Ready to get into the festive spirit and explore some classic Christmas tunes? This week, we're lighting up the holiday season with our favorite Christmas songs that have ever graced Top of the Pops and share some delightful stories from Christmas past. You'll learn about the iconic "Do They Know It's Christmas?" and its evolution since 1984. We've got a sleigh full of song trivia, from Phil Collins involvement in the original song to the artists who've belted out Bono's classic line in different versions.
Who hasn't hummed the tunes of Mike Oldfield or danced along with Pan's People on Christmas eve? We share our thoughts on these legendary musicians and their unique take on traditional carols. The conversatiohn then snowballs into an exciting discussion on other Christmas classics like "White Christmas," "Fairytale of New York," and "Mistletoe and Wine." We dissect the controversial lyrics, memorable performances, and the unforgettable moments these songs have added to our holiday celebrations.
#ChristmasTunes #FestivePodcast
Ready to get into the festive spirit and explore some classic Christmas tunes? This week, we're lighting up the holiday season with our favorite Christmas songs that have ever graced Top of the Pops and share some delightful stories from Christmas past. You'll learn about the iconic "Do They Know It's Christmas?" and its evolution since 1984. We've got a sleigh full of song trivia, from Phil Collins involvement in the original song to the artists who've belted out Bono's classic line in different versions.
Who hasn't hummed the tunes of Mike Oldfield or danced along with Pan's People on Christmas eve? We share our thoughts on these legendary musicians and their unique take on traditional carols. The conversatiohn then snowballs into an exciting discussion on other Christmas classics like "White Christmas," "Fairytale of New York," and "Mistletoe and Wine." We dissect the controversial lyrics, memorable performances, and the unforgettable moments these songs have added to our holiday celebrations.
#ChristmasTunes #FestivePodcast
Living with Maidalee.
Speaker 2:Hello and welcome to the seventh Christmas episode of the podcast Living with Maidalee. I'm one of the hosts, Liam. The other host is Andrew. Good evening.
Speaker 3:Good evening. How's things mate?
Speaker 2:Very good, we're feeling festive. We're actually recording this in December now, so we are in the festive spirit. We should probably do this as one of the first ones, really, because it's a bit more festive, isn't it? This is Christmas, top of the pops.
Speaker 3:We're trying to get more festive as we go along. We've got a couple of surprises coming up After Christmas. We're going to drop it and go to some New Year stuff, aren't we?
Speaker 2:The 12 days of Maidalee will actually take us right up to New Year and there might be other New Year stuff snuck in there at the end. But yeah, all good, We've picked five songs each. The stipulation was they have to have played live on top of the pops.
Speaker 3:Yeah. So if people are saying, why don't you pick this? So, for instance, there'll be, no, I don't know. Just before we start, actually, there's a thing going around called Wanla Geden, which I've talked to you about earlier, and that is how far into December can you get without hearing Last Christmas by Wanla?
Speaker 2:That's the only rules, and you will not be hearing that here because yeah, we're not going to ruin it, we're not going to spoil Wanla Geden, and that's natural. By the way, we just haven't, we couldn't have picked it. It's not on top of the pops, it's on top of the pops.
Speaker 3:So if people are saying, where's my cart mate? Can't have him. Where's Alton? Can't have him. Where's I believe in Father Christmas, Can't have it. My favourite. One of my favourites is Christmas Wrapping, but I brought this up with Eggy and Travelling in the pub last night and they both laughed their heads off at me about that thing. That's a cracking Christmas song.
Speaker 2:Sorry, just back to that Wanla Geden. Is that a Major Charles thing? We should probably give him a shot.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I thought, he's.
Speaker 3:I don't think he's created this. I saw him share it, but I don't think he's created it. But I'm happy to give him credit for it.
Speaker 2:It's sort of a thing he's come up with innit yeah, it's good anyway. So yeah, I've not heard it yet. So I'm still live in Wanla Geden. And what about you?
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, yeah, I've not heard it yet. I mean, it's not at first, as we're recording this, so it'd be a bit weird if we are. But by the time you're listening to this, I'd love to know how many people have actually listened to it Should we just get on.
Speaker 3:Yeah, did you pass the challenge? Should we just get on? We normally do a little intro thing, but fuck it, we'll just start, because I'm going to get the elephant in the room out of the way with my first pick and all I'm going to say is I'm not going to play a clip from this for obvious reasons. But what's Christmas without a bit of glitter? And, yeah, it's Gary Glitter, my first choice, and all the rock and roll Christmas now? Bear with me, liam. You know how we're going to pick this. We had a bit of a debate whether it should be acceptable. Hear me out. Yeah, no, you're not so happy about this. Right For the start, it's a fucking good Christmas song. But the reason I picked it is because the first record I ever bought 1989, was Jive Bunny and the Master Mixers, and it was their Christmas mix, which I'm sure you remember. I think you had it, did you?
Speaker 2:I know of it. I don't know if I had it. The first thing I bought was a record single and that was Jive Bunny and the Master Mix, but it wasn't the Christmas one.
