One of the less memorable Christmas charts as the number one was a bit random and I have never known the story behind it but some classic tracks in the top 10 including The Housemartins with something that sounded like the Christmas no1 in 1983, Europe, Bon Jovi (with their biggest hit), Madge and Erasure.

1986 is the damp squib of the festive charts in the 80s marginally worse than 1989. The rest at least generated some classics in the midst of everything.

I liked the top 10 - there just wasn't many xmas tracks lol and the Number 1 was random - how did Jackie Wilson end up getting re-released?

 

I also think 1982 was poor although I love Bing/Bowie now more than when I was younger. (Its challenging for No1 on my personal chart this xmas)

The song was re-released because of the clay animation video (it was done for a BBC2 programme called 'Arena').

The Reet Petite video is clever but always used to scare me (and we have to see it every year on Xmas #1 countdowns :lol:), though the song is ridiculously catchy and something I always find myself singing.

Ah I see thanks!

If you were scared of the video, you won't want to see my copy of the single then: https://flic.kr/p/bqfkvi

Edited December 19, 20168 yr by The Hit Parade

26TH DECEMBER

http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/37100000/Pet-Shop-Boys-pet-shop-boys-37181597-376-369.png

And the Christmas No 1 for 1987 is………The Pet Shop Boys. With the Christmas chart being announced on 20th December and covering the time frame 14-19th December (in other words about as far away from the big day as possible) it is perhaps not surprising the winning tally of “Always On My Mind” is 124,000 copies, good in terms of chart topping sales for 1987 (it’s the fifth highest) but not great in terms of 80s Christmas No 1 weeks, I’m sure that won’t particularly bother the duo who claim the biggest prize the charts have to offer.



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They may ultimately thank the timing as it at least meant that the more obviously festive themed tracks haven’t had a chance to get in to their stride, The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl rush 8-2 (76,000) whilst Mel Smith & Kim Wilde are up 6-3 (61,000) and are the two obvious contenders.





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Rick Astley collapses 2-4 (50,000) as the original Nat “King” Cole version of “When I Fall In Love” powers 20- 7 (41,000) indicating that if it was an obvious ploy by EMI to split sales of the Astley version then it has certainly worked a treat.





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Alison Moyet slides 4-5 (45,000)





and Michael Jackson ebbs 3-6 (42,000) as they don’t prove strong enough,



http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/09/02/article-1210716-06435974000005DC-997_233x363.jpg

and the other new track in the top 10 arrives 19-8 (41,000) for former Go-Go singer Belinda Carlisle. When the Go-Go's split in 1985 Carlisle embarked on a solo career most notably scoring a No 3 hit with “Mad About You” in her native US though nothing translated to UK Success, come her second album coupled with an image change and “Heaven Is A Place On Earth” topped the US chart last month. It comes with high credentials, Thomas Dolby on Keyboards, Michelle Phillips of the Mama’s & Papa’s on backing vocals and a promo directed by actress Diane Keaton, this could do well post Christmas.



http://80tal.se/carol-decker-tpau/t-pau.jpg

T’Pau continue to slide 5-9 (35,000)





and Shaky is down and almost out 7-10 (34,000).



1- ALWAYS ON MY MIND- Pet Shop Boys (124,000)
2- FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK- The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl (76,000)
3- ROCKIN AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE- Mel Smith & Kim Wilde (61,000)
4- WHEN I FALL IN LOVE/ MY ARMS KEEP MISSING YOU- Rick Astley (50,000)
5- LOVE LETTERS- Alison Moyet (42,000)
6- THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL- Michael Jackson (42,000)
7- WHEN I FALL IN LOVE- Nat “King” Cole (41,000)
8- HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH- Belinda Carlisle (41,000)
9- CHINA IN YOUR HAND- T’Pau (35,000)
10- WHAT DO YOU WANT TO MAKE THOSE EYES AT ME FOR- Shakin Stevens (34,000)

Top 10 in pics

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Fantastic 1987 chart for me - I can imagine if Buzzjack was around then there would have been a complete meltdown with The Pogues missing out due to the timing the chart week came at :lol: Dasher - do you have sales for the chart end 27/12/1987 to see how much The Pogues sold? It probably only had 3 days worth of sales?

