Stay Cool (in the Time of Yule) is a song about Christmas time in Australia, and the joy and quirkiness of celebrating a traditionally winter holiday in the middle of summer.
I love Christmas, and I love Christmas songs, but I’d never thought about writing one myself till The Vegetable Plot got asked to do a bunch of City of Sydney Christmas concerts last year.
I was strumming my uke in a festive mood and thinking about how funny it is that we celebrate a winter holiday in the middle of summer, and before I knew it I’d written this song.
We added some exotic musical elements like harpsichord and mellotron to the track to give it that magical Christmas feeling, and as a little nod to two of our inspirations: The Beach Boys and The Beatles.
I hope kids and families around Australia (and the world) will enjoy listening to this song as they come together for the holidays. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from The Vegetable Plot!
Love and Peas, Aspara Gus
lyrics
Christmas in the summertime
Mercury’s at 29
Looks like it is set to climb
It’s much too nice to stay inside
So put on your cozzies, go outside
Come and take a ride on the slip and slide
Go to the beach, slip slap slop
Grab an icy pole or a paddle pop
pop pop pop pop
Because you gotta stay cool
(stay cool, stay cool)
In the time of Yule
(stay cool, stay cool)
You gotta stay cool
Stay Cool
In the time of Yule
(Stay cool, stay cool)
In the time of Yule
Stay cool, stay cool
Carol singers in the street
(Fa la la la la la la la la)
Fa la la la’ing in the summer heat
(Fa la la la la la la la la)
Singing winter Christmas songs
(fa la la)
In their singlets, shorts and thongs
So put on your cozzies, go outside
Come and take a ride on the slip and slide
Go to the beach, slip slap slop
Grab an icy pole or a paddle pop
Pop pop pop pop
Because you gotta stay cool
(stay cool, stay cool)
In the time of Yule
(stay cool, stay cool)
You gotta stay cool
Stay Cool
In the time of Yule
(Stay cool, stay cool)
In the time of Yule
Stay cool, stay cool
Everybody…
Jump in the ocean, jump in the pool
Got to stay cool in the time of yule
No more working, no more school
Got to stay cool in the time of yule
Stay Cool
Stay Cool in the time of yule
(Got to stay cool in the time of yule)
(Stay cool, stay cool)
Stay Cool
(Got to stay cool in the time of yule)
(Stay cool, stay cool)
Stay Cool
(Got to stay cool in the time of yule)
(Stay Cool Stay Cool)
In the time of yule
(Stay Cool Stay Cool)
Got to stay cool in the time of yule
credits
from Stay Cool (in the Time of Yule),
track released December 1, 2023
Written by Luke Escombe
Uke, keys, lead vocal - Aspara Gus
Backing vocal and sleigh bells - Paul McCarrotney + Ru Barb
Bass + drums, keys, acoustic guitar - Connor Fitzgerald
Engineered by Julia Goyen
Mixed by Sean Carey at Church Street Studios, Sydney
Mastered by William bowden
Produced by Luke Escombe and Connor Fitzegerald
Artwork by Ella Rousseau
Photo by Lyn Taylor
