Santa Will Find You
2FL Insight
by Jav Rivera
2FL Insight is a series of short posts highlighting film, television, music, art, or literature. Visit 2nd First Look’s official website for full-length articles & recommendations: www.2ndFirstLook.com.
SONG: “Santa Will Find You”
ALBUM: My Holiday (2007)
ARTIST: Mindy Smith
I’ve always been a fan of Christmas music; I love hearing the holiday spirit through my speakers, whether in the car, at home, or in the office. And of course there are a plethora of artists with Christmas albums out there including those classics from Nat “King” Cole, Bing Crosby, Andy Williams, and Elvis Presley to name a few. And there’s music from more modern artists that will eventually become classics, if they haven’t already. One of my personal favorites is “Christmas” by Chris Isaak (released in 2004). Isaak, whose voice could be compared to Elvis, has a style all his own. His Christmas album is absolute Isaak and perfect for the holidays. Another of my favorites is from the underrated singer-songwriter Mindy Smith.
Smith released her Christmas album, “My Holiday” in 2007. Like Isaak’s album, it’s filled with classics and originals. One of her original songs, which was co-written with Chley Wright, is titled “Santa Will Find You”. And though I immediately thought it was a highlight of the entire album, I had no idea of how strong it would be in the future.
This is why I was surprised when I discovered, years later, that one of my other favorite bands, Trashcan Sinatras, covered the tune. And then this year I discovered yet another cover by the choir group, Libera. After some Googling, I learned that there a several covers of Smith’s song and it makes sense seeing as it’s such an amazing song both lyrically and musically.
Of course, in my opinion, there will never be a better version than Mindy Smith’s original. Her voice has always been one of the most soothing sounds to my ears. I even wrote an article about the artist with the title, “Mindy Smith: A Voice I Could Marry”, written back in 2011. In the article, I even discuss “My Holiday”.
Smith’s version of “Santa Will Find You” has a touch of country to it, including a lovely mandolin embellishing the slow-strumming guitar. Her voice is polished and emotional, and the mood is spot-on. In just one song Smith precisely expresses the holidays.
The most recent version I found (which was released in 2016) is by the choir Libera, featuring soloist Isaac London. I found this one by accident when I simply Googled the title of the song because I had gotten in the mood to listen to it. I like to use YouTube whenever I’m away from my music collection, and this time I ended up finding a little surprise.
I had gotten so used to Smith’s version that I never imagined it in choir form, but it really works. The music video for Libera’s version is cute too but those voices are what make it incredible. I never heard of Libera, nor Isaak London for that matter, but now that I have I’ll be seeking out more from the choir group.
There’s always been something about choirs that make me feel at ease. It was the only real reason I enjoyed going to mass, especially on Christmas Eve. (Side Note: I was raised Catholic in the 80s and 90s where choirs were normally found every Sunday). I loved hearing their angelic voices echoing throughout the church. So to find Libera’s version brought back a lot of great memories.
I think, however, that besides Mindy Smith’s flawless version, the next best is by Trashcan Sinatras. They don’t deviate much from Smith’s version and yet make it all their own. Trashcan Sinatras have long been one of my top 5 favorite bands and one thing about their sound is that it’s unmistakable. And that’s a difficult task to pull off when you’re as versatile as this band.
In their cover, they add a bit of dreamy feel. Frank Reader’s voice is heartbreaking and soothing. Much like Mindy Smith, Reader is famous for having a lovely voice. His is a voice that can sound desperate and calm at the same time. Not many others can bring that kind of authenticity. Unlike Libera, I most definitely know the works of this band. And if you haven’t already Googled them, please do so. Every one of their albums is a masterpiece. If you have to begin somewhere, I recommend “I’ve Seen Everything” (1993) and “A Happy Pocket” (1996).
So whether you prefer country, dream-pop, or a choir, you’ll find yourself lucky because there are artists from all over that have discovered the magic in Mindy Smith’s tune. And that should prove that a good song can cross over into any musical style. For me, these three versions have the most magic. And though I’m partial to the original, I don’t mind saying that the other two versions have made it into my holiday playlist.
For more information on these artists, visit their websites:
Mindy Smith: mindysmithmusic.com
Trashcan Sinatras: trashcansinatras.com
Libera: libera.org.uk
