Neil B

Didn't play Gary Glitter on my radio show on Wednesday, but did play the following. All music played is from 1976 to 1986, though the Christmas Special was our last one for a while : Jona Lewie - "Stop The Cavalry" Captain Sensible - "One Christmas Catalogue" Bruce Springsteen - "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" The Greedies - "A Merry Jingle" The Waitresses - "Christmas Wrapping" Kurtis Blow - "Christmas Rappin'" Jethro Tull - "Ring Out Solstice Bells" Squeeze - "Christmas Day" Kate Bush - "December Will Be Magic Again" Keith Richards - "Run Rudolph Run" (for his 65th birthday) Paul McCartney - "Wonderful Christmastime" Pretenders - "2000 Miles" The Dickies - "Silent Night" Frankie Goes To Hollywood - "The Power Of Love" (No.3, 15/12/84) Wham! - "Last Christmas" (No.2, 15/12/84) Band Aid - "Do They Know It's Christmas?" (12" version) (No.1, 15/12/84) Chris Hill - "Bionic Santa" Darts - "White Christmas" David Essex - "A Winter's Tale" Three Wise Men - "Thanks For Christmas" The Kinks - "Father Christmas" Shakin' Stevens - "Merry Christmas Everyone"

Yeah, Tavares had a US hit with it in 1975 but it didn't chart in the UK until 1986.

"It Only Takes A Minute" was a Tavares song anyway so no royalties would go to JK.

True, The Smiths were more 'indie' I suppose. Some people class Madness as 'ska' but on the whole they were definitely a pop band, and a great one at that!

Other festive No.7s : Max Bygraves - "Jingle Bell Rock" (1959) The Goodies - "Father Christmas Do Not Touch Me" (1974) Bon Jovi - "Please Come Home For Christmas" (1994)

7. GARY GLITTER - "ANOTHER ROCK & ROLL CHRISTMAS" http://www.vinyltap.co.uk/gallery/ga/garygararc772193892820.jpg Entered chart w/e 1/12/84 Reached No.7 w/e 22/12/84 Weeks on chart : 7 Despite everything we now know about him, you can't deny that this was a pretty good Xmas song! Better than any other festive single that got to No.7 anyway. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp_aST3vXdg

The Smiths made some great pop records though. "Panic" is definitely 'pop' though it's not one of my favourites.

Haha, same old Caroline/Serena/Maria/whatever she's calling herself this week! As for TOTP, I've been doing my own 'Fantasy TOTP' every week over on Popscene since the show's demise. Would be great to see it return, but hopefully with better presenters than Fearne and Reggie!!

Madness for me, followed by the Smiths.

Well it would be daft to miss it out :)

8. DICKIE VALENTINE - "CHRISTMAS ISLAND" http://i5.ebayimg.com/06/i/001/18/4b/ff3f_1.JPG Entered chart w/e 8/12/56 Reached No.8 w/e 29/12/56 Weeks on chart : 5 Born Richard Bryce, 4/11/29 in London. He was killed in a car crash in Wales on 6/5/71. Sorry, but it was either this or "Your Christmas Wish" by the Smurfs Nothing on Youtube. Probably just as well!

Other festive No.9s : Barron Knights - "Merry Gentle Pops" (1965) Elvis Presley - "If Every Day Was Like Christmas" (1966) Childliners - "The Gift Of Christmas" (1995) Tweenies - "I Believe In Christmas" (2001)

9. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - "SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN' TO TOWN" http://991.com/newGallery/Bruce-Springsteen-My-Hometown-19055.jpg Entered chart w/e 14/12/85 Reached No.9 w/e 21/12/85 Weeks on chart : 5 Released as a double A-side with "My Hometown", the final single to be taken from the "Born In The USA" album. Springsteen's version of the festive favourite was recorded live in New York on 12/12/75. I remember my uncle playing it to me from one of his bootlegs in the early '80s so it was nice to see it finally get an official release. The song itself was originally recorded by George Hall in 1934, and has also been a UK hit for the Jackson Five, the Carpenters and Bjorn Again, though Bruce's was the biggest, and quite rightly so. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Dsm9uquLYk

"Yellow Pearl" for me, with "Whole Lotta Love" a very close second.

