THE GIFTS THAT KEEP ON GIVING!
Even decades on, our favourite festive hits mean it really IS Christmas every day... for their creators
Flamboyant guitarist Dave Hill – fondly remembered for his trademark high- heel boots and distinctive hairdo – enjoyed six chart- toppers with Slade during the 1970s, including Merry Xmas Everybody.
Now 74, Dave continues to tour and says whatever the time of year the band’s Yuletide classic, written by singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, is always requested.
“We play all the old favourites, finishing every concert – even in summer – with Merry Xmas Everybody,” he smiles.
“I’m proud of that song and never tire of playing it. We recorded it over 45 years ago in New York while on a world tour. It was Summer ’ 73 with temperatures over 100 degrees and we were singing about Christmas – no wonder people in the studio gave us strange looks!
“Initially, we weren’t sure about the song but it sold a million on the first day. It shot to number one and sold so many copies that records had to be imported from Germany to satisfy demand.”
Dave – who bought his first guitar from a mail order catalogue – believes the song’s success was due largely to its originality and uplifting qualities. “The atmosphere in Britain back in 1973 was difficult. There were strikes and the country was on a downer. Our song seemed to lift the nation. It was also a hit around Europe and charted here several times. It never goes away and I’m proud of it – after all, it was our biggest selling single.”
As for the profits from the single, Dave says: “We made lots of money but most went on tax. Some artists moved abroad to avoid paying so much but we were very British and stayed in the UK. Besides, we would have missed HP sauce and bacon sandwiches. Although we were pretty
No 4 in 1973 In 1973, Wizzard’s festive anthem, I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday, was pipped to the top spot by Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody. Yet it remains among the best remembered Christmas tracks.
Written by singer Roy Wood – who made his name in the 1960s and 70s as co- founder of The Move and ELO – it was one of Wizzard’s six Top 10 hits.
“Most people remember it fondly,” says Roy, 73. “I thought it was about time we had a good old rock ’ n’ roll Christmas record, even though it was nowhere near December when I recorded it. Actually, it was August ’ 73 on a boiling hot day.
“I phoned the band members and asked them to bring bobble hats, scarves and overcoats. I put a Christmas tree in the corner and we had a great time recording it. We then took a Birmingham school choir to London to record backing vocals. Afterwards, we took them to a Hard Rock Café for lunch.
“I don’t know how much I’ve earned ned from the record but it’s been my most suc successful. It’s played every year and reentered the charts in 1981 and ’ 84. We’re always asked to play it at concerts – even in the middle of summer. But I never get fed up because it’s done well for me. Mind you, when I wrote the song, I couldn’t have imagined it would still be around today.” Roy admits he was shocked when
“I remember the song with great fondness,” says former singer Dave Bartram, 68, pictured inset below, who now manages the band. “It was mid- November when we had a call from our record company telling us to get into the studio and thrash out a festive song. Not having a tune in mind, Trevor Oakes, the guitarist, and I sat down and wrote a couple of possibles. Then, we took bits from each and came up with Hey, Mr Christmas. “It was recorded in hours and released a few days later. It’s a catchy song but caught the market a tad late, a week or so after the year’s other Christmas songs. If we’d have released it earlier, I think it would have made the top three. Even so, it sold 250,000 copies and still earns us hundreds of pounds in royalties most years, so I can’t complain.
Dave recalls filming the video to accompany the song. “We invited kids from a school in Harpenden, Herts, to join us at an outdoor location. “False snow was poured all over this little clearing but it turned into a dreadful soggy, slippery mess. We were dressed in brightly coloured teddy boy suits and had to tread carefully.” The video had to be shot twice. “First time around, I picked up a little girl and she freaked out. I discovered later that she was elated to be lifted up but the occasion must have got to her.”
For more information on the artists, go to slade. uk. com roywood. co. uk, showaddywaddy. net, danaofficial. com, maiziewilliams. com