’tis the season to play Christmas Choons
I’ve just had a look at my list of ‘five favourite Christmas songs’ from this blog entry last year, and I have to say, it still pretty much stands the same twelve months later. The clips are still up if you want to go play ‘em.
But to this year: 2006, and when I was playing through my ‘Christmas’ genre on my iPod whilst driving in the TankMobile® the other day, it soon became apparent that there is a repertoire of ‘standard’ Christmas classics which you’re guaranteed to hear on the radio and see on music TV over the Xmas period in England, which … it would seem that Americans are blissfully unaware of.
So ‘HELLO‘ to all of the USA. Treat this as a Christmas musical education. If you ever wanted to pass yourself off as being British, not only must you know about Boxing Day, Christmas Crackers and Christmas pudding, but you should be able to know the words (or at least hum along) with the five following tunes …
Wizzard – I wish it could be Christmas Everyday
When I was about 8 years old, and behaving particularly badly one day in the run up to Christmas, this came on the radio, and I remember my mum making some smart comment along the lines of “It’s not going to be Christmas ANY day with NO presents if you keep going the way you are”.
I’m so looking forward to being a parent and using that one on my child too.
[Awaits 'Tower Block Tina' riposte in the comments below]
I wish it could be Christmas Everyday
Slade – Merry Xmas Everybody
Did you know that apart from being the Christmas No.1 smash in the UK in 1973, this has been a hit two more times in the same version in 1981 and 1983, again in 1998 – but a re-recording called “Merry Xmas Everybody ’98″, and in fact [I've just looked] appears in this weeks charts, mainly thanks to the fact that download sales are now including into the chart ‘rundown’.
In fact, I’ve just noticed that ‘Fairytale of New York’ has made No.10 this week – again, not because it’s been officially re-released (like it was last year), but just because enough people have downloaded it to warrant it a chart position. This is now the third time it’s been a top ten hit – and fourth time in the charts at Christmas in all. Nice.
Shakin’ Stevens – Merry Christmas Everyone
I don’t think ol’ Shakey was popular anywhere else in the world apart from the motherland, was he?
I can still remember my sister drooling over [real name] Michael Barrett on his Christmas Day Top of the Tops performance back in 1985.
Also, for some reason, a cover version of this song by Steps seems to have found it’s way onto my iPod. Not that I think I should be admitting to that in public.
Mike Oldfield – In Dulce Jubilo
The worlds finest no-lyrics Christmas jaunty tune – you can’t help but tap your foot or whistle or hum along with it!
Also, I have NO idea about the history of this song – when or why it was recorded, it if was used for a soundtrack or TV programme or similar. Usually when researching this sort of stuff WikiPedia is the ultimate resource, but there is no entry for this song as far as I can see. Does anyone know the history behind it?
Waitresses – Christmas Wrapping
Did you know that the Waitresses were an American band? Nope … me neither, but it failed to set the charts alight over twenty years ago now on either side of the pond, but yet still finds its way onto Christmas compilations and radio and TV playlists year after year in the UK.
I believe the Spice Girls even did a bad B-side cover version of it once – which (bizarrely) I would love to hear if anyone has an MP3 of it that they want to send to me, that’d be nice.
I’ve also discovered that Leigh had never seen or heard of the animated film ‘The Snowman‘ either, so I’ve now downloaded a copy so that we can watch it on Christmas afternoon, along with six children between the ages of 2 and 7 and see if we can get them to shed a tear at the end when he melts … oops, that’s spoilt the ending!
Next time: Leigh’s 5 American ‘standard’ Christmas songs that I’ve never heard of.
Plus, don’t forget the Review of the Year to download, oh – and Leigh wanted me to plug her photo blog too …
After living in London for the first 33 years of my life and working for the 
So for ten weeks in June, July and August 2009, I drove 20,000 miles around the the lower 48 contiguous states of the USA visiting towns and places that shared the same name as places on The London
Ah… i love ‘the snowman’. Channel 4, about 5pm this year I think.
Nice selection of choons – and I knew ‘em all. Y’see, sprite’s dad is a big-time Christmas recording collector. Seriously: they could start spinning up holiday CDs, records and tapes in July and not have any repeats. To say that the pursuit is obsessive is an understatement.
Of the choons, The Waitresses and Slade are on my all-time pop Christmas songs list: good, jangly, upbeat fun.
By the way: Last Call 2006 will be in the post to you tomorrow, barring calamity.
In Dulci Jubilo was a new take on a very old piece of classical music, just can’t remember the composer. I’m sure someone will remember and tell me and you.
Yuk, I think I’m going to brain myself if I have to listen to any of those songs.
Merry Christmas!
The Snowman is at 2.30pm on Channel 4 on Christmas Day.
No doubt Leigh won’t understand why this advert is so funny:
http://www.irn-bru.co.uk/snowman/
Thank you Michael #5 that made my day seeing that clip!
Geoff, you were naughty? I don’t remember, I thought you were a perfect child, a bit annoying now I come to think of it, still are!
You left off ‘It’s Christmas time’ by Band Aid or someone charitable, the one that says ‘there won’t be any snow in Africa’,from your definitive list. Re: ‘In Dulci Jubilo’ according to Google, was written by J.S.Bach, bit I remember it as a Carol ‘Good Christian men rejoice, with heart and soul and voice, Jesus Christ was born today…’ la la la la can’t remember any more, anybody help?
hello, as a massive spice girls fan, i naturally have their version of the christmas wrapping song! I’m going to attempt emailing it to you now, if that doesnt work i’ll send it over yousendit.com
Merry christmas!xx
Where did Jona Lewie and Stop the Cavalry get to? Ideal for humming in the office to annoy your colleagues.