Best Xmas Song Ever... (Knock Out Stages)

...Knock Out Stages will start tomorrow.

Best Xmas Song Ever... (Pool H)

Well done to Reuben yesterday for coming out of nowhere and topping the pool, and congrats to The Darkness for also making it through to the knock-out phase.

We're now into our final qualification pool, Pool H.


Bob Dylan - "Here Comes Santa Claus"
Kate Rusby - "Sweet Bells"
Chris Rea- "Driving Home for Christmas"
Mike Oldfield - "In Dulci Jublio"
Mariah Carey - "All I Want For Christmas"

Thankfully this is an easy pool to determine the songs to progress.

Bob Dylan's Christmas album a few years back is pretty good, and 'Here Comes Santa Claus' is a stand-out track. Similarly Kate Rusby has two relatively recent Christmas albums under her belt, and 'Sweet Bells' is also a very very good song. But there's something about them, I'm not quite sure what, perhaps they're just too modern, perhaps sometime in the future they'll be more of a Christmas song staple, but for now, they're not. Also, sorry Mike Oldfield, but you're not Chris Rea or Mariah Carey.

For that reason Chris goes through as Pool Winner, and Mariah gets through as Runner-Up. Thankfully for Mariah's sake we've chosen to ignore her duet with Justin Bieber.

Mariah, good at what she does.

Coming up next, the Knock-Out Stages of the Competition!

Best Xmas Song Ever... (Pool G)

Either you've arrived here looking for the Thrillson's Throwabout schedule, if so, that's further below. If not, and for some reason you're hear to read my drivel about Xmas Songs, then read on big boy!

Pool G, you'll be pleased to hear, is our penultimate qualification pool, with only Pool H remaining (there are some crackers in there though!).

So, lets pick two out of these lot to progress into the knock-out rounds...


The Darkness - "Don't Let The Bells End"
Bo Selecta - "Proper Crimbo'"
Reuben - "Christmas is Awesome"
East 17 - "Stay Another Day"
Emmy & Tim - "TBC"

You'll see that I've now specified a song by Emmy and Tim, this is largely because the album was new out last year, and I've forgotten which one I like the best. I could have a listen to the album, but it's only November, I restrict my Xmas Song listening to December only. (That's right, all of the videos I've been posting to date, I've not even played, I've just hoped they're the right songs/versions!). So, in actual fact, I'm going to make it easy for myself, and take these guys out of the equation right now. If you haven't heard it however, check it out, its a nice album.

Bo Selecta, remember that? Leigh Francis, back in 2002, whom you probably now know better as Keith Lemon donned some large rubber masks and created spoof parodies of 'celebrities'.

  

Craig Daaaaaaaaavid and Michael Jackson, Shamone!

It wasn't a terrible show, and it's produced a not terrible Christmas single. Pretty fun in fact, with quite a good video. Definitely one of the better modern festive pop tracks. Hot on it's tails however is "Don't Let the Bells End" also a relatively modern (if 2003 is relatively modern!) festive rock song.

The Darkness with Christmas Lights

I kinda like the song, OK, so it's got the high pitched shouty bits sung by the high pitched shouty man, but it's still good. So, let's stick it through, The Darkness  can progress as Pool G Runner-Up.

This leaves Reuben, whom many of you will never of heard of, against the mighty E17, or East 17 as they were probably called at the time. Now in East 17's favour they had snow, massive puffa jackets and their lead singer managed to drive over his own foot. That's talented.

Check out that hood, massive, furry, a furry massive hood!

E17 are up against Reuben, now props to those of you who know the awesome Christmas song, "Christmas is Awesome", it's pretty awesome and it's a Christmas song.

Reuben, not very Christmassy here.

It's a damn fine song, Frank Turner has also done a pretty decent cover on a banjo. Plus it includes the line...

 "And if I eat a sprout, you gotta eat a sprout, you gotta suffer too"

Which I like, for this reason, Reuben are the dark horses of Pool G, causing an upset and topping the group!

Forthcoming Fixtures...

Our last Pool, Pool H, is coming up.

Our five last hopefuls get the chance of progressing to the knock-out stages.

What songs might we have missed?

Frisbee: Thrillson's Throwabout 2012

Thrillson's Throwabout

Indoor Festive Ultimate Frisbee Tournament

Saturday 1st December, 10am, 2012

XCEL Centre, Coventry, CV4 8DY

As we are now about 48 hours before the start of the worlds very best festive indoor frisbee tournament that's held in Coventry and hosted by me, I thought I'd send you some more details.

