UK prog-rock luminaries Big Big Train release video for their festive track “Merry Christmas”

Big Big Train have premiered their video for the festive track Merry Christmas. It’s the band’s first Christmas single and it’ll be officially released on December 8 on 7-inch snow white vinyl with gatefold cover, Digipack CD, hi-res and standard-res download and via streaming services. The vinyl and CD versions will include the B-side Snowfalls. A donation to the Night Stop homelessness charity will be made for every copy sold.

The video features actor Mark Benton and The Chapel Choir Choristers of Jesus College, Cambridge, with Big Big Train vocalist David Longdon saying the track is “about rediscovering our childlike belief in the magic of Christmas, despite living in an over commercial and sometimes cynical world.” He adds: “After all, what wouldn’t you give to believe again, like you believed back then?”

Bassist Greg Spawton says: ‘We wanted Merry Christmas to be a proper Christmas song, so it features the Big Big Train brass band, The Chapel Choir Choristers of Jesus College, Cambridge and, of course, sleigh bells.”

Actor Benton is a fan of the band and admits when he was approached to get involved with the video, he didn’t need to be asked twice. He says of Big Big Train: “I love the way they tell stories through their beautifully crafted songs. This song is a real Christmas song with everything you need from choirs to sleigh bells. The video was great fun to shoot and hopefully really conveys the Christmas message. Let’s make it number one in the charts – the money’s going to a great cause.

“I’m playing triangle and kazoo on the next album – but don’t tell the band because they don’t know it yet!”