Today is not any old Christmas day.
Not since 1977 has a full moon dawned in the skies at Christmas. But this year a bright full moon will see in Christmas day 2015 - the Werewolves will be out wearing their Christmas jumpers!
Talking of Werewolves it’s also Shane MacGowan’s birthday (born 25th December 1957) and Santa has only gone and brought him a set of new nashers.
He was once dubbed as “the thinking man’s Liberace” by Radio 1 DJ Gary Davies, a bit over the top I think, but he did write some great lyrics and among my favourites is this:
It was Christmas Eve babe
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me, won't see another one
And then he sang a song
The Rare Old Mountain Dew
I turned my face away
And dreamed about you
Got on a lucky one
Came in eighteen to one
I've got a feeling
This year's for me and you
So happy Christmas
I love you baby
I can see a better time
When all our dreams come true
They've got cars big as bars
They've got rivers of gold
But the wind goes right through you
It's no place for the old
When you first took my hand
On a cold Christmas Eve
You promised me
Broadway was waiting for me
You were handsome
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me, won't see another one
And then he sang a song
The Rare Old Mountain Dew
I turned my face away
And dreamed about you
Got on a lucky one
Came in eighteen to one
I've got a feeling
This year's for me and you
So happy Christmas
I love you baby
I can see a better time
When all our dreams come true
They've got cars big as bars
They've got rivers of gold
But the wind goes right through you
It's no place for the old
When you first took my hand
On a cold Christmas Eve
You promised me
Broadway was waiting for me
You were handsome
You were pretty
Queen of New York City
When the band finished playing
They howled out for more
Sinatra was swinging,
All the drunks they were singing
We kissed on a corner
Then danced through the night
The boys of the NYPD choir
Were singing "Galway Bay"
And the bells were ringing out
For Christmas day
"Fairytale of New York" started life as a bet - Pogues producer Elvis Costello bet Shane MacGowan and co-writer Jem Finer, the band’s banjoist, that they couldn’t come up with a Christmas record that wasn’t slushy.
The song was originally written as a duet between Shane MacGowan and Pogues bassist Cait O'Riordan. However, O'Riordan married Costello and left the band in 1986, before the song was recorded. Costello was replaced as producer by Steve Lillywhite, who asked his wife, Kirsty MacColl, to record test vocals to help the band hear how the duet could work. They were so astounded by her performance she got the job. Before hearing MacColl, MacGowan had suggested Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde as a possible partner for the duet.
It was first recorded in 1987 and kept out of the number 1 slot by the Pet Shop Boys’ “Always on my Mind” or according to MacGowan, "by two queens and a drum machine"!
Ella Finer, daughter of co-writer Jem Finer, now often sings Kirsty’s parts at live concerts.
The song was originally written as a duet between Shane MacGowan and Pogues bassist Cait O'Riordan. However, O'Riordan married Costello and left the band in 1986, before the song was recorded. Costello was replaced as producer by Steve Lillywhite, who asked his wife, Kirsty MacColl, to record test vocals to help the band hear how the duet could work. They were so astounded by her performance she got the job. Before hearing MacColl, MacGowan had suggested Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde as a possible partner for the duet.
It was first recorded in 1987 and kept out of the number 1 slot by the Pet Shop Boys’ “Always on my Mind” or according to MacGowan, "by two queens and a drum machine"!
Ella Finer, daughter of co-writer Jem Finer, now often sings Kirsty’s parts at live concerts.
In celebration of these trivial facts here is the countries favourite Christmas song which has been in the top 20 every year since it's re-release in 2005, (look out for Matt Dillon as the NYPD patrolman who arrests the intoxicated MacGowan):
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY FULL MOON!
Hey Ho!