Speaker 3:Right yeah, this was called let's Party and this was the third single released by Jive Bunny and it topped the UK Singles Chart. This might only vinyl. I love this and one of my favorite bits in the entire thing, in the entire like Master Mix. Let's Party single was another rock and roll Christmas. Obviously, following Gary Glitter's convictions, you don't hear it anymore, this song for good reason. But I think that actually, this is what I think right. This is my argument. I think it adds to the song.
Speaker 3:Doesn't that just got the fastest part of Glitter, as I said, but I think because you don't hear it as more obviously, it gets boring and you get to our age. You're sick of hearing the same Christmas songs every year. It's like here we fucking go every single year, but you don't hear this anymore. So when I was going through top of the pot's performance and I saw Glitter and I thought I can't have it, then I thought you know what? I've not listened to this song for so long and I put it on and I thought I'm having it.
Speaker 2:I'm absolutely having it. Yeah, when you said you were going to have it, I thought I'd better listen to it. It is a good song. It's just a massive shame it was done by Mr Gary Glitter.
Speaker 3:Well, number seven. He got two on the singles charts and it was Gary Glitter's most successful song since 1975. This came out in 1984. Yeah, it gave him like a bit of resurgence in popularity, but it was his final top 40 hit In the Jaguar thing, by the way, you mentioned this earlier. I listened to the let's Party single and he had All I Want for Christmas is you by Mariah Carey. I thought that doesn't work because that came out in 1994. Mariah Carey, that's another one we won't be having. By the way, she never performed on top of the pot, but you were right. I said to you it can't be the original single then but you said I wonder if if put Mariah Carey is All I Want for Christmas is you, where the Gary Glitter song could have been. And that's exactly what they've done.
Speaker 3:So we're not going to play it. You could check it out if you want. We don't. I don't know how royalties work, but if you know I don't know, could you play it. Give me a minute, get the old, get the old six stringer. I've got my cap on, just play a little snippet.
Speaker 2:We won't owe him any royalties. Another rock and roll.
Speaker 3:Christmas, another Christmas, rock and roll. The presents hang you from the tree. You'll never guess what you've got from me. Love that line. That's what you're getting, by the way, but I love that line.
Speaker 2:I thought you were going to go into the chorus. Yeah, I was just.
Speaker 3:Now, that is the chorus. You know rock and roll. The bit actually goes back to you again after that. It's a fucking good song. Obviously, we don't come down. There's a Facebook group, by the way, called Respect the Music, and it's all about Gary Glitter fans. We've talked about this before. Is it alright to listen to Lost Profits? It's a good debate.
Speaker 2:I've heard people debate whether they can separate Maurice's music from his politics. It's a fine line. It's a fine line. That's my first choice.
Speaker 3:It's a good song. What's your number one, William?
Speaker 2:Well, I've not ranked him, but my first one is a song that was released in November 1983. I've only actually got about 15 in the charts. I don't know whether it's gained popularity over time, but I really like it. I'll play the clip first.
Speaker 3:I'm surprised that I only got to that cinema 15, that's why.
Speaker 2:To be honest, it was never really one of my favourites, but I was aware of it. And then I went to see Cara Dillon at Buxton and she did a version of it and I thought that's just really good song. So I've kind of gone back and revisited it and it is brilliant.
Speaker 3:You'll never not be funny using Cara Dillon at Buxton. I don't know why just the Buxton bit.
Speaker 2:Absolutely amazing, I don't know why you find that as entertaining.
Speaker 3:I like Buxton. You know I've been to Buxton. I think I've been with you, but I don't know how. Cara Dillon at Buxton.
Speaker 2:Just good old round song. I think it's not one of these what would I say, christmas by numbers where they've just churned out a melody. I think it's a little bit cleverer than that. I think you've got one actually in your list that wasn't a Christmas song but that kind of became popular at Christmas and this feels other than the line in it. It'll be back for Christmas time. It doesn't feel like it necessarily has to be a Christmas song and I quite like that. It's not some of the cliched stuff that you get this time of year.
Speaker 3:I agree with you that I think it's really horrible that you I used to love Christmas songs, like up until about 1920, and then I think you know they just become too. Oh, here we go again. We've heard it again, but this is one of the ones. I think that you don't hear that much, which is probably why I quite like it.
Speaker 2:I think as well that if you heard this saying in March, I think you wouldn't instantly sort of be what they're playing this for this time of year. I think you could sort of be quite aptly singing along to it without realising it was a Christmas song, until you got to the sort of Christmas lyrics, christmas time you like it From the album Learning to Crawl I don't know anything else by the Pretenders, if I'm honest, which.
Speaker 3:I do, oh, you do, I'll stand by you. I do, yeah, I do. I've heard it over. Nobody heard you. But what else did they do? They've done a few songs.
Speaker 2:I've probably done loads of their songs, if I'm honest, but I wouldn't have been able to name one if you hadn't said that then they covered.
Speaker 3:Stop Sobbing by what they called the Kinks. I remember them doing that live aid.
Speaker 2:Christmas behind very distinctive vocals.
Speaker 3:Oh, bracket in my pocket. That's the biggest one, isn't it? Ah, yeah, of course.
Speaker 1:Gonna make you make you, make you love me. I think I knew that one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a good song.
Speaker 3:Right, my second one. I have got a clip for this because, as far as I know, this guy's not a convict of data file, so this is my number two. This is Stop the Cabalry. Is this the one you were talking about when you said yeah, it's not really so if?
