Mary Gauthier's 2002 alt-country Christmas song set in a town called Paradise. The lyrics form a typical country music first-person narrative, realistic and gritty about the subject - in this case Christmas (so not a chirpy pop song to overspend in the supermarket by). The alternative aspect is that the narrator is giving a homeless person’s perspective of the season ; and that the gritty realism about the material poverty is actually the means by which the festive cheer and love shine through.
Davy stole a Christmas Tree
From K-Mart last night
Red ribbons and silver bells
Angels dressed in white
He tied it to the bridge rail
Where passing cars could see
Did a little dance up there
Looked down and smiled at me
My bed is a lawn chair
Cushions keep it soft
I sleep in the open air
Under the Southern Cross
Next to the golf course
By the Hyatt Hotel
Davy he's a friend of mine
And we get along pretty well
Christmas in paradise
Under the Cow Key Bridge
Where the warm breeze blows so nice
And the landlord forgives
Snowbirds on the golf course
Wear Bermuda shorts and polo shirts
Some play pretty good
Some play so bad it hurts
We pick up their golf balls
That fly over the fence
We shine them up a little bit
Sell them back for fifty cents
Christmas in paradise
Under the Cow Key Bridge
Where the warm breeze blows so nice
And the landlord forgives
I won't lie we just get by
But we'll be eating good tonight
Christmas dinner's at five o'clock
Over at the Church of Light
They don't care who you are
They don't ask what you done
Come on down and bring a friend
There's plenty for everyone
Christmas in paradise
Under the Cow Key Bridge
Where the warm breeze blows so nice
And the landlord forgives
The radio plays Christmas songs
While we get high
And Davy shouts "Merry Christmas, y'all"
To the cars passing by
Davy shouts "Merry Christmas, y'all"
To the cars passing by
