An elementary recipe for creating a killer Christmas hit from the British rock band Slade: rummaging through our own archive in search of previously unused material, putting it together and getting a song that soars to the top of the charts and holds positions for several weeks. This is the story of Merry Xmas Everybody.
By the end of 1972, Slade was one of the most famous bands in Foggy Albion, two singles of which had already topped the local chart. For the New Year holidays, the band members decided to record a Christmas song.
The story of creation and meaning of Merry Xmas Everybody
I didn’t have to create music from scratch. Noddy Holler dug up the song Buy Me a Rocking Chair in his archive, and Lee remembered a motive he had lying around from time immemorial, which he composed while taking a shower. Holder’s melody was used in the chorus, and the one that Lee came up with became the verse.
Noddy wrote the lyrics to the song Merry Xmas Everybody in one night, which he spent at his mother’s house after another booze. He explained the main idea of the text as follows:
We decided to write a Christmas song and I wanted it to reflect the Christmas of a typical British family. From an economic point of view, the country was in a difficult situation. The miners were on strike, and with them the grave-diggers, the bakers, and pretty much everyone else. I think people needed something to cheer them up, and I did it. That’s why I wrote the line “Hope for the future, it’s only just begun.” As soon as I came up with the phrase “Your grandma always says that the old songs are the best”, I knew that I was on the right track.
Recording and release
Slade recorded Merry Xmas Everybody in the summer of 1973 in New York. A few months earlier, drummer Don Powell had been in a car accident, after which he suffered from short-term memory loss. He had a hard time remembering the new songs, which meant the song had to be mixed from individual parts, which was new for Slade.
Even before the release of the Merry Xmas Everybody single, it received over half a million pre-orders. On the day the record was released, December 7, 1973, about 350,000 copies were sold. A week later, the song topped the UK Singles Chart and became the most popular Christmas song of that year.
Merry Xmas Everybody remained on the charts for nine weeks, when the holidays were long past, and even the members of Slade themselves did not understand why people listened to and bought it. In 1980, the single went platinum, and in 2007, Merry Xmas Everybody was voted Britain’s favorite Christmas song (according to an MSN Music poll).
Video of Merry Xmas Everybody
Check out the music video for Merry Xmas Everybody by the rock band Slade.
Interesting Facts
- When Slade were recording Merry Xmas Everybody, John Lennon was working on the album Mind Games in an adjacent studio. They even used the same harmonium.
- In 2009, PRS for Music announced that over 42% of the world’s population had heard the song.
Merry Xmas Everybody Lyrics by Slade
Are you hanging up a stocking on your wall?
It’s the time that every Santa has a ball
Does he ride a red nosed reindeer?
Does a ‘ton up’ on his sleigh?
Do the fairies keep him sober for a day?
chorus:
So here it is merry Christmas
Everybody’s having fun
Look to the future now
It’s only just begun
Are you waiting for the family to arrive?
Are you sure you got the room to spare inside?
Does your granny always tell ya that the old songs are the best?
Then she’s up and rock ‘n’ rollin’ with the rest
What will your daddy do
when he sees your Mama kissin’ Santa Claus?
Are you hanging up a stocking on your wall?
Are you hoping that the snow will start to fall?
Do you ride on down the hillside in a buggy you have made?
When you land upon your head then you’ve been slayed
Lyrics Merry Xmas Everybody by Slade Alternate
Do you hang stockings on the wall?
It’s time that Santa comes into play
Does he ride a red-nosed reindeer?
Does he ride on his sleigh?
Did the elves manage to keep him from drinking for at least one day?
Chorus:
Here it is – a joyful Christmas,
And everyone’s having fun
Hope for the future
‘Cause it’s only just begun
Are you waiting for the whole family to come to you?
Are you sure they will all fit in your house?
Does your grandmother always say old songs are the best?
Then she jumps up and starts rocking with the rest
What will your daddy do
When will she see mom kissing Santa Claus?
Do you hang stockings on the wall?
Are you hoping it will snow?
Do you ride down the mountain on a homemade sled?
When you land on your head you are killed
Song quote
I always wanted this song to be our upbeat song
Noddy Holder
