Merry Xmas Everyone

Yesterday on the way home from Nottingham, we listened to the chart rundown in the car and I was shocked to hear Last Christmas and I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day in the top twenty. Are today's kids really that dull? Can't they get their own music? Even if it is only Leon Jackson.

I can remember every Xmas number 1 from 1980 to 1996 (after which I lost interest somewhat), including the Pet Shop Boys battle with The Pogues and St Etienne being robbed by Mr Blobby. Simon Cowell and, um, Steve Brookstein must have been, like, well gutted about Band Aid 20. As for the Beatles - they misunderstood the whole concept of Christmas songs didn't they?

1952: Al Martino - "Here In My Heart"
1953: Frankie Laine - "Answer Me"
1954: Winifred Atwell - "Let's Have Another Party"
1955: Dickie Valentine - "Christmas Alphabet"
1956: Johnnie Ray - "Just Walkin' In The Rain"
1957: Harry Belafonte - "Mary's Boy Child"
1958: Conway Twitty - "It's Only Make Believe"
1959: Emile Ford & The Checkmates - "What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For"
1960: Cliff Richard & The Shadows - "I Love You"
1961: Danny Williams - "Moon River"
1962: Elvis Presley - "Return to Sender"
1963: The Beatles - "I Want to Hold Your Hand"
1964: The Beatles - "I Feel Fine"
1965: The Beatles - "Day Tripper" / "We Can Work It Out"
1966: Tom Jones - "Green Green Grass of Home"
1967: The Beatles - "Hello, Goodbye"
1968: The Scaffold - "Lily The Pink (song)"
1969: Rolf Harris - "Two Little Boys"
1970: Dave Edmunds - "I Hear You Knockin'"
1971: Benny Hill - "Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West)"
1972: Little Jimmy Osmond - "Long Haired Lover From Liverpool"
1973: Slade - "Merry Xmas Everybody"
1974: Mud - "Lonely This Christmas"
1975: Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody"
1976: Johnny Mathis - "When A Child Is Born (Soleado)"
1977: Wings - "Mull of Kintyre" / "Girls' School"
1978: Boney M - "Mary's Boy Child-Oh My Lord"
1979: Pink Floyd - "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)"
1980: St Winifred's School Choir - "There's No One Quite Like Grandma"
1981: The Human League - "Don't You Want Me"
1982: Renée and Renato - "Save Your Love"
1983: The Flying Pickets - "Only You"
1984: Band Aid - "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
1985: Shakin' Stevens - "Merry Christmas Everyone"
1986: Jackie Wilson - "Reet Petite"
1987: Pet Shop Boys - "Always on My Mind"
1988: Cliff Richard - "Mistletoe & Wine"
1989: Band Aid II -" Do They Know It's Christmas?"
1990: Cliff Richard - "Saviour's Day"
1991: Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody" / "These Are the Days of Our Lives"
1992: Whitney Houston - "I Will Always Love You"
1993: Mr Blobby - "Mr Blobby"
1994: East 17 - "Stay Another Day"
1995: Michael Jackson - "Earth Song"
1996: Spice Girls - "2 Become 1"
1997: Spice Girls - "Too Much"
1998: Spice Girls - "Goodbye"
1999: Westlife - "I Have A Dream" / "Seasons In The Sun"
2000: Bob The Builder - "Can We Fix It?"
2001: Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman - "Somethin' Stupid"
2002: Girls Aloud - "Sound Of The Underground"
2003: Michael Andrews featuring Gary Jules - "Mad World"
2004: Band Aid 20 - "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
2005: Shayne Ward - "That's My Goal"
2006: Leona Lewis - "A Moment Like This"

Merry Xmas Everyone

Yesterday on the way home from Nottingham, we listened to the chart rundown in the car and I was shocked to hear Last Christmas and I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day in the top twenty. Are today's kids really that dull? Can't they get their own music? Even if it is only Leon Jackson.

I can remember every Xmas number 1 from 1980 to 1996 (after which I lost interest somewhat), including the Pet Shop Boys battle with The Pogues and St Etienne being robbed by Mr Blobby. Simon Cowell and, um, Steve Brookstein must have been, like, well gutted about Band Aid 20. As for the Beatles - they misunderstood the whole concept of Christmas songs didn't they?

1952: Al Martino - "Here In My Heart"
1953: Frankie Laine - "Answer Me"
1954: Winifred Atwell - "Let's Have Another Party"
1955: Dickie Valentine - "Christmas Alphabet"
1956: Johnnie Ray - "Just Walkin' In The Rain"
1957: Harry Belafonte - "Mary's Boy Child"
1958: Conway Twitty - "It's Only Make Believe"
1959: Emile Ford & The Checkmates - "What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For"
1960: Cliff Richard & The Shadows - "I Love You"
1961: Danny Williams - "Moon River"
1962: Elvis Presley - "Return to Sender"
1963: The Beatles - "I Want to Hold Your Hand"
1964: The Beatles - "I Feel Fine"
1965: The Beatles - "Day Tripper" / "We Can Work It Out"
1966: Tom Jones - "Green Green Grass of Home"
1967: The Beatles - "Hello, Goodbye"
1968: The Scaffold - "Lily The Pink (song)"
1969: Rolf Harris - "Two Little Boys"
1970: Dave Edmunds - "I Hear You Knockin'"
1971: Benny Hill - "Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West)"
1972: Little Jimmy Osmond - "Long Haired Lover From Liverpool"
1973: Slade - "Merry Xmas Everybody"
1974: Mud - "Lonely This Christmas"
1975: Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody"
1976: Johnny Mathis - "When A Child Is Born (Soleado)"
1977: Wings - "Mull of Kintyre" / "Girls' School"
1978: Boney M - "Mary's Boy Child-Oh My Lord"
1979: Pink Floyd - "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)"
1980: St Winifred's School Choir - "There's No One Quite Like Grandma"
1981: The Human League - "Don't You Want Me"
1982: Renée and Renato - "Save Your Love"
1983: The Flying Pickets - "Only You"
1984: Band Aid - "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
1985: Shakin' Stevens - "Merry Christmas Everyone"
1986: Jackie Wilson - "Reet Petite"
1987: Pet Shop Boys - "Always on My Mind"
1988: Cliff Richard - "Mistletoe & Wine"
1989: Band Aid II -" Do They Know It's Christmas?"
1990: Cliff Richard - "Saviour's Day"
1991: Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody" / "These Are the Days of Our Lives"
1992: Whitney Houston - "I Will Always Love You"
1993: Mr Blobby - "Mr Blobby"
1994: East 17 - "Stay Another Day"
1995: Michael Jackson - "Earth Song"
1996: Spice Girls - "2 Become 1"
1997: Spice Girls - "Too Much"
1998: Spice Girls - "Goodbye"
1999: Westlife - "I Have A Dream" / "Seasons In The Sun"
2000: Bob The Builder - "Can We Fix It?"
2001: Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman - "Somethin' Stupid"
2002: Girls Aloud - "Sound Of The Underground"
2003: Michael Andrews featuring Gary Jules - "Mad World"
2004: Band Aid 20 - "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
2005: Shayne Ward - "That's My Goal"
2006: Leona Lewis - "A Moment Like This"