Some Housekeeping...

Please be nice and considerate to other users of the sports centre. We've used this venue before, and we want to use it again in the future! If you want to do calls, please find a sensible place for them, out of the way of others. Also, please put your rubbish in the bin, I'll have spare black bags if you need them.

If you need them, the sports centre staff are First Aid trained. Should you need them, please also let me (the TD) know.

Attitude / Spirit of the Game...

Now in it's fifth year, Thrillson's Throwabout is a fun informal relaxed and friendly indoor tournament held around Christmas time. Please keep it that way. This year we welcome Miss Lynneshaw and some of her students, which for some of them will be their very first frisbee tournament.

Frisbee Rules...

Games will be about 18 minutes long (pretty good for indoors!). You'll all have your own 'kit' (coloured t-shirts that you've brought), please can captains flip before games to decide ends/receiver. Please make sure you substitute on and off fairly, and don't hog the line. Each team can have a time-out if they really want it, but keep it to 30 seconds or less. There is no 'cap', games can finish in a draw. Games will finish on the hooter/whistle, if the disc is in the air at that point, it can be caught for a score.

Festive Fun...

I hope to have a few festive themed goodies for you lot. Plus Thrillson's Festive Boombox (TM) will be there blasting out Xmas tunes. There will also be a Christmas Music Quiz (with prizes), those who have been following the blog (http://thrillson.co.uk) will already know lots of the answers! I've also had a rather silly idea, and I'm not sure if it'll work, but we'll try it anyway. Whenever you hear The Conga on the Boombox, you must rush and get one player from each of the opposition teams, the first six people to 'do the conga' in view of the TD will win a prize. However, you must have a player from each team in your line (will those on the pitch risk running off in order to seek conga glory?!). Also, once you've started the conga, why stop, your prize can be collected later, keep that conga-line going, and get everyone else to join in!

Schedule...

Please be ready to start your game on time. When your game finishes, please leave the pitch quickly, and conduct your post-game handshakes and niceties on the sideline.

10:00 Welcome

10:10 Elves v Frosts

10:28 Nights v Robins

10:46 Snowmen v Angels

11:04 Elves v Robins

11:22 Nights v Frosts

11:40 Elves v Snowmen

11:58 Nights v Angels

12:16 Snowmen v Robins

12:34 Angels v Frosts

12:52 Elves v Nights

1:10 Snowmen v Frosts

1:28 Angels v Robins

1:46 Nights v Snowmen

2:04 Elves v Angels

2:22 Frosts v Robins

2:40 Presentation

We need to be out of the hall prompt after the presentation. Please can I ask that once your last game is over, you pack your bags up, put your rubbish in the bin and help tidy up. After the presentation we'll all go out to the cafe, which does a particularly good Hot Chocolate, where the winners can gloat about how great they were. 

Finally...

If you've read this far, then well done you, I'll get you a mince pie. If you've gone any questions on the day, or before, then just ask/email me. Hopefully you're all looking forward to it as much as I am.

See you there,

Lucas.

http://thrillson.webs.com/

Best Xmas Song Ever... (Pool F)

Pool F:

Pogues & Kirsty MacColl - "Fairytale of New York"

Boney M - "Marys Boy Child"

Wham! - "Last Christmas"

The Pretenders - "2000 Miles"

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - "The Power Of Love"

So, congratulations to Bing and David, and Paul and George and Bono and, well, Band Aid, you get the idea, who are through to the knock out stages. Onto Pool F, which sports pundits would label to GROUP OF DEATH.

I've already had a few people stating that if the "Pogues and Kirsty MacColl" don't win the 'Best Xmas Song Ever', they'll eat Rudolph or something like that. Apparently it's been 25 years since it was released, and they're re-releasing it again this year. I did hear it was favourite to be Xmas Number One, but a quick Google has revealed that honour will go to the Hillsborough Charity Single.


Let's take a look at Shane's lovely mug...

...and here's Boney M...

...plus Wham!'s effort, "Last Christmas"...

... "2000 Miles" by The Pretenders...

...and finally it's Frankie Goes to Hollywood with "The Power of Love".

To be fair, they're all damn fine efforts. For fear of being lynched 'Fairytale of New York' tops the group, Wham! finish the group as Runners-Up, thanks to my favorite ever graffitti. George Michael was a little worse for wear one day and crashed his car, see below... 

