Fairytale of New York

My Christmas Earworm of late has been The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl - Fairy tales of New York.

This song has just been everywhere lately, way more then any of the others. I have had so many conversations about this particular Christmas song and was in shock when my boyfriend claimed not to know it. (He did he's just a bit silly).

I guess this song is fitting to my recent mood as I have been feeling far from Christmassy due to recent events, yet as it is that time of year I have to spread 'joy and happiness'.

I like to think I'm always joyful and happy but I can't help but feel negative lately so I feel this Christmas song is the most appropriate one really.



This song is so often voted the best Christmas song of all time. Especially after it was re-released in 2005.
The song is about a Christmas eve shared by a couple who's lives have been ruined by alcoholism and drug use.

My favourite lyrics from this song are "you scum bag you maggot you cheap lousy faggot." Which just generally amuses me. The song faced controversy over the term 'faggot' in 2006 but was disregarded as there had been no complaints about the song in the 19 years it has been around.

Another lyric is "You took my dreams from me, I kept them with me babe I put them with my own, can't make it out alone." It's just great, a real contradiction to the spirit of Christmas. Isn't Christmas supposed to be about hope and dreams.

These pessimistic words are just a few within the song that make me question how it has been voted the greatest Christmas song ever year after year. Surely it would be songs like John Lennon - Happy Xmas (war is over) which has a much more positive message. Or Slade - Merry Christmas Everybody. Which is generally a joyful tune, simply wishing the world a Merry Christmas.



This is definitely one of my favourites.

I don't know about everyone else but I'm just not feeling the Christmas atmosphere as much as usual. Is it just me being a Scrooge or is there less effort this year.

This year is the tenth year since Kirsty MacColl was killed in that horrible boating accident. Brave Kirsty dived to her son to push him out of the way of the unmanned boat and instantly died when hit. She had a massive fan base and has a memorial bench in Soho square where all her fans gather to celebrate her life around her birthday.

Little fact about Kirsty and the song: She was never meant to be a part of it. The female vocal should have been the bands bassist but she left in 1986, the year before it was due to be released. Kirsty's husband was the producer and he asked her to fill in, the band loved her part so much it stuck.

It seems to me all the best songs come about in some kind of 'disaster averted' way.

This may be a less than Christmassy song, but nevertheless, it is one of my favourite Christmas songs. Despite some of my opinions towards it.

It has always rated high in the charts and always will I think. Does everyone love this song? Is it one of the Best Christmas songs?

My top five Christmas songs (not in order, don't ask me to do that) are:

Yes I'm well aware there is more then five there but I couldn't narrow it down. Whether I'm in a bad mood or not, I still love Christmas and it's songs. 

So have a great Christmas followers and Thankyou for supporting my blog, whether you were bribed or not.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Made for a good read, it helps that I also consider this song to be up there as one of my favourite Christmas songs. I'm not entirely feeling festive myself this year, absolutely no idea, perhaps it's because I haven't listened to as much Cliff Richard as usual. Adam x

Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed reading this, im not sure if it was just the way you've written it or the view point you take, it makes for an interesting read either way.