 

Also Rick Astleys probably would have been a big contender had Nat King Cole not been reissued.

 

Some great tracks in the top 10 too with classic Michael Jackson, Alison Moyet and T'Pau and a second xmas song classic remake from Rocking Around the Christmas Tree. Don't forget about old Shaky who was past his chart hits peak by 1987 propping up the top 10!!

You mean W/E 2nd January?

 

I wrote this in my review of that week

 

"This week’s chart rests on sales of just four days, and for that The Pet Shop Boys have to be truly thankful.

 

“Always On My Mind” was the clear leader on Monday and Tuesday thanks to the publicity over grabbing the festive No 1, but both Wednesday and Thursday (23/24) saw The Pogues and Kirsty McColl’s “Fairytale Of New York” outstrip the boys and reduce a healthy 15,000 advantage down to just 2,000 by close of play on Christmas Eve, the end tallies being 85,000 to 83,000.

 

There is little doubt that had Christmas Day fallen on a Saturday then the UK would have a new No 1 today. The general collapse in sales for the Pet Shop Boys despite the run into Christmas may in part have something to do with the less festive “feel” for the song coupled with the fact that this is not the “Christmas Chart”. In short the boys must have been very thankful indeed when the last record shop closed its doors for the holidays"

Yeh that's what I meant - so sales for the week following Xmas were - PSBs - 85k and The Pogues 83k? So close!!

 

Why do you do write ups? They are a great read!!

In 1985 a first was achieved and one which has never been equalled. The top 3 of the 1984 Christmas chart were inside the top 40 at Christmas 1985. Band Aid (at #3) and Wham! (at #6) have already been mentioned but at #34 was Paul McCartney and the Frog Chorus. Quite an unbelievable feat.

Yeh that was some achievement - did those records get re-released or did they just have extra stock left over I wonder?

 

1984-85 really was the peak of the xmas chart imo over any decade. I'm just cringing already to see Band Aid 2 in the 1989, heard it on the music channels last night - such a pointless release and terrible song.

And yet still.....somehow....better than band aid 20 or 30 :D

 

DTKIC, LC and WAST were all re-released for Xmas 85

I always thought Band Aid 20 performed better than Band Aid 2? I was watching a Christmas top 40 sales rundown of the biggest xmas songs of all time (from 2015) last night and Band Aid 2 was at 24 on 460,000 sales? Im sure Band Aid 20 will be top 10 with over a million records sold?

I always thought Band Aid 20 performed better than Band Aid 2? I was watching a Christmas top 40 sales rundown of the biggest xmas songs of all time (from 2015) last night and Band Aid 2 was at 24 on 460,000 sales? Im sure Band Aid 20 will be top 10 with over a million records sold?

Band Aid 20 sold over a million copies. Its 4 weeks at the top saw sales of:

 

2004

 

11-Dec Do They Know It's Christmas? Band Aid 20 292,594

18-Dec Do They Know It's Christmas? Band Aid 20 287,849

25-Dec Do They Know It's Christmas? Band Aid 20 231,492

 

2005

 

01-Jan Do They Know It's Christmas? Band Aid 20 231,929

 

It then fell to number 2 on a sale of 21,744 then the following week it fell to number 6 on 7,748 sales.

Yes I meant I like it more than Band Aid 20 or 30.

Ah yes sorry - if I actually read the post it would make it easier for me lol. I'm continuing the countdown of bestselling xmas songs tonight so might try and make a comprehensive list and add last years and this years sales on and keep them up to date!

 

I don't see the point of Band Aid 2 at all, seemed like a publicity stunt more than the first one (although they all are to some extent)!

The point was that there was a subsequent drought in Ethiopia (admittedly not as bad as in 1984) and so Geldof approached S/A/W to record another version of the single to raise more money. Looked at in that light it gives more legitimacy to the 89 version over the 04 and 14 version.

Thanks Dasher for this. A great read and very interesting to see the figures again.