If you weren’t a taxi driver, what would you be? After hearing a catchy Christmas tune, we know the answer for one talented cabbie!
Veteran Gloucestershire taxi driver Michael Ian Brown has released Santa’s on his Way to help spread festive cheer – and shows he is just at home with a microphone in his hand as he is at the wheel of his cab.
The right setting
And to enjoy this singing cabbie’s talents, what better place to hear it, than in a taxi? It would fit right in with all the other famous festive tunes currently being played and would be a great talking point with passengers – it might even stop them asking if you’ve been busy or what time your shift ends!
As upbeat and catchy as it is, this song has had a long journey to reach the playlists of YouTube and Spotify.
Michael has been singing semi-professionally for several years and actually began writing this festive number about 13 years ago. After its very slow birth, Michael spent time adding to it during lockdown, and finally saw the finishing touches applied at the famous Abbey Road Studios. And the end result is this cheery Christmas number.
Spreading festive cheer
Gloucestershire Live caught up with 62-year-old Michael, who has been working with Associated Taxis in Gloucester for about five years after moving to the town from Swindon 20 years ago.
Michael told Gloucestershire Live: “I started to write it again during Covid. I always wanted to do this as I wanted to finish something. There’s a lot of misery around at the moment, so anything to brighten up people’s day is important. I played it to someone I know and I don’t think he could believe it was me singing. It’s all a little odd.”
Michael began writing the first four lines in 2010 and taught himself how to mix it when he returned to it in lockdown, as well as taking it to a professional studio in Stroud, where it was engineered and backing vocals were added.
Finishing touches
But for Michael, the final step – being mastered at the Abbey Road – was a dream come true.
He said: “I remember as a lad having a picture taken on that famous zebra crossing when I was in a school band, so this does mean a lot. They did a great job in making me sound better!”
The track is a mix of Rat Pack jazz and swing with ‘80s pop – it could be a collaboration between Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr teaming up with Mel and Kim to sing the latter’s version of Brenda Lee’s classic Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.
For those who have watched the track on YouTube, the animated video shows exactly how Michael envisages the single, with the heading: ‘Taxi driver from Gloucester UK writes song for Michael Buble’.
Michael continues to write his own material and performs semi-professionally at pubs across the South West.
And anyone jumping in his cab this Christmas might have the pleasure of an exclusive live performance!
You can hear Michael’s Christmas song on YouTube at ‘Santa’s On His Way’ by Michael Ian Brown (youtube.com) or on Spotify.
Picture: Will Luker, Gloucestershire Live
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