Throughout the last 50 years there always seems to be the search for the holy grail of number ones,(the xmas no. 1), but it seems only in the UK does it become fever pitch. There is no doubt in recent years the X factor has spoilt the battle for the coveted No.1. But down through the years there has been some good xmas number 1's, and a lot of terrible ones.

 

Now what about the songs that reach no.2 at xmas, would they have been a better number 1?

 

Here are the top 2 songs at xmas over the period from 1960 to 2000.

 

1960

 

1. Cliff Richard and the Shadows – I Love You

 

2. Elvis Presley – It's Now or Never

 

1961

 

1. Danny Williams – Moon River

 

2. Frankie Vaughan – Tower of Strength

 

1962

 

1. Elvis Presley – Return to Sender

 

2. Cliff Richard and the Shadows – The Next Time/Bachelor Boy

 

1963

 

1. The Beatles – I Want to Hold Your Hand

 

2. The Beatles – She Loves You

 

1964

 

1. The Beatles – I Feel Fine

 

2. Petula Clark – Downtown

 

1965

 

1. The Beatles – Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out

 

2. Cliff Richard – Wind Me Up

 

1966

 

1. Tom Jones – Green, Green Grass of Home

 

2. Donovan – Sunshine Superman

 

1967

 

1. The Beatles – Hello, Goodbye

 

2. The Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour

 

1968

 

1. Scaffold – Lily the Pink

 

2. The Foundations – Build Me Up Buttercup

 

1969

 

1. Rolf Harris – Two Little Boys

 

2. Kenny Rogers and the First Edition – Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town

 

1970

 

1. Dave Edmunds – I Hear You Knockin'

 

2. McGuinness Flint – When I'm Dead and Gone

 

1971

 

1. Benny Hill – Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)

 

2. T Rex – Jeepster

 

1972

 

1. Little Jimmy Osmond – Long Haired Lover from Liverpool

 

2. Chuck Berry – My Ding-a-Ling

 

1973

 

1. Slade – Merry Xmas Everybody

 

2. Gary Glitter – I Love You Love Me

 

1974

 

1. Mud – Lonely This Christmas

 

2. Bachman Turner Overdrive – You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

 

1975

 

1. Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody

 

2. Greg Lake – I Believe in Father Christmas

 

1976

 

1. Johnny Mathis – When a Child Is Born (Soleado)

 

2. Showaddywaddy – Under the Moon of Love

 

1977

 

1. Wings – Mull of Kintyre/Girls' School

 

2. Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band – The Floral Dance

 

1978

 

1. Boney M – Mary's Boy Child

 

2. The Village People – YMCA

 

1979

 

1. Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall

 

2. Abba – I Have a Dream

 

1980

 

1. St Winifred's School Choir – There's No One Quite Like Grandma

 

2. John Lennon – (Just Like) Starting Over

 

1981

 

1. The Human League – Don't You Want Me

 

2. Cliff Richard – Daddy's Home

 

1982

 

1. Renée and Renato – Save Your Love

 

2. The Shakin' Stevens EP

 

1983

 

1. The Flying Pickets – Only You

 

2. Slade – My Oh My

 

1984

 

1. Band Aid – Do They Know It's Christmas?

 

2. Wham! – Last Christmas/Everything She Wants

 

1985

 

1. Shakin' Stevens – Merry Christmas Everyone

 

2. Whitney Houston – Saving All My Love for You

 

1986

 

1. Jackie Wilson – Reet Petite

 

2. The Housemartins – Caravan of Love

 

1987

 

1. The Pet Shop Boys – Always on My Mind

 

2. The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl – Fairytale of New York

 

1988

 

1 Cliff Richard – Mistletoe and Wine

 

2 Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan – Especially for You

 

1989

 

1. Band Aid II – Do They Know It's Christmas?

 

2. Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers – Let's Party

 

1990

 

1. Cliff Richard – Saviour's Day

 

2. Vanilla Ice – Ice Ice Baby

 

1991

 

1. Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody/These Are the Days of Our Lives

 

2. Diana Ross – When You Tell Me That You Love Me

 

1992

 

1. Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You

 

2. Michael Jackson – Heal the World

 

1993

 

1. Mr Blobby – Mr Blobby

 

2. Take That – Babe

 

1994

 

1. East 17 – Stay Another Day

 

2. Mariah Carey – All I Want for Christmas Is You

 

1995

 

1. Michael Jackson – Earth Song

 

2. Mike Flowers Pops – Wonderwall

 

1996

 

1. Spice Girls – 2 Become 1

 

2. Dunblane – Knockin' on Heaven's Door/Throw These Guns Away

 

1997

 

1. Spice Girls – Too Much

 

2. Teletubbies Say Eh-Oh!

 

1998

 

1. Spice Girls – Goodbye

 

2. Chef (Isaac Hayes) – Chocolate Salty Balls

 

1999

 

1. Westlife – I Have a Dream/Seasons in the Sun

 

2. Cliff Richard – The Millennium Prayer

 

2000

 

1. Bob the Builder – Can We Fix It?

 

2. Westlife – What Makes a Man

 

 

Taken from the Independent piece released this afternoon

which (accidentally) revealed this year's #1 & #2 and the gap between them.

Taken from the Independent piece released this afternoon

which (accidentally) revealed this year's #1 & #2 and the gap between them.

 

I was just posting this when my pc froze and I couldn't mention the source, which you are correct was the Independent on Sunday :rolleyes:

Got to say that I Love You & Cliff was not a Christmas #1, neither was Moon River for Danny Williams...Danny got there after Christmas, as the dates were different. Cliff never got to #1. On Pick Of The Pops, he peaked at #2. Although either way, Elvis remained at the top with It`s Now Or Never, because again the dates differed. I believe it was 27th Dec for Moon River, and the chart for 1960 changed on the 29th.