5. Human League - Don't You Want Me (1981)
I was quite reluctant to include this because as far as Human League songs go, this is amongst the worst. Further to that, the 1995 remix of this which charted is far better in my opinion, but wasn't a Christmas number one. However, it's not a bad tune and would probably sound a lot better if I hadn't heard it so many times in my life. I do like my electronic music after all.
4. Jackie Wilson - Reet Petite (1986)
This is the last Christmas number one which I was too young to actually remember it being Christmas number one. I've also never known this song not to exist, but then it was originally recorded in 1957 so that would be true of many people living today. Jackie Wilson himself wouldn't have known this was a Christmas number one as he had already died by this point. It's one of these records I could just keep on listening to and never get tired of, which is probably one of the reasons why we still hear it at Christmas now despite it having nothing to do with Christmas.
3. Rage Against the Machine - Killing In the Name (2009)
The Christmas number one which stopped the run of Simon Cowell and co. To me though, this wasn't just about getting one up on Simon Cowell, its showing the youth who have never known any different to all this X Factor/Pop Idol/Pop Stars etc nonsense what we would listen to when we were their age. I first heard this on somebodies Walkman at scouts when it first came out and was impressed straight away. I have fond memories of singing and playing this on the guitar on the school bus and getting a bollocking from the bus driver for the expletives I was shouting out. I also remember the last day of term at school where it was a bit of a free for all, we had a tape player in the classroom and had been playing different tunes off different tapes. We then decided to listen to Rage Against the Machines album the whole way through, this was the second track and the teacher came in when this was playing and he confiscated the tape player as a result. Sure beats watching an arrogant prick and his disciples judging a glorified karaoke contest.
2. East 17 - Stay Another Day (1994)
Some of you may be thinking, how can you say an East 17 song is better than a Rage Against the Machine one? Well we all have our guilty pleasures, and East 17 is very much one of mine. A number of years ago, I used to go to a karaoke night on an almost weekly basis and more often than not I would sing this. The DJ would question why I was singing a Christmas song in the middle of summer. This is something which often bugs me, because it is not a Christmas song. It was written about Tony Mortimer's brother who committed suicide, nothing to do with Christmas at all. I will concede that the bells at the end sound quite Christmassy but that does not make it a Christmas song.
1. Pet Shop Boys - Always On My Mind (1987)
Well there was only ever one candidate for my favourite really. One of my favourite tunes of one of my favourite bands of all time. This was the first Christmas number one I do remember being Christmas number one and also the first version of the song I heard. Now I've heard the original I realise just how genius this cover actually is. The fact that I've not been able to go and see the Pet Shop Boys in concert in London this year or next year because they have sold out before I've been able to buy tickets shows that many will agree.
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