 

...genius. Congrats to The Pogues and Kirsty, our Pool F Winners, and to Runners-Up Wham!


Forthcoming Fixtures... Pool G...


The Darkness - "Don't Let The Bells End"
Bo Selecta - "Proper Crimbo'"
Reuben - "Christmas is Awesome"
East 17 - "Stay Another Day"
Emmy & Tim - "TBC"

Best Xmas Song Ever... (Pool E)

We last left you to decide which Xmas Act was going to take the runners-up spot in Pool D, it came down to (Dave Hill's) FOREHEAD against (Roy Wood's) Beard. You voted in your thousands, with Devon's Dave Hill just taking it, meaning Slade's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas..." takes the runner-up qualification place and joins Elton John's "Step Into Christmas" in the knock-out rounds. Elton, I'd come over for a cup of tea and congratulate you in person, but I'm very busy at the moment (drinking Sherry).

So, onto our next Qualification Pool...

Pool E

John and Yoko - "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)"

Band Aid - "Do They Know It's Christmas"

Paul McCartney - "Wonderful Christmastime"

Shakin Stevens - "Merry Christmas Everyone"

Bing Crosby & David Bowie - "Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy"

Pool E goes 'high-tech' with some videos (they probably won't even work, we'll see...).


John and Yoko - "Happy Christmas (Was Is Over)"

Band Aid (1984) - "Do They Know It's Christmas"

Paul McCartney - "Wonderful Christmastime"

Shakin Stevens - "Merry Christmas Everyone"

Bing Crosby & David Bowie - "Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy"

Well, Bing and Davey go through, legends, group winners, no question. Apparently Bing died a few days after this appearance with Bowie, I think Marc Bolan also died a few days after appearing on TV with David Bowie. There's a lesson to be learnt there*.

Paul Macca won't be slipping through the net, and he certainly won't be slipping through with Yoko in tow, leaving just Shakin Stevens and Band Aid (the 'proper' one).

"Merry Christmas Everyone" is a solid effort from Shakin Stevens, but I'm going to let the 'form' of the performers on the Band Aid single decide who takes the runner-up spot. 

• Adam Clayton (U2) -1
• Phil Collins (Genesis, solo) -1 
• Bob Geldof (The Boomtown Rats) +1
• Steve Norman (Spandau Ballet) +1
• Chris Cross (Ultravox) 0
• John Taylor (Duran Duran) +1
• Paul Young -1
• Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet) +1
• Glenn Gregory (Heaven 17) -1
• Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran) +1
• Simon Crowe (The Boomtown Rats) 0
• Marilyn -1
• Keren Woodward (Bananarama) +1
• Martin Kemp (Spandau Ballet) +1
• Jody Watley (Shalamar) +1
• Bono (U2) -5
• Paul Weller +1
• James "J.T." Taylor (Kool & The Gang) +1
• George Michael (Wham!) +1
• Midge Ure (Ultravox) +1
• Martyn Ware (Heaven 17) 0
• John Keeble (Spandau Ballet) 0
• Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet) +1
• Sting (The Police) -5
• Pete Briquette (The Boomtown Rats) 0
• Francis Rossi (Status Quo) +1
• Robert 'Kool' Bell (Kool & the Gang) 0
• Andy Taylor (Duran Duran) 0
• Jon Moss (Culture Club) 0
• Rick Parfitt (Status Quo) +1
• Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran) +1
• Johnny Fingers (The Boomtown Rats) 0
• David Bowie +1
• Boy George (Culture Club) +1
• Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood) +1
• Paul McCartney (The Beatles) 0

There are 15 reasons why Band Aid should lose out to Shakin Steves, with Sting and Bono making up two-thirds of those, however, there are 18 positives, so it progresses through to the next round!

Pool winner = Bing Crosby and David Bowie - "Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy"

Pool runner-up = Band Aid (the first one!) - "Do They Know It's Christmas Time"

Forthcoming Fixtures, Pool F...

Pogues & Kirsty MacColl - "Fairytale of New York"

Boney M - "Marys Boy Child"

Wham! - "Last Christmas"

The Pretenders - "2000 Miles"

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - "The Power Of Love"

* The lesson is never to wear socks with sandals.

Best Xmas Song Ever... (Pool D)

So, wasn't the climax of Pool C fun, the qualifiers were only given in pictorial form, how every (un)clever!

Anyways, without further adieu onto qualification Pool D.