I liked them at the time (or a few years later when I was able to get the 'joke') but I suppose they do sound a bit dated now. Good fun though!

Other festive No.10s : Cliff Richard - "We Should Be Together" (1991) Jane McDonald - "Cruise Into Christmas" (1998) The Cheeky Girls - "Have A Cheeky Christmas" (2003)

10. CHRIS HILL - "RENTA SANTA" and "BIONIC SANTA" http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/%C2%A5Artist%20GIF%20Images/Chris-Hill-Lacy-Lady-1976.jpg A special two-in-one for you today! I've decided to feature both of Chris' hits together, seeing as they both entered the chart in the first week of December (1975 and 1976), both reached No.10, and both spent 7 weeks on the chart. Chris Hill was a UK DJ who later handled A&R for Ensign Records. He still DJs at soul weekenders to this day. Having trouble uploading them for some reason, and there's nothing on Youtube either :(

Other festive No.11s : Billy Cotton & His Band - "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" (1953) Elvis Presley - "Blue Christmas" (1964)

11. CLIFF RICHARD - "LITTLE TOWN" http://www.vinyltap.co.uk/gallery/cl/clifflt5003952937610390.jpg Entered chart w/e 4/12/82 Reached No.11 w/e 25/12/82 Weeks on chart : 7 One of Cliff's better Christmas efforts. Basically "O Little Town Of Bethlehem" with a different tune. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhuF5-Ege-Y

12. GILBERT O'SULLIVAN - "CHRISTMAS SONG" http://hitparade.ch/cdimg/gilbert_osullivan-christmas_song_s.jpg Entered chart w/e 14/12/74 Reached No.12 w/e 4/1/75 Weeks on chart : 6 Not quite sure why he didn't call this "I'm Not Dreaming Of A White Christmas" but there you go...

13. SHOWADDYWADDY - "HEY MISTER CHRISTMAS" http://i9.ebayimg.com/07/i/001/21/a1/4d2c_1.JPG Entered chart w/e 30/11/74 Reached No.13 w/e 4/1/75 Weeks on chart : 8 My parents bought me a copy of this when I was 2. Another one you don't see or hear that often...

14. JUDGE DREAD - "CHRISTMAS IN DREADLAND" http://i8.ebayimg.com/08/i/001/15/fc/2c49_1.JPG Entered chart w/e 6/12/75 Reached No.14 w/e 27/12/75 Weeks on chart : 7 Not one you're likely to hear on the radio this year, or any year come to think of it :lol: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwWoeXiEmpU

15. PRETENDERS - "2000 MILES" http://www.vinyltap.co.uk/gallery/pr/prete2m5009801992102900.jpg Entered chart w/e 26/11/83 Reached No.15 w/e 17/12/83 Weeks on chart : 9 One of the better '80s Christmas efforts. Should have been a bigger hit.

16. CRAZY FROG - "LAST CHRISTMAS" http://storage.mp3ninja.com/images/albums/l/last-christmas--super-crazy-sounds.jpg Entered chart/reached No.16 w/e 23/12/06 Weeks on chart : 3 This is only in here because I couldn't find another festive No.16 :angry:

17. BARRON KNIGHTS - "NEVER MIND THE PRESENTS" http://www.vinyltap.co.uk/gallery/ba/barronmtp5532889451275080.jpg Entered chart w/e 6/12/80 Reached No.17 w/e 27/12/80 Weeks on chart : 8 Includes parodies of "Another Brick In The Wall Part 2" (Pink Floyd), "Day Trip To Bangor" (Fiddler's Dram) and "The Sparrow" (Ramblers). Altogether now : "Christmas turkey, you can stuff it" :D The only other festive No.17 I can find is Johnny Mathis' "Winter Wonderland" from 1958.