Speaker 2:my sort of vague trivia is correct. This wasn't written as a Christmas song.
Speaker 3:Interesting that? Because he yeah, basically he, jonah Louie, this is obviously like he said. It wasn't meant to be a Christmas song, as you said, and it was dismissed by Stiff Records founder Dave Robinson. He just said oh, this is just another anti-war song. And he said Jonah Louie said there's one line about the soldier being on the front line and missing his girlfriend which says obviously I wish I was at home for Christmas. He said the record company picked up on that one line, added a bell which weren't in the original version, and just released it, you know, as a Christmas air. He said it was never intended to be a Christmas air and it was just a protest song.
Speaker 2:Clever marketing really good, yeah. Number three when Tilly, my oldest daughter, was really young, she always used to ask for this one on and used to sort of march up and down.
Speaker 1:So yeah like that, yeah like that, yeah like that, yeah like that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like that. Yeah, in the 1980s this word got kept off the number one spot and number two spot by the same artist, john Lennon. It was murdered on the 8th of December in a hail of bullets cut down in a hail of bullets, mike Barry, for anyone who doesn't.
Speaker 3:Yeah yeah, so yeah, we put down in a hail of bullets in December 1980. Otherwise this would have got to number one, but if I'm right, I believe the number one would have been imagine, I think, december 1980, and then probably woman would have been the other one from John Lennon. So you're not a fan of Imagine at all, are you Just a bit of a tangent.
Speaker 2:Imagine no. I don't think it's very good at. I'm more McCartney. I like my sort of fancy melodies. I think Lennon's done some good stuff, but I also think he's done some very overrated stuff.
Speaker 3:Imagine all the people. Yeah, so it missed out, but yeah, really good song there. So he's one of those again that I don't get bored of, and I think it's because it's not really a Christmas song over than that Bell's bit. So, yeah, good song. What's your number two?
Speaker 2:Number two, very famous one, anyway, it's Do they Know it's Christmas? Let's play the song.
Speaker 3:Feed the world. This is the original, isn't?
Speaker 2:it. Yeah, this is yeah, although this maybe sort of throw the whole thing into doubt, because obviously we've both picked songs that would form live on Top of Pops. But yeah well, actually none of them are form live, are they? Because you couldn't do live on Top of Pops.
Speaker 3:Well, they're not live, but they just turned it up, yeah exactly that's it.
Speaker 2:They bothered to turn up so they get on this podcast episode. But what's? Incidentally, obviously people come along on mine, but what's funny on this is some of the people aren't there. So, yeah, you've got Paul Young, you've got who else?
Speaker 3:is there, michael, george, george Michael.
Speaker 2:No, so his lyric is somebody else singing. I think Sting sings it. And then runs into the next bit that Sting does Sting's probably bubbling around in the background. No, so Bono is not there. So for his iconic line, we've got somebody else singing over it. Who do you think it was?
Speaker 3:Oh, bauer, now you're not fucking concerned. He weren't there. No, he weren't there. Paul Waller, yeah, what Fucking hell, that was a proper guess. I know they got two free-to-feeders on you Two and I thank your. It's damn.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it could be that. It could be. Bob Hoskins, have you heard the N18?
Speaker 3:I think it's 1984. No, this is 1984. The second version it's 1984,. Yeah, yeah, the second version. They did I have heard it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's not quite as iconic as it is, but I have heard it yeah.
Speaker 3:Stockade can have Walter Men in it. I think Like who did it? And I think it's Bross who did the and they do it so badly Obviously Bono's bit.
Speaker 1:That guy got it's damn yeah yeah, out of you.
Speaker 3:And obviously Brosses goes tonight. Thank God, it's damn instead of you.
Speaker 2:But yeah, but you couldn't do it the same, could you, because he's made that his own. Who would you reckon would be like? Who would you give it to? Now the recording? Now, do you want an artist?
Speaker 3:Well, they did really do it and he did that line again, didn't they?
Speaker 2:Yeah, because I think it were a bit of a thing when it like oh, you can't get someone else to do the Bono bit.
Speaker 3:Yeah, oh, we would have get to do it now. They might have re-ed Put your hands up. What is that? No, who would you have it now, I imagine? Someone like Shereen would probably get the gig, but his voice is nowhere near strong enough. Do you get Daft Punk doing it? Rope up voice. I don't know. I don't know. That would be amazing.
Speaker 2:I don't know. I don't know, You'd have to go big, wouldn't you? Would it be like a Taylor Swift or something like that?
Speaker 3:I'd say Swifty, or maybe like Lord of the Rave. I don't know if that would work like tonight. Thank God it's them instead of you. I don't know, I don't know. Send us in. Send us in what you think. I'm surprised on this one that Tony Hadley could have a crack at it.
Speaker 2:What he's dancing about in there. It looks quite cool in the background. It was 1984, number one. It was the fastest selling single in UK history until Elton John's Candle in the Wind. It's on a million copies in its first week and it was number one in 13 countries.
Speaker 3:Give me your fucking money when we do a page for that.