Slade - "Merry Christmas Everybody"
Wizzard - "I Wish It Could Be"
Mud - "Lonely This Christmas"
Elton John - "Step Into Christmas"
Cliff Richard - "Mistletoe and Wine"

Some have labelled this the 'Pool of Death', but you'd be wrong, there's an even tougher qualification pool to come!

    

(L-R, Slade, Wizzard, Mud, Elt and Cliff)

Well, as it's such a nice picture of Cliff Richard, let's consider him first. Now, as he's Cliff he should be knocked out by default, however, there's something about "Mistletoe and Wine" that's almost palatable, enjoyable even. It's about making out with girls under the mistletoe and getting boozed up, nice one Cliff. However, you also did the Lords Prayer to the tune of Auld Langs Syne, which also gets played around this time of year, and is unforgivable.

"We really love those tiger feet..."

Mud, writers of one of the best pop songs ever, that's right, that's right, that's right (etc.) 'Tiger Feet', enter the Xmas Song Arena with their festive entry 'Lonely This Christmas'. It's a good song, it is, however the B-Side of this release wasn't the brilliantly named "Ho! Ho! Ho! (Who'd be a Turkey at Christmas)". This was in fact the B-Side to Elton John's 'Step into Christmas', and for that reason alone it tops the group. Elton progresses as Pool D winner.

Which leaves only one qualification space and two pop-rock-festive-heavyweights, Wolverhampton's finest, Slade, and Brummie based Wizzard. Now, you might argue that Slade win it hands down for the line "Iiiiiiiiiiiitttts Chriiiiiiiissssssssssssstttmmmmaaaassssss!", however, after a while that gets annoying. 

Plus Noddy Holder (of Slade fame) does the voice over in the lift for the Walsall Art Gallery. Not particularly festive, but true. If you get in the lift, it's Noddy who informs you that you're "Going Uwp".

"Going douwn..."

It's obvious that the best things about these two entries are Roy Wood's beard (Wizzard singer) and Dave Hill's forehead (Slade guitarist). So that's how it'll be decided BEARD Vs FOREHEAD to take the runners-up spot in Pool D.

 

Beard Vs Forehead...

 

...Beard Vs Forehead.

As they'd say in Banzai "BET NOW!" (well, vote at least, leave a comment below, or shout really loudly, or something).

Remember, Beard or Forehead, Wizzard or Slade? Vote Now!

Results to Follow.

Forthcoming Fixtures... Pool E

John and Yoko - "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)"

Band Aid - "Do They Know It's Christmas"

Paul McCartney - "Wonderful Christmastime"

Shakin Stevens - "Merry Christmas Everyone"

Bing Crosby & David Bowie - "Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy"

Best Xmas Song Ever... (Pool C)

Yesterday saw Jona Lewis and The Waitresses progress from Pool B.

Today's heavyweight tie sees the classic crooners going up against each other.

Dean Martin - "Let It Snow"
Andy Williams - "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year"
Nat King Cole - "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)"
Bing Crosby - "White Christmas"
Frank Sinatra - "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"

Some might argue that all five tracks are classics, yet only two of them will progress through to the knock-out stages.

    
(L-R: Dean, Andy, Nat, Bing and Frank)

Question: What's the difference between Bing Crosby and Walt Disney?
Answer: Bing sings, and Walt Dis'ney.

Classic, anyways, not that you're cackling away we need to pick which two of our classic crooners will make it through to the knock-out stages.

Well, I think there's very little to separate these five contenders, very little at all.

So, as this 'competition' is highly serious and scientific, I've picked two largely at random. That, and the fact I hear that punters have been betting heavily on 'White Christmas' to make the semi's.

So, the Pool C Winner is...
  

and the Pool C Runner-Up is...
  


Congratulations to these two, making it into the next stages of the competition.


Forthcoming Fixtures, Pool D...


Slade - "Merry Christmas Everybody"
Wizzard - "I Wish It Could Be"
Mud - "Lonely This Christmas"
Elton John - "Step Into Christmas"
Cliff Richard - "Mistletoe and Wine"

Best Xmas Song Ever... (Pool B)

Uninterestingly this is the 100th post on this blog, very slightly more interestingly, we're onto the second Pool in the qualification stages of the competition that is "The Best Xmas Song Ever...".

From Pool A we saw Chris De Burgh and Johnny Mathis through to the Knock-Out Stages.

Pool B features five fine entries, but only the top two will progress through to the last-16.

