By Lasia Kretzel

Sask. Ukrainian Christmas carol celebrates 40 years

Dec 27, 2014 | 12:24 PM

What has become a classic Saskatchewan Christmas carol began as a liquor-fuelled fun time between friends 40 years ago.

Les Pavelick and Neil Headrick, better known as the singing comedy duo Metro and Jacques Straper recorded the famous 11 Days From Christmas song in 1974.

“We wrote it one night after the bar closed and we went into the radio station and recorded it the next day just for giggles and it became a hit,” Headrick said, adding he never imagined the song would become synonymous with Saskatchewan Ukrainian Christmas culture.

“Why I saved it, I don’t know, but I still have the pieces of paper it was written on,” he said.

The pair played several tunes together at venues including the Prince Albert penitentiary where they were “honorary cons ” Headrick said.

Imminent need

Council set to discuss possible location for homeless shelter on 15th Street

1h ago

International Spotlight

P.A.'s Howe one of 4 Sask. born players named to Canada's World Junior roster

16h ago

National

Ottawa to remove 30% investment cap for Canadian pension funds

20h ago

Headrick, the host for the Prince Albert CKBI morning show, said they found a copy of the original 1974 recording among their archived audio.

“It’s a little bit different and it’s not very polished but it’s marginally funny,” he said.

Headrick calls their first recording a “pilot or a demo.” Some of the lyrics were changed and the song was later re-recorded by a solo-singing Metro for his Christmas album a year later.

The album Metro’s 11 Days From Christmas went on to sell more than 50,000 copies and earned Pavelick a Canadian gold record.

Pavelick died of a heart attack in Jan. 22, 2013 at the age of 71.

news@panow.com 

On Twitter:@princealbertnow