It's been far too long since I last wrote a proper top 5 on here. I've traditionally published a Christmas special but was running out of topics until this popped into my head late one night. The Christmas number one single has been a sought after accolade for some time although, as I've discovered in researching* this, hasn't often been the bearer of great music. There are just about enough decent songs - in-between the recent dross of X-Factor winners, "novelty" releases by the likes of Mr Blobby and the umpteenth re-release of "Do They Know It's F-cking Christmas" - to cobble together a reasonable top five. Though, as you'll see, my definition of "reasonable" might be open to debate.
*Reading Wikipedia
1. Slade "Merry Xmas Everybody" (1973) - It turns out there aren't many Christmas number ones that actually reference Christmas, certainly not many I'd consider putting in one of my top fives. This Slade track may seem a bit old hat now but, as Christmas number ones go, it's as good as it gets and scores extra points for being a decent tune AND being about the actual event.
2. The Human League "Don't You Want Me" (1981) - As I'm sure I've mentioned before, although I grew up in the eighties I wasn't a fan of the chart music of the day. This song was unavoidable at the time and, if I'm honest, I probably hated it but recently I seem to have developed something of a nostalgic feeling for the best songs of the era and it turns out this is an absolute corker.
3. Pink Floyd "Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)" (1979) - Was this really a Christmas number one? According to Wikipedia it was so who am I to argue? This was, oddly, partially responsible for me getting into Punk. It seems strange that so soon after the punk revolution a band so synonymous with the old guard were still claiming chart success, though, if truth be told, lyrically the Floyd were as reactionary as any of the punk vanguard.
4. Rolf Harris Two Little Boys (1969) - Can I get away with this still? I realise that as a man he clearly got away with some heinous acts and is now rightly being punished for them. Can I separate the man's art from his personal life? To be honest I don't know but this single was a landmark moment in my youth. I had this and Jake The Peg on 7" and they were possibly the very first pieces of vinyl I owned. I remember thinking this song was a bit lame when I was six but it ingrained itself into my consciousness over the years hence and, prior to the court case, had become something of a nostalgic gem.
Whatever the rights & wrongs of art vs person I feel a little uncomfortable posting a video of the song so here's my standby replacement "Killing In The Name" by the popular beat combo Rage Against The Machine who claimed the number one slot in 2008.
5. Girls Aloud "Sound of the Underground" (2002) - And having slated X-Factor and the like at the start of this piece let's go full circle and give a tip of the hat to the modern day hit factory that does occasionally find a gem amongst the conveyor belt of pig swill.
Happy Christmas to you all, thanks for sticking with me and very best wishes for the New Year.
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Thursday, 25 December 2014
Friday, 21 December 2012
Top 5 Christmas Presents
A little bit earlier than normal with this year's festive top five. Christmas is for me all about the magic of waking up and finding a pile of presents at the foot of your bed or under the tree. This top five is about those presents that made my childhood Christmases memorable before I became a Dad and Christmas became a whole different ball game.
Happy Christmas everyone, I hope you have a lovely holiday break and that Santa brings you everything you hoped for.
1. New Bike - I have a fairly vivid memory of coming down to find a shiny new bike in the front room next to the tree. Oddly, I don't remember much about the bike after this so I suspect it was my first with two wheels and didn't last me all that long. You'll probably be disappointed to read it wasn't a Chopper.
2. Scalextric - A starter set with a small figure of eight track and two classic Minis (one Red, one Yellow). Possibly this was the beginning of my love of Mini's (I now drive a proper one, when it's not off the road for various minor ailments) though I probably saw The Italian Job around the same time. We had the track set up all day on the upstairs landing and I remember spending most of Christmas racing various family members.
3. Transistor Radio - The only present on the list I didn't get from Mum & Dad. Uncle Stan and Auntie Margaret bought me this small plastic radio along with a Concorde shaped gold tie-pin (Auntie M worked for British Airways). At first I was a little nonplussed but when I eventually gave it a go I became enthralled by the stations I discovered. There was a lot of static and foreign voices but I was excited to discover the mysterious Radio Luxembourg and began my discovery of music outside of Mum & Dad's record collection.
