Elliott Murphy “This Christmas I Want Less”

Following an annual tradition, internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Elliott Murphy's latest holiday season single “This Christmas I Want Less” (produced by Gaspard Murphy) is on all streaming platforms.

This year marks 50 years of a spectacular career that began with the release of Elliott Murphy’s debut album “Aquashow” (Polydor 1973) - rated 4 ½ stars on the prestigious All Music Guide. Over 40 albums have followed along with nearly 3000 concerts in the US, Canada, Europe and Japan.

Awards: 

- 2012 La Medaille de la Ville de Paris by the Mayor of Paris

- 2015 Chevalier des Arts et Lettres by the French Minister of Culture

- 2018 inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame by Billy Joel

- 2019 La Grande Bellezza lifetime achievement award in Zurich.

 

THIS CHRISTMAS I WANT LESS

Words & Music by Elliott Murphy © 2023

Hey Santa – here’s my Christmas list … [Verse 1]

I want a fair amount of money

And my pockets full of hope

A heart full of desire

And a brain that can somehow cope

With insanity and cruelty

This world is such a mess

 

[Chorus] I'm telling you what I want

He’s telling you what he wants

I'm telling you what I want

This Christmas I want less

 

[Verse 2] Well no more clothes or sneakers

Or high-tech gadgetry

No cool designer shades

Waiting underneath my tree

I got enough of more

It’s all good but it’s not best

 

[Chorus] I'm telling you what I want

He’s telling you what he wants

I'm telling you what I want

This Christmas I want less

 

[Bridge] ‘Cause I’m clearly at an age

Where I can really say I’ve had enough

Give it a rest on Christmas Day

Well maybe there’s a few things you could do for me…

 

[Verse 3] Sure I’ll take some optimism.

Give me King Size XXL

And my apocalyptic visions

Santa can you drop them off in hell

Oh surprise me ol’ Saint Nick

With your smile I would be blessed

 

[Chorus] I'm telling you what I want

He’s telling you what he wants.

I'm telling you what I want

This Christmas I want less

I'm telling you what I want

He’s telling you what he wants

I'm telling you what I want

This Christmas I want less

 

C 2023 Elliott Murphy, All Rights Reserved

Elliott Murphy Murphyland / SACEM 

The Middle Kingdom Now Out on All Digital Media

New Spoken Word Album from Elliott Murphy and Olivier Durand

The Middle Kingdom is a dramatic spoken word with music album comprised of a selection of poems from the Elliott Murphy collection of the same name. Read by Elliott, himself, with accompanying music composed and performed by his long time musical partner Olivier Durand and mixed and produced by Gaspard Murphy, the result is a surprisingly powerful album whose provocative lyrical images are lifted to yet another dimension with sympathetic and moving musical themes.

The idea for this unique project was born during the coronavirus confinement in France when it was impossible for these two long-time musical collaborators to perform or record together, because Olivier Durand lives in Le Havre and Elliott Murphy in Paris. Elliott proposed that Olivier choose a selection of poems from Elliott’s second book of poetry The Middle Kingdom that he could relate to both musically and lyrically. After deciding upon 18 titles Olivier composed and recorded accompanying musical themes in his home studio in Le Havre. After contributing his own musical ideas to the title cut, producer Gaspard Murphy mixed the final album with state-of-the-art HD sound. The subject matter of the poems themselves go from rock ‘n roll “On The Death of Prince” and “Last Night I Dreamed About Lou” to the very autobiographical “The Middle Kingdom.”

With a career of nearly half a century Elliott’s done it all with over 35 albums of original music since his debut album Aquashow (1973), six published books including two volumes of poetry (40 Poems in 40 Nights & The Middle Kingdom), short story collections (Cafe Notes & Paris Stories), three novels (Marty May, Poetic Justice & Diamonds by the Yard), and a starring role in the feature film Broken Poet based upon his 1980’s short story The Lion Sleeps Tonight which includes a rare cameo appearance by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa. He’s also the subject of the award winning 2016 documentary, The Second Act of Elliott Murphy. and his journalism has appeared in Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair and other international publications. Elliott’s autobiography Just A Story From America will soon be available as an Audiobook.

In 2015 Elliott Murphy was awarded the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture. In 2018, Billy Joel inducted Elliott into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, stating, “His songs are honest and literate and pure, and those songs have attracted audiences far beyond his country. I’ve long envied his bravery and integrity, and I’ve always admired his lyric skill.”

The Middle Kingdom is available on iTunes/AppleMusic/Spotify/Amazon and all streaming platforms. 

"Tramps": Elliott Murphy Book Advisory

Elliott Murphy’s latest novel TRAMPS takes place in the legendary 1980’s era New York City blues bar of the same name, where ex-punk musician Hoover has found his muse in the basement standing among the rat poison snorting cocaine with his best friend, bartender and drug dealer Jacky, while trying to make sense of a post-Elvis world, burying himself in the black shawl of the blues and looking for redemption in the rarified uptown elegance of the Frick Collection. Home is a call girl with a heart of gold as the Mafia and nihilism closes in from all sides. TRAMPS is the second in Elliott’s trilogy of rock novels, and his 3rd published novel. Available on Amazon.com and www.elliottmurphy.com.

BITLY LINK:  https://amzn.to/2TWlAW7

Elliott’s previous novels include the rock tragicomedy MARTY MAY and the neo-western: POETIC JUSTICE.  Other published works include the short story collection PARIS STORIES, and two collections of poetry FORTY POEMS IN FORTY NIGHTS and THE MIDDLE KINGDOM. In a career spanning over 45 years, Elliott has released 36 albums, his most recent being ELLIOTT MURPHY IS ALIVE!

“The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” an earlier story, has been made into the feature film Broken Poet, starring Elliott Murphy in his first major acting role. Cast members include the legendary Marisa Berenson, Academy Award nominee Michael O’Keefe, and acclaimed French actress Joana Preiss as well as rare cameo appearances by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa. The film is directed by award-winning Spanish Director Emilio Barrachina and is scheduled for a Spring 2019 release.

Singer-songwriting superstar Billy Joel is also a fan and in his November 2018 induction of Elliott into the Long Island Music Hall of fame, he said—“I’ve long envied his bravery and integrity, and I’ve always admired his lyric skill” and invited Elliott to join him and his band on stage at Madison Square Garden to sing Walk on the Wild Side by the late Lou Reed, a fellow Long Islander and also an early admirer of Elliott’s music.

In 2015 Elliott Murphy was awarded the Chevalier des arts et des lettres medal by the French minister of Culture.  

Elliott Murphy first rose to national prominence with the release of his debut 1973 album Aquashow,     

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Visit the ELLIOTT MURPHY Amazon author page at BITLY:  http://amzn.to/2lMcsmQ

Elliott Murphy Honored by the French Minister of Culture

www.elliottmurphy.com

American singer-songwriter-novelist and long time Paris resident Elliott Murphy has been honored with the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres by the French Minister of Culture. The medal will be awarded to Elliott in a ceremony on November 4 in Paris. He recently released his 35th album AQUASHOW DECONSTRUCTED, wherein he revisited the songs of his first album AQUASHOW (1973) and his novel MARTY MAY was published by Gallimard in 2013.

The Order of Arts and Letters includes such American artists as Clint Eastwood, Patti Smith, Terry Gilliam, Paul Auster and Meryl Streep.

He is planning a US tour in 2016.

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