Last modified on Sun 13 Dec 2020 13.42 EST Chris Butler, songwriter, guitarist We were signed to Ze Records but they had other priorities. We were on the road trying to push I Know What Boys Like, a single that was in limbo because Ze couldn’t distribute it. Then they asked us for a Christmas record. I thought: “You have Alan Vega and Lydia Lunch on your label – not festive nonsense!” I hoped they would forget the idea, but they didn’t. I was such a Scrooge. I hated Christmas! Also, I worked as a freelance journalist. In December in New York, everyone with a job takes a long holiday, so I’d get offered work I was too poor to turn down. I’d have all this stuff to do when everyone else was having their eggnog. And I poured my sourness into this song. The first words I wrote down were: “Bah humbug.” The chorus went: “Merry Christmas. But I think I’ll miss this one this year.” It’s about two people alone at Christmas who meet while buying cranberry sauce, and get together. Of course, it had to have a happy ending – it’s Christmas! – but it was tongue in cheek.