4. Subbuteo - The beginning of another minor obsession. This starter set came with a felt pitch (that always rucked up at the crucial moment), two teams (one in Fulham colours obviously), a floodlight (essential for those mid-week late night fixtures) and all the necessary paraphernalia. I probably spent more time trying to collect accessories to make my set look more like a real football ground (camera gantry, grandstand, crowd members, St. John's ambulance crew and the like) than actually playing the game. I did try and keep a mini league going for a while and spent most of my pocket money collecting teams from the wonderful Subbuteo team catalogue.
5. Fulham Kit - My first replica kit (Shirt, Shorts & Socks!) from the 1979-80 season. I'd been to my first game in August and got the football bug. It was an Adidas kit but made from some horrible polyester material that rubbed my skin the wrong way. The shorts never quite fitted me either though I remember wearing the entire ensemble to football practice for several weeks before admitting it was bloody uncomfortable.
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Happy Christmas everyone, I hope you have a lovely holiday break and that Santa brings you everything you hoped for.
1. New Bike - I have a fairly vivid memory of coming down to find a shiny new bike in the front room next to the tree. Oddly, I don't remember much about the bike after this so I suspect it was my first with two wheels and didn't last me all that long. You'll probably be disappointed to read it wasn't a Chopper.
2. Scalextric - A starter set with a small figure of eight track and two classic Minis (one Red, one Yellow). Possibly this was the beginning of my love of Mini's (I now drive a proper one, when it's not off the road for various minor ailments) though I probably saw The Italian Job around the same time. We had the track set up all day on the upstairs landing and I remember spending most of Christmas racing various family members.
3. Transistor Radio - The only present on the list I didn't get from Mum & Dad. Uncle Stan and Auntie Margaret bought me this small plastic radio along with a Concorde shaped gold tie-pin (Auntie M worked for British Airways). At first I was a little nonplussed but when I eventually gave it a go I became enthralled by the stations I discovered. There was a lot of static and foreign voices but I was excited to discover the mysterious Radio Luxembourg and began my discovery of music outside of Mum & Dad's record collection.
4. Subbuteo - The beginning of another minor obsession. This starter set came with a felt pitch (that always rucked up at the crucial moment), two teams (one in Fulham colours obviously), a floodlight (essential for those mid-week late night fixtures) and all the necessary paraphernalia. I probably spent more time trying to collect accessories to make my set look more like a real football ground (camera gantry, grandstand, crowd members, St. John's ambulance crew and the like) than actually playing the game. I did try and keep a mini league going for a while and spent most of my pocket money collecting teams from the wonderful Subbuteo team catalogue.
5. Fulham Kit - My first replica kit (Shirt, Shorts & Socks!) from the 1979-80 season. I'd been to my first game in August and got the football bug. It was an Adidas kit but made from some horrible polyester material that rubbed my skin the wrong way. The shorts never quite fitted me either though I remember wearing the entire ensemble to football practice for several weeks before admitting it was bloody uncomfortable.
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Friday, 23 December 2011
Top 5 Anti-Christmas Songs
Despite the fact that, as Half Man Half Biscuit told us, "It's Cliched to by Cynical At Christmas", it's also quite therapeutic to let your "Bah! Humbug" side out once in a while. Also I'm running out of ideas for Christmas related top fives. Thanks to the ever fascinating Guardian Readers Recommend series who came up with the topic and provided me with some excellent choices to select from. Oddly, in spite of the general theme of Christmas not being the greatest time of the year, these songs have a rather uplifting effect on me. I think underlying the misery there's a sense of positive thought but perhaps that's just me.
1. "That Was the Worst Christmas Ever" Sufjan Stevens - A heart wrenching song coupled with a wonderfully animated D.I.Y video. It's not the sort of thing I'd normally champion but thoroughly deserves a wider audience.
2. "We're All Going To Die" Malcolm Middleton - Previously with the always acerbic Arab Strap, this is Malcolm Middleton's first attempt at a Christmas song. Despite the obviously grim subject it has an impossibly catchy refrain that I've been humming ever since.
3. "A Christmas Carol" Tom Leher - An Evening Wasted With Tom Lehrer was one of those albums my Dad owned that came to mean a great deal to me growing up. To be honest, this is the only album by Tom Leher I've ever heard but it remains a milestone in my comedy education.
4. "Cancel Xmas" Rocket from The Crypt - I was never a massive RFTC fan but this is a tune that hits all the right buttons.
