Signs Of Christmas

Album: not released on an album (1965)

Songfacts®:

  • "Signs Of Christmas" was written and recorded by Calypso artist Arthur Frederick. It was performed as Vision, one of his stage names; one admirer, Kwame Akimodo, wrote: "Notoriously he is best known for his smash hit."

    Songwriter Arthur Edlin Frederick was born October 4, 1944 on Grenada off the coast of Venezuela. Moving to the nearby Caribbean island of Montserrat, he spent his working life as a police officer, but also performed as a singer and guitarist in both Montserrat and Grenada.

    A dedicated Calypso artist, his biggest hit was "Signs Of Christmas." During his more than three decades with the Montserrat police, he never quite managed to give up the day job, although he continued to perform as Napo, Soul and Otis (after Otis Redding).

    In July 1995, the dormant Soufrière Hills volcano erupted suddenly. Mud flows reached the capital, Plymouth, resulting in an exodus. Arthur retired from the police shortly after and relocated to London in 2000 where he worked as a museum security guard. On July 7, 2005, he was one of 52 innocent people murdered by an Islamist terror cell in one of four explosions in the capital. He died in the explosion at Russell Square Underground Station. His body was repatriated to his native Grenada where he was buried July 29. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England

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