Rock’n’Roll Unravelled Show
Christmas Charts UK
podcast
The charts started in 1952. We take a look at the UK Christmas charts down the years…
Christmas Charts UK podcast
This is the original radio show. It includes all the music played on the show.
First broadcast on Access North West 25 December 2019.
PLAYLIST
Christmas Charts UK
- Greg Lake – I Believe in Father Christmas
- Harry Belafonte – Mary’s Boy Child
- The Darkness – Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)
- Elvis Presley – Blue Christmas
- The Scaffold – Lily the Pink
- Slade – Merry Xmas Everybody
- Darlene Love – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Christmas Charts UK
The first pop music chart was published in 1952. We take a look at who was where, in the Christmas-week charts – down the years.
Surprisingly, few songs on the Christmas-week charts are songs about Christmas. The majority are hits at Christmas, rather than Christmas hits.
The Beatles were the first act to have three consecutive Christmas #1s, in 1963, 1964 and 1965, although, none of them were Christmas songs. In fact, it was quite uncool in the 1960s for a group to release a Christmas Song.
The Christmas single came of age in the 1970s. Slade certainly broke the mould with their Merry Xmas Everybody. Following on from Slade, during the 1970s four of the singles to hit the #1 spot were Christmas songs. Not only that but Greg Lake narrowly missed out when his I Believe in Father Christmas was held down at #2 by Queen’s epic Bohemian Rhapsody.
The X Factor TV show held either the #1 or #2 slot, every Christmas from 2005 to 2016.
Cliff Richard has certainly made his mark on the Christmas charts, with two #1s and 5 #2 hits.
Novelty songs have also popped up during the Christmas week chart. A #1 for the Scaffold in 1968, Lilly the Pink was adapted from the bawdy drinking song, The Ballad of Lydia Pinkham.
WHO’S ON TOUR NOW?
Check out the current tour details for artists and bands mentioned in the
Christmas Charts UK podcast.
This is not a ticket booking site. The links are to the artists/bands’ own websites or Facebook pages. This link lets you know which artists/bands from the 1960s and 1970s have gigs booked in their diaries.
For ALL PODCASTS
COMPETITION
Win a copy of
Rock’n’Roll Unravelled
There is a different question every month.
Follow the link to see this month’s question
and TO ENTER the competition.
Send me the answer to the simple question.
That’s it!
You’re in the draw…
for a signed and dedicated copy of the book.
I’ll post the book to the lucky winner
anywhere in the world…
Rock’n’Roll Unravelled – THE BOOK
Derek Shelmerdine, author of Rock’n’Roll Unravelled.
With its unique three-part format
Timeline + What Happened Today? + Pocket Histories
Rock’n’Roll Unravelled tells the story of rock’n’roll from its roots to mid-1970s punk.
As well as the story of the music, the book also looks at the social events which shaped it. The Vietnam War, Civil Rights struggle and so many other factors because they had such an influence on the music of the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s.
Consequently, the book paints a vivid picture of the times.
Record Collector magazine review
Record Collector magazine liked the book and said of it…
“Shelmerdine has made a painstaking effort to document pretty much every event that would prove significant in shaping popular music … a comprehensive guide… invaluable.”
TO BUY Rock’n’Roll Unravelled
You can purchase a signed and dedicated copy of the book on this, the author’s, website.
Just follow the link above.