5. "Christmas Is Going To The Dogs" Eels - Here as much for the title as the tune I've long been a fan of Eels morose take on life and this pretty much nails the Christmas conundrum.
If you're really in the mood then check through that Guardian article for some more gems including "Ain't No Chimneys In The Projects" by Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, "The Christmas Tree's On Fire" by Holly Golightly, "Black Christmas" by Poly Styrene and "Don't Believe In Father Christmas" by the Sonics.
Thanks to everyone who has read and enjoyed the blog this year, especially those of you who have contributed your own top fives (and in the process made this a much better place). I hope you all have a very happy festive period and I'll see you in the New Year (or perhaps slightly sooner).
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1. "That Was the Worst Christmas Ever" Sufjan Stevens - A heart wrenching song coupled with a wonderfully animated D.I.Y video. It's not the sort of thing I'd normally champion but thoroughly deserves a wider audience.
2. "We're All Going To Die" Malcolm Middleton - Previously with the always acerbic Arab Strap, this is Malcolm Middleton's first attempt at a Christmas song. Despite the obviously grim subject it has an impossibly catchy refrain that I've been humming ever since.
3. "A Christmas Carol" Tom Leher - An Evening Wasted With Tom Lehrer was one of those albums my Dad owned that came to mean a great deal to me growing up. To be honest, this is the only album by Tom Leher I've ever heard but it remains a milestone in my comedy education.
4. "Cancel Xmas" Rocket from The Crypt - I was never a massive RFTC fan but this is a tune that hits all the right buttons.
5. "Christmas Is Going To The Dogs" Eels - Here as much for the title as the tune I've long been a fan of Eels morose take on life and this pretty much nails the Christmas conundrum.
If you're really in the mood then check through that Guardian article for some more gems including "Ain't No Chimneys In The Projects" by Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, "The Christmas Tree's On Fire" by Holly Golightly, "Black Christmas" by Poly Styrene and "Don't Believe In Father Christmas" by the Sonics.
Thanks to everyone who has read and enjoyed the blog this year, especially those of you who have contributed your own top fives (and in the process made this a much better place). I hope you all have a very happy festive period and I'll see you in the New Year (or perhaps slightly sooner).
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Friday, 24 December 2010
Top 5 Christmas TV Specials
Another year has flown by and I've been a bit hit and miss with the top fives. Here's a suitably festive one to end the year, I'll be back in January with my end of year roundups. For now though, in the words of Shakin' Stevens, "Tis the season of love & understanding, Merry Christmas everyone!".
1. The Morecombe & Wise Show (1977) - The Morecombe & Wise Christmas specials were as much a part of our family Christmas ritual as having dinner an hour later than Mum planned and falling asleep in front of the Bond film. Difficult to single out one year but I suspect 1977 (which gained one of the largest audiences for a single light entertainment show and saw guest appearances from the Dad's Army cast, Penelope Keith and the usual array of unlikely candidates in the big dance finale) would have been my favourite.
2. A Christmassy Ted (1996) - In which Ted and Dougal get lost in Ireland's largest lingerie section and are desperate to find their way out before causing a scandle. Bumping into several other priests on the way, Ted eventually leads them to freedom and wins the Golden Cleric of the Year award. Some great moments along the way; Father Jack being left in the creche, Mrs Doyle trying to guess the name of Father Unctious with an ever more ridiculous list of Priest's names and Dougal's Matador outfit.
3. Only Fools and Horses (1989) - The Jolly Boys outing. Although it's set during an August Bank Holiday this was the '89 Christmas special and remains my favourite ever episode of Fools & Horses. The coach driver seeming to get drunk before they reach margate. The dodgy radio that actually causes this blowing up and destroying the coach. Rodney punching Cassandra's boss on the nose assuming he was up to mischief, only to find his wife is there as well. Classic Trotters.
4. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) - Charlie Brown strives to come to terms with the true meaning of Christmas.
5. Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988) - A parody of Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" this one off special saw Blackadder in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge. The plot is reversed so that Blackadder starts off as the nicest man in England but, following visions of his past and future lives, ends up the conniving and self-centered Blackadder we know and love.
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1. The Morecombe & Wise Show (1977) - The Morecombe & Wise Christmas specials were as much a part of our family Christmas ritual as having dinner an hour later than Mum planned and falling asleep in front of the Bond film. Difficult to single out one year but I suspect 1977 (which gained one of the largest audiences for a single light entertainment show and saw guest appearances from the Dad's Army cast, Penelope Keith and the usual array of unlikely candidates in the big dance finale) would have been my favourite.
