5 songs with zero points thats a bit brutal 😳

68th: 0 points

Meet Me On The Corner - Max Bygraves (1955)

Chart run: 19/11/1955 19-11-9-6-5-4-3-{2}-5-8-15->11

Christmas number one: Christmas Alphabet - Dickie Valentine

Christmas number two: Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley & His Comets

Comedian-turned-singer Max Bygraves enjoyed 11 top 40 hits between 1952 and 1973. "Meet Me On The Corner" was his highest-charting single, eventually reaching number 2 but being held at number 3 for Christmas 1955. Not too bad for what it is!

For me all the zeros are justified apart from one…

Honestly surprised there are as few as 5 0-pointers, there was quite a bit of slop on that playlist.

Oh shoot, I'm sorry I did intend to do this, literally only had time to get round to it today and didn't realise the deadline had already passed, oh well!

I imagine most of my favourites aren't especially niche so hopefully they all didn't need my vote.

3 minutes ago, Chez Wombat said:

Oh shoot, I'm sorry I did intend to do this, literally only had time to get round to it today and didn't realise the deadline had already passed, oh well!

Maybe we can squeeze you in? As long as you don’t vote for any of the 0 pointers haha.

68th: 0 points

St. Therese Of The Roses - Malcolm Vaughan (1956)

Chart run: 27/10/1956 27-12R(3)-10-8-6-{3}-3-3-4-3-8-6-4-7-10-11-15-17-18-26->20

68th: 0 points

The Green Door - Frankie Vaughan (1956)

Chart run: 10/11/1956 20-9-4-3-{2}-2-2-3-3-4-6-9-7-13-20->15

Christmas number 1: Just Walkin' In The Rain - Johnnie Ray

Christmas number 2: Singing The Blues - Guy Mitchell

Double post for these entries. Two Vaughans were tied for Christmas number 3 in 1956: not the only tie for the title as you'll find out later.

Welshman Malcolm Vaughan achieved 2 Christmas number 3s, "St. Therese Of The Roses" was controversial at the time and was banned by the BBC as "the lyric is contrary both to Roman Catholic doctrine and to Protestant sentiment." Radio Luxembourg airplay and the controversy ensured the song was a long-running number 3 hit. Perhaps one of the most innocent songs banned by the Beeb.

"The Green Door" was a Billboard number 1 in America for Jim Lowe, his version reached number 8 in the UK and was outcharted by this cover from Liverpudlian Frankie Vaughan who would go on to achieve 2 number ones. Frankie's version spent 3 weeks at number 2 before falling to 3 on the Christmas chart. The song would go on to reach number 1 for 4 weeks when covered by Shakin' Stevens in 1981. His shriek every time he says "door" in chorus is pretty grating but otherwise this is fine. Much prefer Shaky's take on it.

20; Whatever - Oasis (1994)

19; Stop The Cavalry - Jona Lewie (1980)

18; One Of Us - ABBA (1981)

17; One More Sleep - Leona Lewis (2013)

16; Fairytale Of New York - The Pogues ft. Kirsty MacColl (2005)

15; Stan - Eminem (2000)

14; I Believe In You - Kylie Minogue (2004)

13; The Final Countdown - Europe (1986)

12; Bad Romance - Lady Gaga (2009)

11; Sugar Sugar - The Archies (1969)

10; Gotta Get Thru This - Daniel Bedingfield (2001)

09; Ain't Got No (I Got Life) / Do What You Gotta Do - Nina Simone (1968)

08; Surfin' Bird - The Trashmen (2010)

07; Imagine - John Lennon (1999)

06; You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling / Ebb Tide - The Righteous Brothers (1990)

05; Do They Know It's Christmas - Band Aid (1985)

04; Money Money Money - ABBA (1976)

03; Thank U, Next - Ariana Grande (2018)

02; Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy - David Bowie & Bing Crosby (1982)

01; Dominick The Donkey - Lou Monte (2011)

If you're able to accept, but don't worry if not!

All these 50s songs are better than a half of list.

Ronnie Hilton deserved to have Christmas # 1.

Edited December 27, 2025Dec 27 by Last Dreamer

68th: 0 points

I'm Coming Home - Tom Jones (1967)

Chart run: 25/11/1967 36-13-10-5-{2}-3-3-7-7-16-20-19-20-26-44-43->16 

Christmas number 1: Hello Goodbye - The Beatles

Christmas number 2: Magical Mystery Tour EP - The Beatles

The final 0 pointer. Stuck behind two Beatles releases in '67 (laugh!) was Tom Jones who dropped from his number 2 peak to be Christmas number 3 with the 6th of his 19 top 10 hits.