Speaker 2:He's there actually. Geldorf. I didn't know this, by the way. He'd written this song for the Boomtown Rats, but it wasn't actually called that. It was called it's my World.
Speaker 3:It was called Another. I Don't Like my Dicks. It's very large though, because he has got other Rats. Rat Rats got number one, but he's obviously so. This is on the last live aid, not live aid where he weren't going to sing and he cuts the killer, set short and he goes. I had to do it, I had to come on. No, he didn't. What was he singing in Vienna?
Speaker 2:One time Artie was one of my least favourite people, but I've relaxed and I'm minding quite so much now.
Speaker 3:Geldorf, yeah.
Speaker 2:Simon Le Bon's there. Spandau Ballet Guards didn't bother. I'm trying to think of horses.
Speaker 3:I think we've come in most of the time I'm sure with Spandau Ballet were there.
Speaker 2:Martin Kemp there If he is I didn't see him.
Speaker 3:I think they're in it. We're full coins there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he's playing drums. At the start I thought I might say but he's playing the bloody drums.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, it's one of them you get a bit sick of, but it is the first couple of times you hear it of the festive season is genuinely a really catchy, good song. I mean, obviously they did the Gavin and Stacy thing, didn't they, where they sort of phoned each other singing along to it. Yeah, yeah, the intro is brilliant and If you're wondering why I played that bit is because I think that was the best bit in it. I like Paul Young's voice and I really like that particular bit of the song. So, yeah, that was my number two.
Speaker 3:Yeah, did you know? Phil Collins played drums on the actual version of that as well?
Speaker 2:He was just messing about he's playing drums now. I think.
Speaker 3:Do you know what I'd love to do if people can be bothered, I'd like to do it so the most unlike the line up of like you could do. Do you know what I mean? Like what would sound really good, like doing it. Do you know what I mean? Like Liam Gallagher, like, the Pico.
Speaker 2:Can you choose? Yeah, Because, like anyone would be like now would be ridiculous, wouldn't it?
Speaker 3:But yeah, yeah, I mean like do you know what I mean? Like just people with like unique voices who could do it Morissette, like no, thank God, you can do it.
Speaker 1:Well it's.
Speaker 3:Anyway, my number three. This is a weird one. There's double A size. Not really a Christmas. Well, it is because it's an instrumental version of a traditional Christmas carol. And here we go. So this is 1975. Mike Holfield in Dolce de Jubello and the other side were on horseback, which is a really good song actually, but they never play that Right. The reason I picked this is because I thought it probably time to bring these girls into the equation. Mike Holfield doesn't turn up for the top of the pop version of this, and he's. This song is danced to by Pan's. People remember them.
Speaker 2:Well, they just come on stage, they just dance on stage to his music, right?
Speaker 3:so Pan's people they were obviously before our time, but from 1968 to 1976, what they used to do if they couldn't get the artist to play so like, for instance, the Wham song that we were on about, george Michael didn't turn up for the top of the pop to sing it. So we can't have it, but what they'd have done is got them to dance to it on stage. So in this video for this, obviously Holfield's not there, so they're just dancing about to this song. It's almost like ballet dancing. It's really odd, but obviously at the time you could perform music videos, weren't it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, that's weird, isn't it?
Speaker 3:Yeah, in 1976, lee Ward, a girl called Lee Ward, left the group. She was a reporter saying with regard to the change of a mixed gender group, it's a big mistake because men rush home to watch sexy ladies they do not want to see men. Do you agree with that? Because they went to like an old, you know what I mean. Like both sexes.
Speaker 3:All right, yeah, I don't mind watching whoever wants to have a go, but this is a good song, by the way. Again, it's not one that you hear that much, I don't think, and it's instrumental and it's on what's it called Moon. It's a good album.
Speaker 2:I don't think it is. It's a Christmas song, really.
Speaker 3:Well, you could say that, but it is an instrumental version of a Christmas carol, like a German Christmas carol.
Speaker 2:So it is by all caps. I've never really associated it with Christmas. I think it's just more like a party song, I think.
Speaker 3:I know what your favourite Michael Phil song will be.
Speaker 2:Um go on In the moonlight shadow. Oh yeah, cool shit.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, we always used to sing, Carried away like a moonlight, shadow.
Speaker 3:Shadow it's obviously off a fashion where Dave Angel is one of the best bits of fashion art Carried away in the moonlight shadow. Obviously. His most famous one, though, is Tubular Bells, which is obviously a theme to exorcist In America. He's like a one-it-wonder, but obviously he'll read a few more.
Speaker 2:I never thought of Mike Oldfield as a person who goes and performs. I just thought it was kind of like um, I don't know who, would I kind of like him to Like a, just a music producer really.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean, he sort of is. He's not really, he's not a singer. He did the blue Peter theme tune, actually as well, Not the original, but he redid it for him, like you know, the blue Peter theme tune. But yeah, he sort of got into pop in the 80s but he's more of a progressive artist by all accounts. He saved or made whichever way you want to look at it Virgin Records for Mr Branson, because Tubular Bells was that massive as a song, that um it. You know, the Virgin Records became one of the biggest record companies in the world. And looking at him now, Branson, jetting off, doing whatever he does, Well, he's got, he's the only man. What is it? Well, Richard, he's the only man in the Caribbean with a full-size snooker table going to Mike.