2. A Christmassy Ted (1996) - In which Ted and Dougal get lost in Ireland's largest lingerie section and are desperate to find their way out before causing a scandle. Bumping into several other priests on the way, Ted eventually leads them to freedom and wins the Golden Cleric of the Year award. Some great moments along the way; Father Jack being left in the creche, Mrs Doyle trying to guess the name of Father Unctious with an ever more ridiculous list of Priest's names and Dougal's Matador outfit.
3. Only Fools and Horses (1989) - The Jolly Boys outing. Although it's set during an August Bank Holiday this was the '89 Christmas special and remains my favourite ever episode of Fools & Horses. The coach driver seeming to get drunk before they reach margate. The dodgy radio that actually causes this blowing up and destroying the coach. Rodney punching Cassandra's boss on the nose assuming he was up to mischief, only to find his wife is there as well. Classic Trotters.
4. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) - Charlie Brown strives to come to terms with the true meaning of Christmas.
5. Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988) - A parody of Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" this one off special saw Blackadder in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge. The plot is reversed so that Blackadder starts off as the nicest man in England but, following visions of his past and future lives, ends up the conniving and self-centered Blackadder we know and love.
Friday, 25 December 2009
Top 5 Christmas Albums
A very merry Christmas to you all.
Having already done Songs and Films I was rapidly running out of ideas for Crimbo top fives but this one seemed like a topic I could have a fair crack at. Most of these are available to listen for free via Spotify (if you're not signed up and need an invite let me know). Full list on Amazon here
1. Various "A Christmas Gift For You from Phil Spector" (1963)
Classic compilation of Christmas songs recorded by Spector's roster of Artists. Darlene Love, The Crystals, Bob B. Soxx and of course the wonderful Ronettes.
2. Low "Christmas EP" (1999)
So, officially, this is an E.P. but these eight tracks are a genuine contrast to the standard Christmas fare. Low's characteristic restrained and sparse style provide the perfect theme for the end of a long Christmas day. When everyone has gone home and you're left putting away the crockery and finding places to store all the new toys.
3. Jethro Tull "The Jethro Tull Christmas Album" (2003)
A compilation of Tull's best known Christmas songs (re-recorded), bulked out with some new songs and traditional covers.
4. Vince Guaraldi Trio "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (1965)
The soundtrack to the television special of the same name. I'm not a big Jazz fan but this is music that takes me back to my childhood and a point when Christmas was the most exciting time of the year.
5. The Ventures "The Ventures' Christmas Album" (1965)
Sixties surf instrumentalists take on the Christmas song in their own inimitable style. Versions of their own hits segue (almost) seamlessly into Crimbo classics.
That'll be it until later in the New Year when I'll be back with my favourites of 2009. Have a great holiday and best wishes for 2010.
Friday, 26 December 2008
Top 5 Christmas Movies
Happy Christmas everyone, I hope Santa brought you everything you asked for. My final Top 5 of the year was a request in one of my Christmas cards (hello Libby!) that I thought was going to be easier than it turned out. It seems I've not watched as many Christmas films as I thought. Maybe I've only seen the bad ones. Either way I had to do a bit of cramming this week and took a few "personnel recommendations" but I reckon this is still a pretty decent top 5.
1. "It's A Wonderful Life" (1946) - So I don't think I've actually watched this all the way through but reputation and recommendations suggest it's worthy of it's place as the best Christmas movie ever.
2. "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" (1966) - Chuck Jones' near perfect animation of Dr Seuss' brilliant retelling of Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol".
3. "Bad Santa" (2003) - Billy Bob Thornton excels as the drunk safe-cracking store Santa in a film that is the evil twin brother of "Miracle on 34th Street". Strewn with profanity and vulgarity this is not family entertainment but it is very very funny and still gets across it's little message of the magic of Christmas at the end.
4. "Miracle on 34th Street" (1947) - A tale to warm the heart of even the most cynical of viewers.
5. "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993) - Tim Burton does stop motion.
Enjoy the rest of the holiday period, best wishes for the New Year. I'll be back with more top fives later in January.
