Saint Nick Verses

It’s that time of year again. If you’re a regular high street shopper, you’ll know that it’s been ‘that time of year’ for a good couple of months now, and you’re probably a bit peeved at the not-so-jolly Christmas music wobbling out of the speakers at doomed branches of Woolworths as you fight over the bargains therein.

All is not lost. There is good Christmas music out there – yes, I know the UK charts have been hijacked by reality TV shows in recent years. Astute move by the high-waisted Simon Cowell to finish the X Factor shows the week before Christmas Day. The three past winners of that show got to the top of the Yuletide charts – why change a winning formula, especially as the British record buying public fall for it time and time again?

Isn’t it terrible that the true Christmas number one record should be, in fact, the one that finishes second?

So, we turn, with faint hope, to the Midlands once more, the true heartland of all that is good and great about the Christmas Single, a truly British phenomenon. In 1973, Wolverhampton and Birmingham’s most successful artists of the day battled it out with two titanic releases, defining the genre and exciting media interest ever since. Slade won the battle and the #1 slot.. Wizzard reached #4.

So I’d like to point you towards the MySpace page of Bilston United, and a Wulfrunian (is that right, Dave?) Yuletide tribute to the two leaders of those immortal 70s groups – the song is called “Roy Wood & Noddy Holder”. Turn it up and play loud, because (in the gargled howl of Mr. Holder)..

“… it’s CHRIIIIIISTMAAAAAAAAAS!”

Have a good one.