Merry Xmas Everybody
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| “Merry Xmas Everybody” | ||
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| Single by Slade | ||
| B-side | Don't Blame Me | |
| Genre | Hard rock/Glam rock | |
| Length | 3:41 | |
| Writer(s) | Noddy Holder/Jim Lea | |
| Producer | Chas Chandler | |
"Merry Xmas Everybody" is a single by the English glam-rock band Slade. Written by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler, it was the band's sixth and final number one single in the UK. It held the coveted UK Christmas Number One slot in December 1973, beating Wizzard's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day" into fourth place, and was still number one in mid-January. In fact, it did not leave the top 40 until after Valentine's Day. It is affectionately held in similar regard by UK residents as Bing Crosby's White Christmas is by Americans.[1] The song is particularly memorable for frontman Noddy Holder's typically screeching delivery of the line "It's Chriiiiiiist-maaaaaaaaaaas!" towards the song's close.
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[edit] History and origin
The song was first written in 1967 with different lyrics. Its original title was "Buy Me a Rocking Chair".
Holder described his reasons for writing the song in the November 2006 issue of MOJO Magazine:
- "I wanted it to be a working-class British Christmas song. And it fitted right with the political and social things going on at the time. It was very grim: there was the Three-Day Week, power cuts at 10 o'clock at night, television finished early because there was no electricity, there was a miners' strike... the whole country was in turmoil. That's why I came up with the line 'Look to the future now/It's only just begun.' That's what everybody had to do. The country couldn't have been at a lower ebb. In times like that, people always turn to showbiz."
Despite the song's association with British working class Christmases it was actually recorded in New York in mid 1973.[2] The band initially had trouble capturing the right feel for the song. In an adjoining studio, John Lennon was working on his album Mind Games. The ex-Beatle had recorded his own Christmas single in 1971, and had contributed to 7 Beatles Christmas records. Slade manager/producer Chas Chandler: "We just couldn't get the sound right. Then John Lennon turned up with a harmonium he was about to use in the studio next door. It was just the sound we wanted."[3]
[edit] Popularity
The song is still a regular feature at UK nightclubs around the Christmas season, especially on Christmas Eve where midnight is signaled by Noddy's screeching finale. The song re-entered the UK Top 40 singles chart a further four times - 1981, 1983, 2006, and 2007 - it eventually sold one million copies.[4] There was also a dance remix made by Swedish dance duo Flush that was a UK top 30 entry in 1998.
[edit] Availability
As well as the single release, it has since been featured on the albums Crackers: The Slade Party Album (live version), Wall Of Hits, Feel The Noize: Greatest Hits and The Very Best Of Slade, and is also available in The Slade Box anthology box set.
The song has also been released on many Christmas compilation albums. It was re-released on 4th December 2006 in two editions, red and green. The red one features "Cum on feel the Noize" as a B side; the green features Here's To The New Year and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.
| Preceded by Little Jimmy Osmond Long Haired Lover From Liverpool |
UK Christmas Number One single
Merry Christmas Everybody 1973 |
Succeeded by Mud Lonely This Christmas |
| Preceded by "I Love You Love Me Love" by Gary Glitter |
UK number one single December 11, 1973 |
Succeeded by "You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me" by The New Seekers |
[edit] References
- ^ UK's most popular Christmas song revealed | News | NME.COM
- ^ Interview with Noddy Holder - Record Collector magazine October 2006
- ^ Black Vinyl, White Powder, Simon Napier-Bell 2001
- ^ List of 200 best selling singles in UK