1. "It's A Wonderful Life" (1946) - So I don't think I've actually watched this all the way through but reputation and recommendations suggest it's worthy of it's place as the best Christmas movie ever.
2. "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" (1966) - Chuck Jones' near perfect animation of Dr Seuss' brilliant retelling of Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol".
3. "Bad Santa" (2003) - Billy Bob Thornton excels as the drunk safe-cracking store Santa in a film that is the evil twin brother of "Miracle on 34th Street". Strewn with profanity and vulgarity this is not family entertainment but it is very very funny and still gets across it's little message of the magic of Christmas at the end.
4. "Miracle on 34th Street" (1947) - A tale to warm the heart of even the most cynical of viewers.
5. "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993) - Tim Burton does stop motion.
Enjoy the rest of the holiday period, best wishes for the New Year. I'll be back with more top fives later in January.
Friday, 14 December 2007
Top 5 Christmas Songs
'Tis the season to be jolly (or just very very drunk) and in keeping with that here's my Top 5 Christmas Songs. This will be my last Top 5 of the year, I'll be back in the New Year with my Top 5 albums of 2007.
1. Low "Just Like Christmas" - From their simply wonderful "Christmas E.P." this just evokes that long forgotten feeling of what Christmas was all about when you were little. For a band who specialise in quiet, sparse music this is an incredibly upbeat and joyful tune.
2. The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl "Fairytale of New York" - Another tune evocative of cold and snowy Christmas nights, drinking your way round the back streets of New York City ... or Shepperton. The contrast between MacGowan and MacColl's voices is fabulous and some cracking lyrics from Shane at his best.
3. Half-Man Half-Biscuit "All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit" - As perfect a recreation of my childhood as I am ever likely to see in song. Possibly not strictly a genuine Christmas song failing, as it does, to mention Christmas anywhere other than in its title. Transformer problems with my Scalextric and amassing the biggest collection of Subbutteo teams occupied much of my pre-teen thoughts. The Dukla Prague away kit is also one of the greatest football shirts in history, read more about the song and the kit HERE if you're interested.
4. Slade "Merry Christmas Everybody" - A song as universal as Happy Birthday but one that seems to retain it's charm. It's not Kerr-ris-mas until you've heard this song for the first time.
5. The Pretenders "2000 Miles" - From the "Learning to Crawl" album that seemed rubbish when I first heard it but somehow found it's way into my heart. For some reason the lyrics "2000 Miles, Is very far through the snow" always give me a little chuckle.
An honourable mention for Jethro Tull who have been serial Crimbo song writers. "Ring Out Solstice Bells" is their most well known, but I enjoy Ian Anderson's cynical lyrics for "A Christmas Song" and the subsequent, and appropriately named "Another Christmas Song".
1. Low "Just Like Christmas" - From their simply wonderful "Christmas E.P." this just evokes that long forgotten feeling of what Christmas was all about when you were little. For a band who specialise in quiet, sparse music this is an incredibly upbeat and joyful tune.
2. The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl "Fairytale of New York" - Another tune evocative of cold and snowy Christmas nights, drinking your way round the back streets of New York City ... or Shepperton. The contrast between MacGowan and MacColl's voices is fabulous and some cracking lyrics from Shane at his best.
3. Half-Man Half-Biscuit "All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit" - As perfect a recreation of my childhood as I am ever likely to see in song. Possibly not strictly a genuine Christmas song failing, as it does, to mention Christmas anywhere other than in its title. Transformer problems with my Scalextric and amassing the biggest collection of Subbutteo teams occupied much of my pre-teen thoughts. The Dukla Prague away kit is also one of the greatest football shirts in history, read more about the song and the kit HERE if you're interested.
4. Slade "Merry Christmas Everybody" - A song as universal as Happy Birthday but one that seems to retain it's charm. It's not Kerr-ris-mas until you've heard this song for the first time.
5. The Pretenders "2000 Miles" - From the "Learning to Crawl" album that seemed rubbish when I first heard it but somehow found it's way into my heart. For some reason the lyrics "2000 Miles, Is very far through the snow" always give me a little chuckle.
An honourable mention for Jethro Tull who have been serial Crimbo song writers. "Ring Out Solstice Bells" is their most well known, but I enjoy Ian Anderson's cynical lyrics for "A Christmas Song" and the subsequent, and appropriately named "Another Christmas Song".
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