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A Brief History of Christmas Songs

Chris Hawkins tells the stories behind the best loved Christmas songs of all time, featuring archive interviews from Bing Crosby, Andy Williams, Greg Lake, Jona Lewie and Roy Wood.

Chris Hawkins presents 'A Brief History of Christmas Songs', telling the stories behind a selection of the greatest Christmas songs of all time.

In this hour long special, you can hear the best selling Christmas song in history; songs that were never intended to be festive tunes and how watching football inspired a huge Christmas hit in the 80s.

This perfect Christmas soundtrack features ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ archive interviews with Bing Crosby, Andy Williams, Greg Lake, Jona Lewie, Noddy Holder, Chrissie Hynde, Roy Wood, Noddy Holder, George Michael, Shane McGowan and Kirsty MacColl.

Each of the artist's reveals how their Christmas song came about. Bing Crosby describes the first time Irving Berlin, who wrote White Christmas, played it to him. Berlin described it as "a nice little song, an amusing little number" and according to Andy Williams, "When Bing heard it for the first time, he took his pipe out of his mouth and said to Irving Berlin, this one you don't have to worry about". It has since sold 150 million copes.

With additional music from Judy Garland and a rare recording by Rod Stewart, Chris Hawkins presents 60 minutes of unbridled Christmas joy.

1 hour

Last on

Sun 17 Dec 2017 01:00
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 6 Music

Music Played

  • Bing Crosby

    White Christmas

    • That's Christmas (Various Artists).
    • EMI.

  • Judy Garland

    Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

    • The Greatest Hits.
    • Pure Music.

  • The Crystals

    Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town

    • A Christmas Gift For You (Phil Spect.
    • Phil Spector Int.

  • Greg Lake

    I Believe In Father Christmas

    • The Anthology, A Musical Journey.
    • BMG.

  • Jona Lewie

    Stop The Cavalry

    • The Ivor Novello Winners.
    • EMI.

  • Slade

    Merry Xmas Everybody

  • David Bowie & Bing Crosby

    Little Drummer Boy

  • Pretenders

    2000 Miles

    • The Best Christmas Album In The World.
    • Virgin.

  • Andy Williams

    It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

    • Christmas Love Songs (Various Artist.
    • Arcade Records.

  • Wizzard

    I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday

    • That's Christmas (Various Artists).
    • EMI.

  • Rod Stewart

    Away In A Manger

  • Wham!

    Last Christmas

    • That's Christmas (Various Artists).
    • EMI.

  • Band Aid

    Do They Know It's Christmas?

    • That's Christmas (Various Artists).
    • EMI.

  • The Pogues

    Fairytale Of New York (feat. Kirsty MacColl)

    • (CD Single).
    • Warner Music UK.

  • Έι³ά²Τ‐D.²Ρ.°δ.

    Christmas In Hollis

    • A&M.

Credit

Producer Jenny Smith

Broadcast

  • Sun 17 Dec 2017 01:00
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 6 Music