Speaker 3:Yeah, although that was then there might be more now. Might be more now. Anyway, what's your next one?
Speaker 2:This is one I do think it's a good song and it also kind of reminds me of something funny, but this is Mudd and it's Lonely this Christmas, so I think this is a fantastic melody. I really do. I think it's like almost like a backer act type. It's really sort of gets you humming along to it. I don't really know much about this one. Actually, for some reason I've not researched this one. Not that I've done massive research on the other ones, but the reason I like it is because it's a flat rock band weren't they Mudd?
Speaker 3:They did Tiger Feet and there was, like the biggest other one.
Speaker 2:It reminds me of so. When we were working at Sainsbury's about 20 years ago, there was a girl there that liked me at the time and was sort of trying to get me to go out for a drink, but I didn't want to.
Speaker 3:It's like a it's like a, like a boat.
Speaker 2:So right rounder I'm like no, no, you know it wouldn't.
Speaker 3:I want to pick this because it's yeah, go on.
Speaker 2:But because I didn't want to like when I bloke's work Sandal kept going why don't you just go for a drink with her? I said I don't want to, I'm not bothered. So every time that he kept on. When I walk you're past him singing lonely this Christmas without you to hold. So yeah, just make me smile.
Speaker 3:Obviously it's a pastiche in Elvis. This one, like it's a bit of a joke song, I think.
Speaker 2:I've never really thought about it, you know okay.
Speaker 3:Yeah, well, I thought, I mean, I presume, yeah, I think it's like his. Is Elvis the actual song? No, no, no, no, the song is more. He sings it like Elvis, I think. Well, I'm sure he is. He's like yeah, I don't think it was Christmas.
Speaker 2:I don't think I'd have been stunned if I looked it up with Elvis, because I didn't know who'd done it actually, but yeah.
Speaker 3:Was there an English band?
Speaker 2:And it doesn't sound.
Speaker 3:English, does it it?
Speaker 2:got to an award in 1974. It sold 750,000 copies to get to number one. It's the Sorry go on Now, written by Nicky Chin and Mike Shatman. Sounds like Brilliant's double-eyed detective double-eyed, don't it?
Speaker 3:Nicky Chin and Mike Shatman. Nicky Chin and Mike Shatman.
Speaker 2:Brilliant, absolutely, this is good. And it was a third number one single that year for the Chinnychap writing production team.
Speaker 3:Chinnychaps brilliant, absolutely amazing. They're right. I'm looking at a picture of them now. They look like you know crumb brulee off like a gentle one. Yeah, mud, I've had a lot of time for that song, I think Right. So my next one is this is actually the last number one single ever with Christmas in the title. Outside of the re-release. Do they Know? It's Christmas one, and this is a man who has had a bit of a run-in with Richard Maitley before. This is shaking, stevens.
Speaker 1:This is brilliant.
Speaker 3:What's the title of this song? This is actually called Merry Christmas Everyone.
Speaker 2:Alright, okay, I think I would have thought it was called Snow is Falling.
Speaker 3:I think this is a brilliant song. I think this is by far shaking Stevens' best song. There were actually plans to release the previous year, 1984, but he held off because of Do they Know it's Christmas and he was pissed off because shaking Stevens was not asked to contribute to that song.
Speaker 2:So he didn't want to be a number one, so he waited here.
Speaker 3:Yes, he waited here so he had it ready. And then he said well, I didn't even fucking ask me to go on there. He bollocks to him I'll fucking I'll get number one next year then so shaking it down, I think it's a good song there, so I don't know about you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I do like it. Yeah, I think with a lot of these they're always the same, aren't they Like first week in December? You think I love that by the end of it you are kind of a bit sicker in the same songs really. But yeah, I do like it. If I was doing a say Christmas top 20 or something like that, it would definitely be on there.
Speaker 3:Well, the reason I picked this, one of the main reasons I picked it, is that I'm sure most people have heard this before, but there were a meme going around a long, long time ago or a video. I think it was originally titled Shaking Junkie Stevens, and it's basically a guy absolutely hammered in the daylight, it seems. I'm doing this song and I'm going to play it now.
Speaker 2:Is he drunk or is he drunk?
Speaker 3:Apparently he does this quite often. He sounds a bit drunker. He does Elvis and Shaking Stevens songs. He does the twists and everything. He doesn't see the videos he's putting Shaking Junkie Stevens. People use it in memes and stuff and they'll say me when I've been out all night and come in to my mum's house for Christmas dinner, Like round up high realising it so good, absolutely amazing. But yeah, one of my go to Christmas videos every year. Rightly watch the last one.
Speaker 2:No, I've got two left.
Speaker 3:Oh, yes, I went first. I apologise.
Speaker 2:Let's play the song first. This is a brilliant song, by the way. I'll play it. I'm guessing everyone will know what it is. I'll play the song and I'll play what it is after.
Speaker 1:Give me yours. If you only stay, he's coming. You're coming here on the second day.
Speaker 3:Oh, you had to have him. I mean, I was going to have Missal Toe and Wine, but I didn't.
