Step into (my) Christmas - melodies & memories #043

And what do Gavin & Stacey and Black Dove have in common?

On Thursday evening, after a leisurely lunch with my lovely friend Chris at Toklas (thanks for the restaurant introduction Kate), I came home to lounge and relax, away from the crazy hurly burly of central London during Christmas party week.

I lit my wood burner and settled down to re-watch the 2019 Gavin & Stacey Christmas Special. I’d forgotten how bloody brilliant it is. Inspired writing by the comedy genius of James Corden and Ruth Jones, perfectly executed by a legendary cast.

From comedy, I rolled straight into the hotly tipped Black Doves. Another stellar cast – Sarah Lancashire, Ben Wishaw and Keira Knightly - spying, shagging and assassinating their ways around iconic London spaces and sights. After episode one I’m gripped.

Two polar opposite programmes, each setting their own unique Christmas theme. What landed with me were the Christmas songs each featured. Which caused me to think of my favourite Christmas songs and the memories they evoke. I decided to share a few:

1. Step into Christmas – Elton John.

Before ‘that’ comedy gold scene from Gavin & Stacey I cynically thought this song was Elton’s stab at Christmas mortality. Now I can’t hear it without smiling as I picture the sheer fun of Smithy, Gavlar, Pam and Mick robotically stepping into Christmas together.

2. Fairy Tale of New York – The Pogues and Kirsty MaCall

This Shane McGowen classic features in both the opening scene of Black Doves and the Christmas Eve sing-a-long at the ‘Coach and Horses’ in Barry led by Uncle Bryn and Nessa.

For me this song evokes memories of Christmas Day1993 spent on City Beach, Perth, Western Australia with my boyfriend. I wasn’t expecting him to propose to me that day…but he did. The soundtrack to that day became Fairy Tale, the only Christmas song we had on our mix-tape in those pre digital, gorge your musical fantasy world, times.

3. Do They Know It’s Christmas – Band Aid 1984

It’s easy to underestimate how ground breaking this song and video was 40 years ago. 40 years ago. I recall it vividly.

I was a Student Nurse, working on Christmas Day, mid-way through my ‘live in’ eight week psychiatric rotation. I was posted to a long stay mental health institution in Hertfordshire¹. My ward, female long stay. Many of the women had been there since the end of the second world war. Their only illness? Being pregnant out of wedlock. If they didn’t have mental ill health issues when admitted, they certainly had by now. Truly institutionalised.

It was a chilling, sad and pretty lonely Christmas stuck in the remote nurses home, perched on my single bed, drinking Baileys and eating a Terrys Chocolate Orange.

4. Last Christmas – Wham

Another epic from 1984 (what a year!).

Originally I thought this song gushy and sentimental yet I was entranced by the exotic, fun, alpine party world the video evoked. How achingly cool were George and Andrew as they partied with their friends and Pepsi and Shirlie². Why wasn’t my Christmas like that??

It would be another 5 or 6 years and my mid-twenties before I went skiing. Sad to say, our chalet, and hair cuts, didn’t look like that!

5. Lonely this Christmas – Mud

Also in the background on Black Doves was Les Gray (the lead singer of Mud) channelling Elvis.

This song throws me right back to my 10 year old self and one of the first Christmas’s after my parent’s divorce. I can viscerally feel that young girl’s sadness, confusion and disorientation navigating Christmas between two homes.

6. Driving Home for Christmas – Chris Rea

How could you not feel upbeat listening to Chris Rea crooning away as he drives home for Christmas. This song has been my companion on many a drive down the M5 from London or Newcastle to see my family and friends in Devon.

7. All I Want for Christmas is You – Mariah Carey

I love this song. It’s so joyous. I think it first landed for me when I saw the much loved (yet critically slammed) film Love Actually. It featured in the beautiful performance by the school kids at the end of the Christmas show as Hugh Grant and Martine McCutcheon are caught in a clinch at the end of the song.

But for me, it is the pillar of my 'Gay Boy' friends' annual Christmas Party. Mariah's Christmas anthem plays (almost) on repeat while we eat the most delicious hams, catch up with friends not seen for the past year, all while being served champagne by a gorgeous hunk who, by the end of the night, is wearing an apron and precious little else. Debauch? Fun? You bet.

So there you have it. A smattering of my favourite Christmas songs. I was tempted to include David Bowie and Bing Crosby, and John and Yoko partly because I love Bowie and Lennon but also because I long for the ‘peace on earth’ and ‘war is over’ they each sing about. I live in hope…

You

You’ve read about my special Christmas songs, now how about you. What songs evoke memories of Christmas past for you? What Christmas songs light you up? Or what songs make you cringe?

Grab a cuppa and a mince pie, put on a festive tune and drop me a line, I’d love to hear from you.

Until next week my friends, enjoy the festive run in,

Love

Ruth x

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1. The hospital is now a housing estate, how times change…

2. If you haven’t already you MUST watch ‘Wham!: Last Christmas Unwrapped’ on BBC iPlayer. So good to see Andrew, Pepsi, Shirlie and friends back in Saas Fee and I’d forgotten that Last Christmas was held off number 1 by Do They Know It’s Christmas only to reach it 39 years later in 2023. Quality.