Last but certainly not least, behold the thread for us to rank christmas songs from the 1980s ahead of the super duper grand final across the decades. Woo and hoo! Jingle and jangle!

 

All you have to do is pick your favourite five Christmas songs (singles or album tracks) that were released for the first time from 1980 to 1989 and put them in order with your favourite at the top of your list. It will be 5 points for 1st down to 1 point for fifth.

 

I know it will be tempting to solely vote for the Pet Shop Boys and Human League but sadly they won't count as christmas classics despite being two of the best christmas #1s of the decade.

 

Please put your favourite at the top of your list as I'll be giving that one 5 points, down to 1 point for the fifth song in your list.

 

FAVE

NEXT FAVE

THIRD BESTEST

FOURTH MOST FESTIVE

FIFTH XMAS BOP

 

The voting deadline is Sunday 17th December

5 Pts Frankie Goes to Hollywood - The Power of Love

4 Pts The Pretenders - 2000 Miles

3 Pts The Pogues - Fairytale of New York (Ft Kirsty McColl)

2 Pts Queen Thank God It’s Christmas

1 Pt Kathryn Jones - National Lampoons Christmas Vacation

 

**Edited

Edited December 13, 20231 yr by Christmasteve201

+5 Shakin Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone

+4 Cliff Richard - Mistletoe and Wine

+3 David Essex - A Winters Tale

+2 Aled Jones - Walking In The Air

+1 Jona Lewie - Stop The Calvary

 

Other worthy mentions in order - Queen, Band Aid, Pogues, Waitresses, Chris Rea, Pretenders

[update]

1. Anne Charleston and Ian Smith - Old Fashioned Christmas (1989)

2. Twiggy - Winter Wonderland (1989)

3. ABBA - Happy New Year

4. Madonna - Santa Baby

5. Pogues and Kirsty McColl - Fairytale of New York

Edited December 15, 20231 yr by Last Dreamer

5pts Wham - Last Christmas

4pts The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping

3pts Queen - Thank God It’s Christmas

2pts Shakin Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone

1pt Jona Lewie - Stop The Calvary

Roba and Steve, the David Bowie/Bing Crosby song is from 1977, the same year Bing died, so you'll need to redo your top 5s.

5pts The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping

4pts The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York

3pts Hybrid Kids - We Three Kings

2pts Wham! - Last Christmas

1pt "Weird Al" Yankovic - Christmas at Ground Zero

 

Roba and Steve, the David Bowie/Bing Crosby song is from 1977, the same year Bing died, so you'll need to redo your top 5s.

 

Tbh I did know it came out in 77 and forgot to vote for it or list it as a honourable mention oops. I guess Steve was going by it charting in 1982 though!

 

Anyway I've edited and Jona moves up to the 1 point!

Yeh I was looking at it as a chart entry in 1982 but again like yourself was aware of its earlier release on Bings Xmas show just before his death. I will relook at mine asap!

+5 The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York

+4 Bruce Springsteen - Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town [first released in 1981]

+3 Chris Rea - Driving Home For Christmas

+2 Band Aid - Do They Know It’s Christmas?

+1 Jona Lewie - Stop The Cavalry

+05 The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York

+04 The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping

+03 The Pretenders - 2000 Miles

+02 Jona Lewie - Stop The Cavalry

+01 Shakin' Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone

+5 Band Aid II - Do They Know it's Christmas?

+4 The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York

+3 Wham! - Last Christmas

+2 Shakin' Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone

+1 Bruce Springsteen - Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town

+5 Chris Rea - Driving Home for Christmas

+4 The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York

+3 Pretenders - 2000 Miles

+2 The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping

+1 Wham! - Last Christmas

+5 All About Eve - December

+4 The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York

+3 Chris Rea - Driving Home for Christmas

+2 Wham! - Last Christmas

+1 Band Aid - Do they know it's Xmas

5 points: Chris Rea - Driving Home For Christmas

4 points: Pogues & Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale Of New York

3 points: Frankie Goes To Hollywood - The Power Of Love

2 points: Jona Lewie - Stop The Cavalry

1 point: Wham! - Last Christmas

 

I've avoided being controversial as it's never mentioned as a christmas song, but Bucks Fizz Land Of Make Believe would be number 2 - my argument: it was released before xmas, xmas trees and icebergs in video, chimes and xmas instruments on record (bar sleigh bells) and it's about a "Land Of Make Believe". Same with Madonna Dear Jessie (even quotes the land of make believe) which would be at 3 behind Bucks Fizz, and Freiheit, Keeping The Dream Alive, totally a Xmas-sounding record without ever mentioning it. (see Spice Girls, East 17, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, there due to videos). All hits at christmas though and I associate them all with xmas.

 

 

just missed: Abba (Happy New Year) - Hi Alex, what no Abba!, Waitresses, Kate Bush, Band Aid, Pretenders, Madonna (Santa Baby).

05 Frankie Goes to Hollywood - The Power of Love

04 Shakin' Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone

03 The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping

02 Pogues & Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale Of New York

01 David Essex - A Winter's Tale

 

05; The Pogues feat. Kirsty Maccoll - Fairytale of New York

04; The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping

03; Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas

02; Jona Lewie - Stop the Cavalry

01; The Pretenders - 2000 Miles

+5 The Pogues feat. Kirsty Maccoll - Fairytale of New York

+4 The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping

+3 The Pretenders- 2000 Miles

+2 Jona Lewie- Stop The Cavalry

+1 Wham! - Last Christmas

+5 All About Eve - December

+4 The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York

+3 Chris Rea - Driving Home for Christmas

+2 Wham! - Last Christmas

+1 Band Aid - Do they know it's Xmas

 

**Goes to listen to ‘December’**

5 points: Chris Rea - Driving Home For Christmas

4 points: Pogues & Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale Of New York

3 points: Frankie Goes To Hollywood - The Power Of Love

2 points: Jona Lewie - Stop The Cavalry

1 point: Wham! - Last Christmas

 

I've avoided being controversial as it's never mentioned as a christmas song, but Bucks Fizz Land Of Make Believe would be number 2 - my argument: it was released before xmas, xmas trees and icebergs in video, chimes and xmas instruments on record (bar sleigh bells) and it's about a "Land Of Make Believe". Same with Madonna Dear Jessie (even quotes the land of make believe) which would be at 3 behind Bucks Fizz, and Freiheit, Keeping The Dream Alive, totally a Xmas-sounding record without ever mentioning it. (see Spice Girls, East 17, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, there due to videos). All hits at christmas though and I associate them all with xmas.

just missed: Abba (Happy New Year) - Hi Alex, what no Abba!, Waitresses, Kate Bush, Band Aid, Pretenders, Madonna (Santa Baby).

 

Freiheit is on the MTV music channels top 50 list and R2 Xmas playlists so it’s becoming more associated with Xmas each year!