be “octogenarian pop star”, by the way, happy birthday for then, Sir Cliff. Sir Cliff is very important to Christmas in the UK. I sing his 1988 hit “Mistletoe and Wine” when I need comfort. As for “A Spaceman Came Travelling“, was it Chris de Burgh’s finest moment? Or was that “Don’t Pay The Ferryman”?
Billie is definitely a peculiar person. It’s sad that she feels dying inside in Satan’s church. If she feels that bad, she should quit. Visions of satan claiming her or not! Anyway, I can’t wait to see what nice card Tom sent to Penrose.
I’m certain it will be lovely.
I mean, what could possibly go wrong?
Yep! There is way too much prejudice about Tom.
Next, Billie will be reforming Satan.
Billie’s is a classic pout.
The usage of “waft” in panel 1 is an inspired word choice. I challenge other creators to fit this underappreciated word into their work.
“A Spaceman Came Travelling” is also basically The Pretenders’ classic Christmas tune “2000 Miles”
I always pegged the Reverend for a Dolcis-wearer.
One of the songs I imagine for Billie’s personal soundtrack is the original John Bunyan hymn, “Who True Valour See”/He Who Valiant Be”
Who would true valour see,
Let him come hither;
One here will constant be
Come wind, come weather.
There’s no discouragement
Shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent
To be a Pilgrim.
Who so beset him round
With dismal stories,
Do but themselves confound,
His strength the more is.
No lion can him fright,
He’ll with a giant fight,
But he will have a right
To be a Pilgrim.
Hobgoblin, nor foul fiend
Can daunt his spirit;
He knows he at the end
Shall life inherit.
Then fancies fly away,
He’ll fear not what men say,
He’ll labour night and day
To be a pilgrim.
Ross, you have guessed correctly. When I need a hymn for Billie, I reach for my old school hymnbook and that’s my favourite in there.
I’m tickled to hear that. It’s a great hymn and just fits Billie to a T. I first heard it in the audiobook of The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell. I particularly like the more folksy rendition by Mandy Prior.
Did you mean Maddy?
Yes, Mandy. Thanks.
Maddy. Damn autocorrect.
The autocorrect must be a Barry Manilow fan.
It’s difficult for me to imagine having a favorite hymn. They are just so… droning.
Maybe that’s why “Lord of the Dance” was one of my favourites as a kid. There’s a playful spryness to it you don’t find in, say, “O Lord Our Help In Ages Past.”
Personally, when it comes to Chris de Burgh, I prefer Patricia the Stripper!
Blonde Hair, Blue Jeans, his spiritual follow-up to Lady In Red from when he fell for the babysitter and binned off his wife, has to be my pick.
Panel 4 is high on emotion
Trying to decipher what that drawing is on Tom’s “Christmas” card to Penrose (last panel). So far, everything is coming up “rude phallic imagery.” Maybe it’s just me. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
It’s just a very flowery “D” (for David). Nothing phallic today.
I think I can make out a goose proferring the “D”?
DeBurgh’s absolute pinnacle is when, during the fadeout of the song “I Love The Night”, he excitedly sings “I really, really love the night!” – at least that is what my brain is trying to tell me whilst simultaneously wrestling with its desire to never think of the ouevre of DeBurgh at all.
I’m loving this de Burgh chat more than I could have imagined!
Dang it, now I’m in the Christmas spirit!!
What is Billie stomping on in Panel 3? It looks–explosive.
A squib!!!
That’s a relief. I thought she was stomping on his junk, and his lack of reaction got me wondering about him and CoE clerics in genital (I mean, general).
that cig is a stump and he’s still nursing it! He needs to take up the pipe.
I expect that he’s told himself that he’ll go back inside once he’s finished it, and he’ s putting off that moment as long as possible.
1. I’ll cop to a shameful affection for “Ship to Shore.”
2. It’s always bothered me that “Just Another Poor Boy” felt like he was going back to the “A Spaceman Came Travelling” well *on the same album*.
Why are the reverends eyes black in panel two?