Impress your family at Christmas with this amazing fact about The Snowman
We love this film!
Author: Georgina TerryPublished 17th Dec 2019 Last updated 18th Dec 2019
Who sings 'Walking in the Air' from The Snowman? It's Aled Jones, right? WRONG.
Aled does NOT sing the song in the film. That version was sung by Peter Auty whose voice had broken by the time Aled's version was recorded, three years later.
Aled told Closer, "Walking In The Air came about by chance in 1985. I went into the studio to record something for a Toys R Us advert, and they asked me to sing the song. The boy who originally sang it in the film, his voice had broken, so I sang the advert version. Little did I know it would still be played over 30 years later."
He added, "When I was at school, I would go bright red every time I heard it – if I was in a shop and the song began to play, I’d have to run out. My family don’t play it, though – they know better! They used to laugh and point at me when it was played in public. Fortunately, I can listen to the album I did with Russell Watson this year, In Harmony. We’re really proud of it."
CHECK OUT the song that was Christmas number 1 the year you were born:
1952
Al Martino - 'Here in My Heart'
Impress your family at Christmas with this amazing fact about The Snowman
2 of 40
1991
Queen - 'Bohemian Rhapsody/These Are the Days of Our Lives'
1952
Al Martino - 'Here in My Heart'
1953
Frankie Laine - 'Answer Me'
1954
Winifred Atwell - 'Let's Have Another Party'
1955
Dickie Valentine - 'Christmas Alphabet'
1959
Emile Ford and The Checkmates - 'What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?'
1958
Conway Twitty - 'It's Only Make Believe'
1957
Harry Belafonte - 'Mary's Boy Child'
1956
Johnnie Ray - 'Just Walking in the Rain'
1960
Cliff Richard and The Shadows - 'I Love You'
1961
Danny Williams - 'Moon River'
1962
Elvis Presley - 'Return to Sender'
1963
The Beatles - 'I Want to Hold Your Hand'
1964
The Beatles - 'I Feel Fine'
1965
The Beatles - 'Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out'
1966
Tom Jones - 'Green, Green Grass of Home'
1967
The Beatles - 'Hello, Goodbye'
1968
The Scaffold - 'Lily the Pink'
1969
Rolf Harris - 'Two Little Boys'
1970
Dave Edmunds - 'I Hear You Knocking'
1971
Benny Hill - 'Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)'
1972
Little Jimmy Osmond - 'Long Haired Lover from Liverpool'
1973
Slade - 'Merry Xmas Everybody'
1974
Mud - 'Lonely This Christmas'
1975
Queen - 'Bohemian Rhapsody'
1976
Johnny Mathis - 'When a Child is Born'
1977
Wings - 'Mull of Kintyre/Girls' School'
1978
Boney M - 'Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord'
1979
Pink Floyd - 'Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)'
1980
St. Winifred's School Choir - 'There's No One Quite Like Grandma'
1981
The Human League - 'Don't You Want Me'
1982
Renée and Renato - 'Save Your Love'
1984
Band Aid - 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'
1985
Shakin' Stevens - 'Merry Christmas Everyone'
1986
Jackie Wilson - 'Reet Petite'
1987
Pet Shop Boys - 'Always on My Mind'
1988
Cliff Richard - 'Mistletoe & Wine'
1989
Band Aid II - 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'
1990
Cliff Richard - 'Saviour's Day'
1983
The Flying Pickets - 'Only You'
1991
Queen - 'Bohemian Rhapsody/These Are the Days of Our Lives'
1952
Al Martino - 'Here in My Heart'
1953
Frankie Laine - 'Answer Me'
1954
Winifred Atwell - 'Let's Have Another Party'
1955
Dickie Valentine - 'Christmas Alphabet'
1959
Emile Ford and The Checkmates - 'What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?'
1958
Conway Twitty - 'It's Only Make Believe'
1957
Harry Belafonte - 'Mary's Boy Child'
1956
Johnnie Ray - 'Just Walking in the Rain'
1960
Cliff Richard and The Shadows - 'I Love You'
1961
Danny Williams - 'Moon River'
1962
Elvis Presley - 'Return to Sender'
1963
The Beatles - 'I Want to Hold Your Hand'
1964
The Beatles - 'I Feel Fine'
1965
The Beatles - 'Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out'
1966
Tom Jones - 'Green, Green Grass of Home'
1967
The Beatles - 'Hello, Goodbye'
1968
The Scaffold - 'Lily the Pink'
1969
Rolf Harris - 'Two Little Boys'
1970
Dave Edmunds - 'I Hear You Knocking'
1971
Benny Hill - 'Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)'
1972
Little Jimmy Osmond - 'Long Haired Lover from Liverpool'
1973
Slade - 'Merry Xmas Everybody'
1974
Mud - 'Lonely This Christmas'
1975
Queen - 'Bohemian Rhapsody'
1976
Johnny Mathis - 'When a Child is Born'
1977
Wings - 'Mull of Kintyre/Girls' School'
1978
Boney M - 'Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord'
1979
Pink Floyd - 'Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)'
1980
St. Winifred's School Choir - 'There's No One Quite Like Grandma'
1981
The Human League - 'Don't You Want Me'
1982
Renée and Renato - 'Save Your Love'
1984
Band Aid - 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'
1985
Shakin' Stevens - 'Merry Christmas Everyone'
1986
Jackie Wilson - 'Reet Petite'
1987
Pet Shop Boys - 'Always on My Mind'
1988
Cliff Richard - 'Mistletoe & Wine'
1989
Band Aid II - 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'
1990
Cliff Richard - 'Saviour's Day'
1983
The Flying Pickets - 'Only You'
1991
Queen - 'Bohemian Rhapsody/These Are the Days of Our Lives'
As for Peter Auty, he's still singing and is now an operatic tenor who has worked with most of the major opera companies in Britain and a number of companies in continental Europe.
Still, think of all those missed royalties for 'Walking in the Air'. You'd be a little bit gutted, right?