Pool B


The Waitresses - "Christmas Wrapping"
Tom Jones & Cerys Matthews - "Baby, Its Cold Outside"
Eartha Kitt - "Santa Baby"
Mel & Kim - "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree"
Jona Lewis - "Stop The Cavalry"

    

(L-R, Waitresses, Cerys & Tom, Eartha, Mel & Kim, Jona).

A pool with high quality throughout the ranks, featuring possibly the chirpiest Christmas song ever, "Christmas Wrapping" by the Waitresses. A quick Google has just revealed to me that they're not the all girl band I assumed them to be, they're not actually waitresses either. Despite being mislead, this is a core staple of every Christmas album, and rightfully so.

Another uplifting jovial number is "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" by Mel & Kim, no, not Mel & Kim Appleby of 'Mel & Kim' fame, but Mel Smith of 'Smith & Jones' fame and Kim Wilde of "Kids in America" fame. Simple, right? Glad that's sorted. Anyway, the purists out there may be asking where Brenda Lee's version is, well, Mel & Kim's is better. It has talking in the song, talking in songs is usually best avoided, but not here...

"(Kim): I do love a nice sax break
(Mel) :Yeah me too Kim, but let's wait till the record's over"

...classic comedy right there.

  
(L-R: (L-R) Mel & Kim, (L-R) Mel & Kim and (R-L) Mel & Sue) Note, Mel & Sue have nothing to do with this post, in fact, they don't even celebrate Christmas (possibly).

Another classic Christmas song, also a duet, is "Baby, It's Cold Outside". For those doubters, yes, it is a Christmas song, and yes, should only be played at Christmas; not let anyone let you think otherwise. There are numerous recordings of this song, a think my personal favourite is James Taylor with Natalie Cole, yet they got their entry form in late for this Xmas Pop Song Knock-Out; and Tom Jones and Cerys Matthews were early to training, so they get the nod. Wales represent, etc. etc.


(James Taylor (in case you couldn't guess!))

It captures what Christmas is really about perfectly, basically staying in and drinking horrific amounts.

"Well Maybe just a half a drink more - Put some music on while I pour"

However, the insistence of some heathens playing this song at any point in time, other than Christmas, means that this doesn't make it into the knock-out rounds, a shame really.

Bringing us onto our next qualification hopeful, "Santa Baby" by Eartha Kitt.


(Yes, "Santa Baby", very literal)

Another song which has been covered many many times, but in this case, the original remains the best. Eartha Kitt's 1953 recording still stands the test of time, better than the Pussycat Dolls, Kylie Minogue and all other imposters!

  
(L-R: LeAnn Rimes, Sugababes and Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal, remember her?!, all covered 'Santa Baby')

The last entry in this strong group is Jona Lewie with "Stop The Cavalry". Now this is another 'Christmas' song that apparently wasn't intended as a Christmas song. Balls, I say, here's why...

(1.) Sleigh Bells - To be a good christmas song, you need sleigh bells, not necessarily throughout the whole song, but you'll need sleigh bells in there somewhere. Jona's "Stop The Cavalry" has sleigh bells.

(2.) "Wish I Was At Home For Christmas" - you cannot have that line, sung over sleigh bells, and people not consider it a Christmas song. Yes Jona, an anti-war protest song perhaps, but it's a Christmas anti-war protest song, and a bloody good one at that!


(The Cavalry, Stop Them)

It's also a fun and easy song to sing along to, you just sing like you're marching. Plus the chorus is a literary work of genius "dum dum, dum dum dum, dum dum, dum dum dum".

In fact, this song is blimmin' great, therefore it goes through as the group winner. Tom & Cerys have not made the cut, so the final qualification spot is between Mel & Kim, Eartha and the Waitresses.

As good as the Eartha song is, the other two are just so cheerful. So it's down to "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and "Christmas Wrapping" for the last qualification spot from Pool B. It's very close, but "Christmas Wrapping" scrapes through on goal difference, thanks to the word play in the song's title.

Qualification from Pool B: Jona Lewis "Stop The Cavalry" (Pool Winner) and The Waitresses "Christmas Wrapping (Runner-Up).


(Christmas Rapping)


Forthcoming Fixtures: Qualification Pool C...


Dean Martin - "Let It Snow"
Andy Williams - "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year"
Nat King Cole - "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)"
Bing Crosby - "White Christmas"
Frank Sinatra - "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"