Speaker 2:Well, I debated that because I loved Missal Toe and Wine. When I was a kid my grandma used to sing it all the time, but even then I still loved it. This is genuinely a really good song. It's not one that gets loads and loads of airtime, because he's sort of become a little bit of a joke.
Speaker 3:I suppose it's not just that I mean, I don't know, missal Toe and Wine is the one that everyone goes to, but for me this is a much better song than the Seavius D.
Speaker 2:It's genuinely really good. If you've not heard it, or not for a while, it's definitely worth the re-listen around this time of year. It was the second number one. Obviously, missal Toe and Wine was the first and this was number one in 1990. How do you say second number one, christmas number?
Speaker 3:one. Oh shit, sorry. I thought, ah right, I thought you meant fucking hell, is that young ones?
Speaker 2:It was written by Chris Eaton, who took the song to him. He took it round to see Cliff Richard. Richard said sorry, I'm booked up next year He'd got all his tracks that I've already booked in so he couldn't do it. But Ian insisted that they listen to it. So they went out to Cliff Richard's Rolls Royce and played it in the car and he immediately liked it and predicted it this could be a number one. So he did it.
Speaker 3:I've just read about it now. He recorded it in a studio in Wimbledon where he's obviously really running out on the Nifer being the Roll going on the best.
Speaker 2:Sue.
Speaker 3:Barker would have Sue Barker being there. Well, I have to play a clip. You know what clip I'm going to play.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, one of us would have. If you didn't want to play it, I was going to play it.
Speaker 3:A couple of years ago, cliff Richard did a Christmas album and to throw it. This is what he said Hi there.
Speaker 4:There's just one week to go until Christmas, with Cliff. Hits the shelves Please pre-order it now.
Speaker 1:I really need your help.
Speaker 3:I fucking think it's one of the greatest ever.
Speaker 2:I'm not saying serotonin, I really need your help.
Speaker 3:Please pre-order it now. I really need your help. I was in tears.
Speaker 2:The person who originally shared that clip. I don't know if it's the same one that we've used for this, but I remember they said something like it's like he's been kidnapped and held hostage. I really need your help.
Speaker 3:He always loads of money to gangsters and stuff, so he needs it to get to number one. Please pre-order it now. But what he's talking about there is Christmas with Cliff. I said this, Leo, this blew my mind. So Christmas with Cliff. A couple of years ago it got to number two, actually the Charles Goodford Goodford from Cliff. This time of his career he's filmed a video, I think for every single track on this album. They're all just like old Christmas songs, like Jingle Bell Rock or yeah, yeah when a child is born and all that sort of stuff, but they're all filmed. Every video is just him in his house on his own in a room Just jigging about.
Speaker 2:You see, like he's sort of fireplace and mantelpiece in background and he's just dancing about in his house singing, and his voice is not great by this time. I mean it was a good singer, but it's a bit desperate isn't it the Slayer-eyed one?
Speaker 3:It sounds like a Ravi Rock Slayer-eyed, I don't know, because his voice is good. It sounds really croquet. So it sounds like, I don't know.
Speaker 2:It's just like it's a bit like one of the sort of Buble-type things where he's just done a compilation of Christmas songs I love like Buble, by the way, I know a lot about. I love how it's that kind of like Sinatra style of it just changes a tiny bit. It's like rocking around the old Christmas tree having a great party. Just changes a tiny bit. I just love that sort of style of singing.
Speaker 3:But I advise anyone to put in Christmas with Cliff on YouTube and watch the videos of the songs from this album, because they're just, I don't know. It's still like when someone's had a few too many, you think, I don't know.
Speaker 2:I'll film myself singing or something like that, it's like a grand-ever drinking again. Last night we only like We've seen he sent some picture of himself singing.
Speaker 3:I'm not a fan of Cliff Richard, like as a man. I think he's done some really good songs. I think it's so funny we don't talk anymore. He's really good. Double woman obviously Wired first sound. That's Buble Wired for Sounds is probably my favourite.
Speaker 2:I think it's a brilliant song.
Speaker 3:Brilliant song. He's on Roller Skates, you know on the video. But I think Ricky's raised something up really well actually, where he said every time he speaks there's a boast in there about him. So obviously he's been in the news recently for Callie Elvis' file, but again it's just a bit of a boast, like I refuse to meet Elvis.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean.
Speaker 3:Everything he does is like, created Rock and Roll in England. No, you didn't. You just fucking nicked Elvis' act, so got no time for him as a man, but he is Christmas-time.
Speaker 2:Just on his, If you actually watched the Top of the Pops video that he did, it's from 1990. I mean, it's probably about 50 then, but it looks quite cool then. Like it's sort of sad that he's not grown old sort of. Gracefully, he's still trying to be that man, but he's like 33 years older.
Speaker 3:I think he's possibly as hard-working as possible. Yeah, he's 80. A really good help. Hey, god, really good help. Yeah, like I say, I just just not my, I don't know. Obviously, harry Webb is real name, because you know he's got dual citizenship William in the United Kingdom and Bob Bidos.
Speaker 2:All right. Fuck, I'd be like a tax haven thing.
