Fairytale of New York by the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl (Musical Advent Calendar, Day 17)

[electricland]

Listen here.

This, of course, is the Christmas song for cynics and skeptics and thwarted romantics. It was kept out of the No. 1 spot by the Pet Shop Boys when it came out in 1987, but has since triumphed - how often do you hear from the Pet Shop Boys these days? Precisely.

Multiple videos for this one. The original (see Matt Dillon?):

Plus a live version:

Here's a 1987 interview with Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl:

Kirsty: Christmas is obviously a time for overdoing everything at once and regularly. Doesn't everybody? I don't want to bump into anyone sober, that's for sure. The best hangover cure I can think of is giving away all your money to the poor. Then they can get drunk and you can't.

Shane: Boxing Day is traditionally the day for that. Boxing Day used to be when the tradesmen came round and you gave them a box. Hence the name. After three days of drinkin' with a bit of sleep thrown in I start again. I've got two failsafe hangover cures.

Kirsty: Hair of the dog cures, I'll be bound.

Shane: Naturally. The first one is a port and brandy. A nice warming drink which settles the stomach and lines it for the day ahead. The other one is a lunchtime cure - a pink gin. Those two cure anything, especially if you chase one with the other.

Kirsty: Champagne makes me feel better. As long as you can drink champagne you know you're not actually dead.

Well said, Kirsty, we lost you much too soon.

For more Shane/Kirsty goodness, I encourage you to go find Lorelei as well.

Get the full musical Advent calendar here. | What is this?