Cliff Richard's Christmas hit 'Mistletoe and Wine' goes Platinum

It was released in 1988

Author: Amy ShephardPublished 18th Nov 2024
Last updated 18th Nov 2024

Almost four decades after it was first released, Cliff Richard's iconic Christmas hit 'Mistletoe and Wine' went Platinum this week. The single, which will be found on festive playlists far and wide, was recorded back in 1988.

It topped the charts that Christmas and became the biggest selling single of year! And it's clear its magic still hasn't worn off, as it's now sold more than 600,000 copies!

Sir Cliff went on to record more Christmas records following its success, including 'Saviour's Day' and 'The Millenium Prayer' — filling three whole albums! Most recently, in 2022, he released 'Christmas With Cliff', an album packed with recordings of old and new festive favourites.

Watch the music video for Cliff Richard - 'Mistletoe and Wine'...

In 2021, 'Mistletoe and Wine' received a '21st Century upgrade' when Cliff rerecorded the hit alongside 2014 Britain's Got Talent winners Collabro. But it was Jeremy Paul, Leslie Stewart and Keith Strachan who actually wrote the song, for a musical called Scraps back in the 70s. Although Sir Cliff changed the lyrics to suit the religious theme. The famous lyrics include:

'The child is a king, the carolers sing / The old has passed, there's a new beginning / Dreams of Santa, dreams of snow / Fingers numb, faces aglow, it's / Christmas time, mistletoe and wine / Children singing Christian rhyme / With logs on the fire and gifts on the tree / A time to rejoice in the good that we see / A time for living, a time for believing / A time for trusting, not deceiving / Love and laughter and joy ever after / Ours for the taking, just follow the master.'

As the countdown to Christmas 2024 is now well and truly underway, it's no wonder the traditional tune is a popular purchase once again!

Why not take our Christmas lyrics quiz...

Lyrics...

Guess the song from these lyrics, and then scroll down for the answers:


1) "This year, to save me from tears I'll give it to someone special."


2) "Let the Christmas spirit ring, later we'll have some pumpkin pie."


3) "Santa Claus won't make me happy with a toy on Christmas Day."


4) "You know that sweet Santa Clause is on the way."


5) "Feed the world."


6) "I've got 5 more nights until you're next to me, 4 more days of being lonely."


7) "So this is Xmas and what have you done."


8) "Look to the future now, It's only just begun."


9) "You were handsome, you were pretty, Queen of New York City."


10) "Eat, drink and be merry, come along with me."


11) "Baby if you've got to go away, don't think I could take the pain."


12) "Soon the bells will start and the thing that'll make 'em ring is the carol that you sing."


13) "I sing this song to pass the time away, driving in my car."


14) "Snow is falling all around me."

1) Wham! - 'Last Christmas'


2) Brenda Lee - 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree'


3) Mariah Carey - 'All I Want for Christmas Is You'


4) Wizzard - 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday'


5) Band Aid 30 - 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'


6) Leona Lewis - 'One More Sleep'


7) John Lennon and Yoko Ono - 'Happy Xmas (War Is Over)'


8) Slade - 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday'


9) The Pogues - 'Fairytale of New York''


10) Elton John - 'Step Into Christmas'


11) East 17 - 'Stay Another Day'


12) Michael Bublé - 'It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas'


13) Chris Rea - 'Driving Home For Christmas'


14) Shakin' Stevens - 'Merry Christmas Everyone'


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