Speaker 3:No, no, right. So my last one. I had to have this. It is overplayed and when it comes on I don't know, but. But I had to have it and I'm going to play the very, very start. In fact, I'm going to play the first verse on the chorus because the beginning is fantastic. I'm going to play the first verse on the chorus because the beginning is fantastic. I'm going to play the first verse on the chorus because the beginning is fantastic. And I'm going to play the first verse on the chorus because the beginning is fantastic. This is Slade. Merry Christmas everyone. I had to have it because, would you say, it's the most famous Christmas song.
Speaker 2:Probably to all generations, maybe, or maybe White Christmas. I would say it's only rival. But I think if you ask a lot of kids now, it might not be. If you're talking sort of grandparents, parents, kids all the way through, yeah, this is probably right up there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, jp did a cover of it, didn't he A couple of years ago? Brilliant, I love the harmonium at the start. Is it like a pre-answer Do?
Speaker 1:you know the harmonium.
Speaker 3:Is that what it's like? A pre-answer. What is it? What does it do?
Speaker 2:I don't know what does it look like, what is it? Harpsichord.
Speaker 3:No, it's like you know the beginning, you know the very beginning bit of the song. Yeah.
Speaker 2:No, I don't, I obviously do.
Speaker 3:It's basically. What it is is like a really old-fashioned keyboard, like an organ, like an organ, like a really old-fashioned one. It's like a pump organ basically. Anyway, it was the same one that you was a mining by John Lennon as well, because you were being recorded the next day. But yeah, this song, obviously by Slade, written by Noddy Older and Jim Lee. It's Slade's last number one single, but by far their biggest selling single. I'd like to know if he's a millionaire on the back of this Noddy Older.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean it goes around every year. Doesn't it like what people make off these songs? Yeah, it will be. There's so much sort of money generated by the airplay these songs get at Christmas.
Speaker 3:I'm going to write one one day, but we're going to write one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I often thought about writing one.
Speaker 3:I thought you could just retire. Yeah, just retire after it, like that's all you need to do is shout it's Christmas.
Speaker 2:I think it's a bit more true than that. But yeah, I think we could probably write one.
Speaker 3:We're actually written in 1967, but not as a Christmas tune. It seems you think this works, so the chorus actually went by, me a rocking chair to watch the world go by.
Speaker 1:By me a looking glass. I'll look you in the eye.
Speaker 2:No, it sounds a bit Beatles, psychedelic like, almost like it is very psychedelic in it. Yeah it's very psychedelic.
Speaker 3:By the way just on.
Speaker 2:That was right on Christmas number one. Yeah, I think I've told you this. I have written a song for all of you, but I don't think he's ever played it so we could use that.
Speaker 3:You should say well, it's not really Christmas, is it?
Speaker 2:We should say like that will change the lyrics.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's good idea. We're obviously. It's a great way to think they might have not been a Christmas song in an alternative reality.
Speaker 2:I imagine they've not been a Christmas song, can you? Yeah, it's really weird.
Speaker 3:Really odd. We should see what Mike Perry is. Obviously he's still got dreams of having a Christmas number one, aren't they? And I am the walrus theme. No, I'm the walrus employer song.
Speaker 2:Mike Perry having a number one. Do you think he's got enough of a fan base? It's quite sort of cultish.
Speaker 3:You know, probably not, it'd be a bit like right off office, where I think like me and you buy loads of copies for his mates and no one listens.
Speaker 2:It's like to get a lot of. We were made to Charles by like a few hundred each.
Speaker 3:Yeah, a few hundred copies yeah, this was another one, by the way that were included on the jive money thing. You know the let's Party single, so I remember it from that as well. But yeah, it's a classic. It's boring now in the sense that you keep hearing it. I think you know. I don't know. I think I mean spoiler alert. None of us are having Wizard, which is probably one of the other most famous ones, but I'm not a massive fan of that. I wish it could be Christmas every day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't mean it's not. It's as iconic, it's not as good a song.
Speaker 3:So I think I had to have this, and I think you have to have the final one that you're about to have as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, you've thrown me up. Actually, when we first discussed doing it and said, are you having it or am I having it, and I instantly knew what you meant and I said I'd quite like to have it. So of course it's there. If you weren't thinking, surely they've got to have that. Yeah, we absolutely have, and quite fitting time as well, because he passed away yesterday, shane McGowan, so this is without doubt, a bit cliche, but the best Christmas song that's been written.
Speaker 1:I thought you were going to play Donald the Bells then by darkness, when you're building it like that.
Speaker 3:But no, it's alright. Yeah, brilliant. Obviously, we've done this in Carioca in Spain, in July. That's how much we like it, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely brilliant song.
Speaker 2:And, like I say, it's become the obvious thing and it's like I remember this coming out and I would have been five. So this was just let me check that, yeah, 1987. So we would have been five. I remember it coming out and I remember my dad telling me there's a brilliant Christmas song out, and it kind of became, when it came on for the first few years this is your dad's favourite. But I think every household in the UK was saying that. And now now Jerry says it's your dad's favourite song. I don't know whether that's just a male thing. I'm assuming there are mums that like it too, but yeah, it certainly might be your dad's favourite.
Speaker 3:Obviously, as you very rarely mention, you are Irish, so is your dad's. I'm not actually my dad is I do mention a lot.
Speaker 2:I don't like people who come from the half Irish. I'm born in England but my dad is Irish.