66th: 5 points

Tom Dooley - Lonnie Donegan (1958)

Voter: Last Dreamer

Chart run: 22/11/1958 13-6-{3}-3-3-3-4-3-4-11-10-13-22-26->14

Christmas number 1: It's Only Make Believe - Conway Twitty

Christmas number 2: Hoots Mon - Lord Rockingham's XI

Speaking of 67, there is no such number in this rate as 2 songs are tied for 66 (the other will be revealed later by Julian). Our first song to receive points is "Tom Dooley", a folk song about murderer Tom Dula who was hanged in 1868 for killing Laura Foster. It was a 1958 Billboard number 1 for the Kingston Trio who reached number 5 with their version here in the UK. The King of Skiffle Lonnie Donegan recorded his own, faster take on the murder ballad and took it to number 3 for Christmas 1958. His version is far superior to the Kingston Trio's slower take

66th: 5 points

You Were Made For Me - Freddie & The Dreamers (1963)

Voter: Sausage Rollo

09/11/1963 39-22-11-7-{3}-3-3-3-4-7-9-20-25-30-44->15

Christmas number 1: I Want To Hold Your Hand - The Beatles

Christmas number 2: She Loves You - The Beatles

December 1963 saw the height of Beatlemania, with 2 of the biggest selling singles in history out at the same time. The fresher “I Want To Hold Your Hand” was Christmas #1 with “She Loves You” at #2. Behind them was another Northern English group, Freddie & The Dreamers, who were active from 1962-1965. Lead singer Freddie Garrity became known for flailing his limbs around on stage while performing, and this is a very nice song that I think deserved a little more here.

On the Popmaster Champions League final on Christmas Eve, the winner got all his questions correct except for naming the surname of Freddie from Freddie and The Dreamers. I forgot what it was as well.

65th: 6 points

The River - Ken Dodd (1965)

Voter: WhoOdyssey

20/11/1965 37-19-11-7-6-{3}-3-4-6-9-9-12-24-44->14

Christmas number 1: Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out - The Beatles

Christmas number 2: Wind Me Up (Let Me Go)

English comedian and actor Ken Dodd has been famous since the ‘50s, but in the ‘60s turned his hand to music and had a very commercially successful career, with 18 Top 40 hits between 1960 and 1975. In 1965 he had a million selling #1 with “Tears” which became the 3rd biggest seller of the decade. This #3 hit was the follow, which was originally an Italian ballad called “Le colline sono in fiore”. Unfortunately Ken’s version is rather dreary.

64th: 6 points

Midnight In Moscow - Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen (1961)

Voters: Scone1 (4), chartjack2 (2)

11/11/1961 48-27-21-13-9-7-5-3-{2}-8-5-9-10-18-20-21-26-26-35-34-39->21

Christmas number 1: Moon River - Danny Williams

Christmas number 2: Tower Of Strength - Frankie Vaughan

Trumpet player and band leader had 13 hits with his group in the early 1960s. This one gave them their highest chart peak, actually climbing to #2 behind “Moon River” in the post Christmas chart. It was originally a Soviet patriotic song called “Leningrad Nights”, but this instrumental remake is very nice.

2 hours ago, Julian_ said:

66th: 5 points

You Were Made For Me - Freddie & The Dreamers (1963)

December 1963 saw the height of Beatlemania, with 2 of the biggest selling singles in history out at the same time. The fresher “I Want To Hold Your Hand” was Christmas #1 with “She Loves You” at #2. Behind them was another Northern English group, Freddie & The Dreamers, who were active from 1962-1965. Lead singer Freddie Garrity became known for flailing his limbs around on stage while performing, and this is a very nice song that I think deserved a little more here.

Yes I agree, a lovely little song, just missed out on points from me.

NB: I voted for not necessarily my favourite songs in the list, but those I felt were the most “Christmas #3-ey”

62nd: 9 points

My Special Angel - Malcolm Vaughan (1957)

Voter: Scone1

20-7-5-5-{3}-3-4-5-6-7-11-14-18-17->14

Christmas number 1: Mary’s Boy Child - Harry Belafonte

Christmas number 2: Ma He’s Making Eyes At Me - Johnny Otis And His Orchestra With Marie Adams

Bobby Helms had taken this song into the American Top 10 earlier that year before this cover became one of the biggest hits for Welsh crooner Malcolm Vaughan. He had 9 hits in the late 1950s, including #3s with this and “St Therese Of The Roses”.

62nd: 9 points

Oh Carol - Neil Sedaka

Voter: Last Dreamer

13-10-5-4-4-{3}-3-4-3-3-6-7-9-20-24-27-29->17

Christmas number 1: What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For? - Emile Ford And The Checkmates

Christmas number 2: What Do You Want? - Adam Faith

American singer songwriter Neil Sedaka’s career began in 1957, but he is still performing at 86. He had 19 UK hits from 1959 to 1975, including two #3s of which this was one. He wrote the song about his schoolmate and fellow singer songwriter Carole King. It’s a pretty catchy track, although the spoken part tends to divide the crowd.

61st: 9 points

Strawberry Fair - Anthony Newley

Voters: Last Dreamer (8), chartjack2 (1)

43-12-8-{3}-7-3-5-9-12-34-48->11

Christmas number 1: I Love You - Cliff Richard

Christmas number 2: It’s Now Or Never - Elvis Presley

Anthony Newley was an all round English entertainer who also did acting and comedy. He had a dozen hits in the period from 1959 to 1962, and prior to this reaching #3 he had had two #1s in 1960 with “Why” and “Do You Mind?” This is a folk style number with innuendo laced and not very 2020s PC lyrics.