The Original Now Christmas Album Re-Play

First released in 1985, this was undoubtedly the album that put Christmas music back on the map for music listeners and radio stations alike. Prior to this album, you might hear Slade and Wizzard, but you wouldn’t hear much more in the way of Christmas music from previous years. From 1985 onwards, the back catalogue of Christmas music started to become part of the soundtrack of the season. I would argue that you can draw a straight line between this original album and the domination of the songs of Christmas Past that we see due to streaming sites.

The tracklist

Side 1

The album starts off with four bona fide crackers. Do They Know It’s Christmas? had been released the previous year and had sold 3 million copies, so it made sense to start with it for this album. Following that came the 1973 one-two of I Wish it could be Christmas Everyday and Merry Christmas Everybody by Wizzard and Slade respectively. The 1984 runner-up in the chart battle, Last Christmas by Wham comes next to make as powerful a first four as you can imagine. The 1973 also ran, Step into Christmas is Track 5, and despite the recent reappraisal of the song, I still think that it’s original chart position of 25 was absolutely right for a record that didn’t come close to the big two in terms of quality. The fact that it had been largely forgotten in the 12 intervening years was probably fair enough. Mike Oldfield’s In Dulce Jubilo is good fun and the following track was also good fun at the time. As it is Another Rock ‘n’ Roll Christmas by 70s glam rocker Gary Glitter, it can obviously no longer be played, except on a vinyl original. The final two tracks on Side 1 are Wonderful Christmastime by Paul McCartney and Blue Christmas by Shakin’ Stevens. The latter was a Number 2 hit in 1982 at the end of another fantastic year for the Welsh rocker, but it would be completely obliterated in the Christmas playlists just after the release of this album by the magnificent Merry Christmas Everyone.

Side 2

This side is arguably more interesting than the parade of big hitters on Side 1, because it served to reintroduce a number of songs dimly remembered or completely forgotten. It starts off, however, with the catalyst for the revival of the Christmas song in the 70s, Happy Xmas (War is Over) by John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band released in 1972. Famously, both the writing partnership of Jim Lea and Noddy Holder, and Wizzard front man Roy Wood were inspired by listening to this track when they decided to write Christmas songs themselves. Greg Lake’s I Believe in Father Christmas got to Number 2 but had no chance of a Christmas chart topper because of the Bohemian Rhapsody juggernaut in 1975. Despite this, it is one of the most amazing Christmas songs ever recorded and still sounds fresh nearly half a century later. Also released in 1975, but failing to chart was Chris De Burgh’s A Spaceman Came Travelling. I had never heard it before this album came out, but it definitely made a big impression when I did. Stop the Cavalry by Jona Lewie was a huge favourite of mine when it was released in 1980, and one I was very familiar with having bought the single at the time. The biggest oddity of the album was Little St Nick by The Beach Boys, the archetypal purveyors of the summer sound. It’s a fun track in a way, but quality wise I would say its not up to the standard set by the bulk of the tracks on here. The same can be said about Queen’s Thank God Its Christmas, and I say that as a fan, but it has been one of those songs that has gradually grown on me year after year. The Christmas Number Ones of 1974 and 1976, Lonely This Christmas and When A Child is Born are followed by White Christmas, first sung by Bing Crosby in the film Holiday Inn in 1942. It is a final three that match each other perfectly in terms of their tempo and they bring arguably the most influential compilation of the festive season to the close.

Final Reflection

It definitely isn’t the case that this album started my infatuation with Christmas pop music, but it definitely reminded me of the power of these three or four minute songs. The first Christmas with this album, it was barely off of my turntable and when I was listening to Radio 1 it was clear that the influence was starting to be felt with the increase in Christmas singles from previous years being played. Years later it still reminds me why I love Christmas music and why I continue to love it.