Noddy Holder reveals why 'Merry Xmas Everybody' nearly didn't happen
Their drummer had amnesia from a car crash
Noddy Holder needs no introduction, especially around Christmas time! The former Slade frontman joined Ken Bruce on Christmas Day for Golden Years, on Greatest Hits Radio.
Noddy's Golden Year was 1973, the year that the band enjoyed three Number 1s, and of course Ken had to ask him about their iconic Christmas Number 1 'Merry Xmas Everybody' and the singer revealed there's an incredible story behind it.
While we all know and love Slade's 1973 Christmas Number 1, it turns out it was the result of a challenge set to guitarist Jim Lea by his mother-in-law! Explaining, Noddy said: "She challenged him to come up (with a Christmas song), she said: 'You'll never be able to write a Christmas song like the ilk of ‘White Christmas’, Bing Crosby or anything like that'. And Jim poo pooed it and thought no more about it."
Watch the YouTube short
However, Jim decided to take up the challenge and wrote a verse, adding it to the chorus of a song that Noddy had written some time beforehand, which was never released. After playing it for Noddy, he then took it away and wrote the lyrics for it in just one night, at his parents' over a bottle of whiskey!
"You know, with a bottle of whiskey by my side," Noddy admitted. "I was trying to come up with stuff that was a family Christmas. Anything to do with what happens to families during every Christmas time, working class families, and that's how I came up with the lyrics and they all seemed to fit into place. (I) went back to Jim a couple of days later, played him what I've got, and he said: ‘Yep, this is gonna work.’
"We took it to Chase Chandler, our producer/manager. He loved it and we ended up recording it in New York that in the boiling hot summer 1973."
While the writing process seemed pretty straight forward, sadly the recording process wasn't, as Noddy explained their drummer had lost his memory after a car crash.
"Unluckily for us, Don, our drummer in the July, had had a horrific car crash and he'd lost his memory, he'd lost his taste and smell," Noddy told Ken. "He couldn't remember any of the hit records he just couldn't remember nothing.
"Because he couldn't remember his drum parts from start to finish - it was a four-minute song - we had to do it like a jigsaw puzzle, so we had to record it all in little bits, and it worked out anyway."
Well, we're very glad they did record it, because it's a Christmas classic!
Merry Xmas Everybody!
Take a look through fantastic songs from 1973:
Donny Osmond - ‘When I fall in Love’
Donny Osmond released his version of 'When I fall in Love' in 1973, having a Top 5 song hit with it. The song was originally recorded in 1952, but has had various versions released over the years, including on by Rick Astley in 1987 and Celine Dion and Clive Griffin in 1993.
Watch the music video for 'When I Fall in Love'
David Bowie - 'The Jean Genie’
Technically released in 1972, 'The Jean Genie' was also featured on David Bowie's album 'Aladdin Sane', which was released in 1973. The song was a huge hit in the UK reaching Number 2, spending 13 weeks on the chart in total.
Watch the music video for 'The Jean Genie'
Slade - ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’
Slade's iconic Christmas song 'Merry Xmas Everybody' has stood the test of time, however it was originally released in 1973. The song was the band's sixth and final Number 1 single in the UK, giving them the highly sought after Christmas Number 1 in the year of its release.
Watch the music video for 'Merry Xmas Everybody'
Wizzard - ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday’
Wizzard's 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday' is another iconic Christmas tune which is still around in the 21st century. Sadly the song didn't chart higher than Number 4, so it was decided to re-release it in 1981, however sadly it didn't perform as well. Since then the song has re-entered the chart several times over the years, but not had the success of the original release.
Watch the music video for 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday'
Carly Simon - ‘You’re So Vain’
'You're So Vain' was Carly Simon's breakthrough song in the UK where it reached Number 3 when it was released five decades ago. The music video has now had more than 11 million views on YouTube.
Watch the music video for 'You're So Vain'
Elton John - ‘Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting’
Elton John's hit 'Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting' was featured on his popular album 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road', also released in 1973. The song was a Top 10 hit for Elton and has been certified Gold here in the UK.
Watch the music video for 'Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting'
Paul McCartney & Wings - ‘Live and Let Die’
Paul McCartney & Wings song 'Live and Let Die' was the theme tune to the James Bond film on the same name. The song was written by Paul and Linda McCartney, who also provided backing vocals. This version of 'Live and Let Die' reached Number 9 in the UK, however a later version of the song released by Guns 'n' Roses' in 1991, reached Number 5!
Watch the music video for 'Live and Let Die'
T.Rex - ‘20th Century Boy’
T.Rex's '20th Century Boy' reached Number 3 in 1973 and stayed in the UK chart for nine weeks in total. Despite being released at a similar to time to the band's album 'Tanx' it wasn't featured on there until they re-issued the album in 1985, including '20th Century Boy' as a bonus track.
Watch the music video for '20th Century Boy'
10cc - ‘Rubber Bullets’
'Rubber Bullets' was 10cc's first Number 1 single and it featured on their self-titled debut album. The band formed in Stockport in 1972, with the line-up of Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme.
Watch the music video for 'Rubber Bullets'
Marvin Gaye - ‘Let’s Get It On’
Despite Marvin Gaye's song 'Let's Get It On' not charting particularly high in the UK, the song has become one of those iconic love songs, still played to this day. The song featured on Marvin's song of the same name and 'Come Get to This' and 'You Sure Love to Ball'.
Watch the music video for 'Let's Get It On'
Slade - ‘Cum On Feel The Noize’
The first of three Number 1 songs in 1973 alone for Slade was 'Cum On Feel The Noize'. The song was their fourth Number 1 overall and stayed in the UK charts for 12 weeks.
Watch the music video for 'Cum On Feel The Noize'
David Cassidy - ‘Daydreamer’
David Cassidy's 'Daydreamer' became the 10th best-selling song of 1973, released as a double-A side with 'The Puppy Song', 'Daydreamer' was a Number 1 song for David and featured on his album 'Dreams Are Nuthin' More Than Wishes', released in the same year.
Watch the music video for 'Daydreamer'
Diana Ross - ‘Touch Me In The Morning’
'Touch Me In The Morning' was the first song from Diana Ross' fourth album of the same name. The song was a Top 10 song here in the UK and a Number 1 hit in the US' Billboard Hot 100.
Watch the music video for 'Touch Me In The Morning'
When is Ken Bruce on Greatest Hits Radio?
You can find Ken on Greatest Hits Radio Monday - Friday from 10am until 1pm.
Now read:
Rick Astley describes his Glastonbury performance as an 'out of body experience'
How Annie Lennox and Tori Amos inspired Emeli Sandé
Boy George reveals his favourite part of being in the I'm A Celeb jungle