By Francis K. Beirne 

Over the past few years, I have written about Christmas songs released by showbands, Christmas Irish chart-toppers, the story behind ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ and I have compiled a ‘Giant Christmas Music Quiz’, so this year, I’m going to write about Christmas records who reached No. 10 or higher in the Irish or British charts.

Before you take to your email to correct me, I can assure you that some of your favourite Christmas songs did not reach the Top 10 in either country. That list would include some radio favourites such as ‘The Christmas Song’ (Nat King Cole), ‘Christmas 1915’ (Jerry Lynch), ‘Blue Christmas’ (Elvis Presley) and others. One of our radio favourites, Chris Rea’s ‘Driving Home For Christmas’ just missed out, peaking at No. 11. This is not a complete, definitive list and it includes only songs about Christmas.

So, to start with the chart-toppers. The first one that comes to mind is probably the track that enters the charts almost every year – ‘Fairytale of New York’ by The Pogues and Kirsty McColl. It topped the Irish charts in 1987 but peaked at No. 2 in England (it was kept off the top by The Pet Shop Boys’ version of ‘Always On My Mind’).

The earliest song about Christmas to reach No. 1 was ‘Christmas Alphabet’ sung by Dickie Valentine in 1955. Harry Belafonte’s ‘Mary’s Boy Child’ went to the top in 1957 and it may be the only Christmas song that topped the charts twice, performed by different artistes, as 21 years later, Boney M’s version made No. 1 in 1978.

The earliest pop/rock bands to reach the top spot were glam-rock band Slade and London band, Mud. Slade had their 6th and last No.1 with ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ in 1973 and Mud’s sad ballad, ‘Lonely This Christmas’ made No. 1 both in the Irish and British charts in 1974.

Popular rock ‘n’ roll singer Shakin’ Stevens’ 1985 song, ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’ is still very popular. It made No. 1 in Britain but peaked at No. 3 in Ireland.
Over the past 40 Christmases, the biggest hit of all was Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ Over those four decades, it spent a total of 20 weeks in the Top 10, five of those at No.1. It was twice at No. 1 in the Irish Top 10.

The evergreen Cliff Richard took two Christmas songs to the top, ‘Mistletoe and Wine’ (1988) and ‘Saviour’s Day’ in 1990. In 2006 his ‘21st Century Christmas’ went to No. 2. In the Irish charts, Limerick tenor Tommy Drennan reached No.1 with ‘O Holy Night’ in 1971.

Continue reading in this week’s Ireland’s Own