On Facebook, we asked BreakFree Holidays fans to name their favourite Christmas song. We had more than 250 responses, so in time honoured tradition, we’re counting down your top 10.
10. Mistletoe & Wine, Cliff Richard
This was Cliff’s 99th single and it hit the Christmas number one spot in 1988. The song was originally written for a 1970s musical called Scraps, with Cliff updating the lyrics for his own version.
9. All I Want For Christmas Is You, Maria Carey
Despite being a festive favourite, Maria Carey’s song didn’t hit the top spot in the UK where it was beaten by East 17 – Maria gets her revenge in our chart!
8. Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree, Brenda Lee
Don’t be fooled by the voice, Brenda Lee was only 13 when she recorded the first version of this song in 1958.
7. Driving Home For Christmas, Chris Rea
It’s a radio favourite today, but Driving Home for Christmas has never enjoyed chart success, peaking at 53 when it was released. However the song has made a brief appearance in the charts around Christmas every year since.
6. Jingle Bells
Originally written to celebrate American Thanksgiving in 1857, and still a favourite today!
5. White Christmas, Bing Crosby
This is the biggest selling single of all time, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, with more than 50 million sales since first appearing in the 1942 film Holiday Inn.
4. Silent Night, Bing Crosby
Originally a German carol, ‘Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht’, but best known to UK music fans as another Christmas success for Bing Crosby, whose version of Silent Night is considered to be the third biggest selling single of all time.
3. Last Christmas, Wham
Wham’s Christmas smash was kept off number one spot by Band Aid in 1984. The video is also notable as the last time George Michael appeared clean shaven.
2. Merry Christmas Everybody, Slade
This Christmas cracker didn’t start life as a winter tune, the original version was a psychedelic song written after the Beatles released Sgt Pepper. However Noddy Holder rewrote the lyrics years later and the festive favourite hit number one in 1973.
1. Fairytale of New York, The Pogues and Kirsty McColl
With 16% of your votes, the number one Christmas song of BreakFree Holidays’ followers is Fairytale of New York. You’re in good company – it’s the most played Christmas song of the 21st century. However your Christmas number one never reached top spot in the charts – it was beaten by the Pet Shop Boys in 1987.
Votes for our Christmas playlist were cast on the BreakFree Holidays Facebook page. Follow us at www.facebook.com/breakfreeholidays/
Photo credit: feature image copyright wavebreakmedia.