The Barenaked Ladies have never not littered sassy alliteration and quick rhyme over an up-beat melody if the opportunity presented itself. “Elf’s Lament,” a comically tragic narrative of a disillusioned elf is classic 1990’s Barenaked Ladies that cropped up on their 2004 holiday release Barenaked for the Holidays. 

It’s certainly Christmas: layered, call-and-response harmonies (helped along by guest vocalist Michael Bublé), and a disgruntled celebrator. Some accordion, tart chimes, and rhythmic maracas add some island flare and bring the song to an appropriate psyching-yourself-up-before-drinking-yourself-silly-to-handle-family pace. It also makes a great sing-along once the eggnog’s given you the courage.

The self-reflective “You look at yourself // You’re an elf” can be shocking to those of us waiting in footed pajamas, imaging happy folks dressed in warm green running about the North Pole. But the tongue-in-cheek “I make toys but I’ve got aspirations” hits home, heartily. As can the playfully subversive movement to petition Santa for proper workers’ rights. “Toiling through the ages, making toys on garnished wages // There’s no union // We’re only through when we outdo the competition,” we’re told, and suddenly, we love the elves more than the fat man in the red suit and may even get up to dance.

Only The Barenaked Ladies could play devil’s advocate and simultaneously generate Christmas spirit. With one warning, of course: “Consider the price to an elf” 

****/*****

*This review was composed by Emily Coch