The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale Of New York

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!

No, the list item for this particularly festive date isn’t Slade (or Oasis masquerading as Slade, which is the only version of Merry Xmas Everybody that I own). Nor is it I Was Born On Christmas Day by Saint Etienne, although that is quite a nice festive ditty, or Last Christmas, or Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (John Holt covering John Lennon).

Having exhausted all the tunes featuring the word “Christmas” in their title, I’ll move to the one which I have chosen for today. It was quite fortuitous that I chose December for this project, because it meant that I didn’t have to worry about including The Fairytale Of New York. For I hate that this is a Christmas song. Not because I don’t like Christmas, but because it limits the opportunity to hear this wonderful, folky, crossover hit. The number of times I’ve refrained from choosing this on a jukebox, because it’s the middle of summer, or strained to remember the words to The Irish Rover ‘cause it’s St. Patrick’s Day and The Fairytale Of New York wouldn’t work.

So leave your Now 234, your Pet Shop Boys’ Pop Art, or whatever else you’ve just excitedly unwrapped. They’ll still be there in the New Year. Instead, listen to The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl, for you’ll have to wait another year before you next have the chance!