Speaker 3:Irish English heart, exactly, yeah, brilliant song. You didn't get to number one today which is weird, no release twice tonight.
Speaker 2:The time it got there the first time, to be fair, it was kept off by a great song. Do you know what it was? What's?
Speaker 3:it, pet Shop Boys.
Speaker 2:Correct.
Speaker 3:You are always on my mind To be honest for me. For me, that is probably a better song. I don't know, maybe not. It's definitely arguably the best cover song of all time.
Speaker 2:I think if they played. Every year, though, they played. You Are Always On my Mind. Yeah, they played up an art as well. Written by Gem Finer and Shane McGowan. Obviously Kirsten McCall on vocals. Yeah, brilliant. I love the post anyway, but I just think it's such a good song. The video was brilliant. The top of the pop is really. I mean, he's clearly drunk, which I know. That's no surprise to anyone.
Speaker 3:He's not. He's not Shane McGowan.
Speaker 2:He's presumably sort of big TV debut. I don't know whether they did that or any other song.
Speaker 3:No, no, no. I mean this is on the album, if I should recall, from Grace From God, which I think is the biggest album, the one before that got loads of acclaim from Sodom in the Lash I think this was his peak, basically, yeah, this around the era.
Speaker 2:And the most like the way he's miming is, you know, like when you sometimes sort of kids do it sometimes quite annoying when they're trying to talk at the same time as you and they're trying to say what you're saying and they just capture the last bit of the word. They'll just say the last bit. It's like he's got no idea what the next lyric is, but then he'll sort of like go Christmas.
Speaker 3:And I think we've mentioned before that we've seen him live and I think everyone who's seen the post last year in the latter era of the career you didn't really know if you're going to get a good night and a bad night. I genuinely feel so happy that we got a good night of him because I think if it had been, I saw I've seen him after. I watched him with you. Anyway, it were awful. I'm really glad that we got to see him, you know, on a really, really good night when we saw him live and although it was Christmas and they finished with this obviously so Brilliant and, yeah, like genuine as well.
Speaker 2:I know kind of it was expected. I think he was helpful. Really bad at the end, but yeah, it is sad. I think he was a real talent and this is undeniably a brilliant song.
Speaker 3:Is it your favorite ever folk song?
Speaker 2:No, no, definitely not. It's probably would it be top five.
Speaker 3:Interesting.
Speaker 2:It might be squeezing at four or five. Rainer Night. Show was my favorite, para Brown Eyes would be second. I like what's in Matilda. That's probably number three. Might come in at number four, I think.
Speaker 3:I like Efficio Four from Grey's from God we're not Dr Cameron, leave me. And sick medical color. Some loads, fucking loads, both American, might get into him. As ever, when someone dies, you start listening to the music a little bit more, don't you?
Speaker 2:Obviously you went to see him. I know you just mentioned it but we were sort of dancing around singing and I know quite a few of their songs, so singing along to him. But I could see the sort of real hardcore fans when it got to the Irish Rover, yeah, like really sort of watching my mouth to see if I knew the lyrics as I was singing along and I didn't obviously know a little bits of it, but I didn't know all sorts. I was sort of trying to hide my face away and stuff. But I could see that one or two really sort of like oh yeah, you've sung along to a couple, but do you know all of them?
Speaker 3:Do you know the way? Absolutely. Do you think Ray Keen knows the words to all the folk songs?
Speaker 2:There's no way I can learn all the lyrics to that. I think he's overrated. Yeah, I don't know, I don't know. I can imagine he probably is a fan, but he don't like sort of clichéd Irishness, does he? No, yeah, great, great, great way to end it. So he's a fan and he's sung the song. That's what his job is.
Speaker 3:Well, so that's the Christmas songs done. Oh, you've enjoyed that. That's episode seven. Episode eight, and we've got to do this because we've got a message asking us to do one of the inside number nine Christmas specials, didn't we? And we were going to do it. But there's a particular episode of inside number nine that Liam really wants to cover.
Speaker 2:I think you mentioned this last episode. Yeah, we're holding that back for something else.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so we're not going to do inside number nine, but as a sort of a sorry, like a you know, stick with us. Thanks for the memory. Yeah, thanks, thanks for the suggestion. Then our place bought us to do this as well and I thought, why not? So we're going to do, as an example, the League of Gentlemen Christmas special. I've never seen it, you've certainly never seen it, and I don't know if I've seen it or not.
Speaker 2:I don't know. I don't know. When I watch it I'm going to think, oh yeah, I have seen this, but because I'm surprised, I haven't watched it. That's, I don't know why I wouldn't have watched it.
Speaker 3:Same here, same here. I'm a League of Gentlemen Christmas special from 27th of December 2000. It's on my player. I think it's the last episode of series two. I'm looking at the synopsis for it and I don't remember this at all and I thought I'd seen every single League of Gentlemen.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, same Same. You know I am a fan. I thought I'd watched all this stuff. Don't remember anything, so a Christmas episode but I'm wondering if, when I start watching that thing, I yeah, of course.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so that's what we're covering next. Thanks again, Liam, and we'll see you in a couple of days.
Speaker 2:Merry Christmas. I really need your help.