Best Xmas Song Ever...

So, it's (almost) that time of the year again.

According to my app' it's a mere 36 sleeps until Christmas, it's at about this time that shops start playing Christmas songs. In fact, I heard my first Christmas Song this year played by a Jamaican on a Steel Drum in Leamington Spa's Christmas Market on The Parade on Saturday.

Which got me thinking, which is the best Christmas song of all time?

Well, I intend to scientifically find the very best Christmas ditty over the course of the next few weeks, in a World Cup of Xmas Songs-type thing!

Without further ado, lets get straight into the Qualifying Stages, top two qualify for the knock-out rounds.

Pool A

Chris De Burgh - "A Spaceman Came Travelling"
Aled Jones - "Walking In The Air"
Johnny Mathis - "When A Child Is Born"
Greg Lake - "I Believe In Father Christmas"
Assorted - "Do You Hear What I Hear?"

    
(L-R Chris, Aled, Johnny, Greg and Vince Gill)

A tricky pool, where everyone would fancy their chances of progressing to the next stage of the competition.

Aled Jones, he's the chap who sang the song in The Snowman right? Wrong. That was Peter Auty, poor Peter. Everyone thinks it was Aled who sang the song, when in fact, it wasn't until three years later that Aled rerecorded the song and released it as a music single, reaching number five in the UK Charts in 1985. This, and the fact the song annoys the monkeys out of me, means it doesn't qualify for the group.

The Snowman, but who sang "Walking in the Air" ?

"Do You Hear What I Hear?" was written in 1962 as a plea during the Cuban Missile Crisis (that's right, I can use Google and Wikipedia!). A version by Johnny Mathis features in one of the best all time Xmas Movies, Gremlins.

Gremlins, a Christmas Movie for the whole family.

Johnny Mathis is also responsible for another of the songs in this Qualification Pool H. "When A Child Is Born" was UK Christmas number one in 1976. It scores a resounding victory over "Do You Hear What I Hear", and squeezes in above "I Believe In Father Christmas" on goal difference.


"I Believe In Father Christmas" by Greg Lake, who puts the 'Lake' into Emerson, Lake and Palmer, and perhaps the 'King' into King Crimson?! This reached number two in 1974, but doesn't hit the festive form of "When A Child Is Born".

Topping the group gaining automatic qualification into the knock-out rounds is Chris De Burgh's "A Spaceman Came Travelling". Also released in 1976, but only reaching the number one spot in Ireland, this classic Christmas tune goes through to the next round alongside Johnny Mathis' "When A Child...". We can only wonder if Chris De Burgh's other classic, "Lady In Red", is actually about Mrs. Santa?!

Qualification from Pool A: Chris De Burgh "A Spaceman Came Travelling" (Pool Winner) and Johnny Mathis' "When A Child Is Born" (Runner-Up).

Chris De Burgh's 'Lady in Red' ?

Forthcoming Fixtures: Qualification 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"