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"...And the bells are ringing out for Christmas Day". Well, for the 31st of March anyway. Still, I suppose it's enough of a tribute to this song that I knowingly chose to do this album now, knowing what was at the end of it: I wouldn't have done that for Shakin' Stevens. In fact, this is the only Christmas song I can think of ever to appear on a regular Now album (as opposed to the various Now Christmas releases over the year), even though it wouldn't have had the legendary status it now has when the album was originally compiled in October or November of 1987. Perhaps that's because, unlike most successful Christmas songs in pop, this wasn't specifically recorded for the season: not that the release date was a coincidence, obviously, but it was a trailer for an album to be issued early in 1988. Indeed, I don't remember this one having the reputation it now has as the nation's favourite for the festive season until much later. For a while, it seemed to be viewed as the alternative to all the other big songs of the season, but now, through no fault of its own it's become almost as obvious as the others, which is another advantage of listening to it now.
All that said, it's not an easy one to review because it's so hard to make any original observations about it. Er... maybe Kirsty MacColl's vocals are a bit too good to be strictly in character, but they do add to the quality of the record itself, particularly as a contrast to Shane MacGowan. Apparently hers were only intended as guide vocals at first, but somebody had the right idea. "I could have been someone/Well so could anyone" is one of my favourite pieces of dialogue in any lyric ever. But maybe this song is a little too famous for its own good.
Kirsty MacColl also appears on: Now 8 [with Billy Bragg and Johnny Marr], 15, 13
Available on: If I Should Fall From Grace With God (Remastered & Expanded)
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