Chris Pearson stakes his claim to breaking Fairytale of New York to the public back in 1987 … interview on Manx Radio.

The Irish Mirror reports that RTE will also pay a tribute to the Pogues singer, 61, with friends and family joining Shane in the studio to perform a number of  songs including Fairytale of New York.

Host Ryan Tubridy said on last week’s show: “What we Irish are very good at is making music, and next week it’s our privilege to pay tribute to one of the very best, Shane MacGowan, musician, songwriter and front-man of The Pogues.”

“Shane and a host of stars will take to the stage to perform Fairytale of New York, as well as many other gems.  In the lead up to Christmas on The Late Late Show, it promises to be a session like no other!”

Fingers crossed.

Jona Rich reminds us of Madison on TOTP.  Always worth digging this one out!

According to lovin.ie,  Britney Spears turned down chance to cover Fairytale of New York with Robbie Williams. He was hoping to cover the Christmas classic and reached out to Spears to perform the female vocals in the duet – only for the American pop star to decline.

“I asked Britney to duet with me on Fairytale of New York,” Williams explained.  “She said no.  What a lovely story.  She’s not working right now.  Maybe it’ll happen in the future.”

Shane MacGowan has apparently given his blessing for Williams to cover it.

In These Shoes? live on stage in Verona in the summer of 2000.  Part of the Festivalbar annual event.

Billy Bragg joined cbc.ca to share his memories of Kirsty, you can listen to the broadcast at https://www.cbc.ca/radio

Lovely photo on the web article as well.

The Daily Mail (amongst many others) reports rather scandalously that BBC Radio Solent Alex Dyke has tweeted a call for Fairytale of New York to be banned from the airwaves for being an ‘offensive pile of downmarket chav bilge. Is this what we want our kids singing in the back of the car?’ (you should hear what our kids are singing on TikTok!)

DJ Alex Dyke, 57, ranted to listeners that he was ‘no longer comfortable’ with having the ‘nasty’ Pogues’ festive hit on his playlist.

So since you can’t hear it on the Alex Dyke show, here’s the nasty nasty delight for you to enjoy!

According to the Daily Mail, while presenting his show Dyke moaned: ‘I think Christmas songs should be about excited children, toys, Christmas trees, snowy streets, ski lodges, reindeer, wrapping paper, Santa, family, peace on earth and love.  I just find the Pogues’ Fairytale of New York a nasty, nasty song.’

Source: NB

Meanwhile, Pink News reports that the “annual homophobia debate has already begun and we are so very, very tired.

“Every year, the debate begins – seemingly earlier each festive season – about whether the line is acceptable. Some believe it should be censored when it’s played on the radio or in public; some believe it shouldn’t be played at all due to its use of a hurtful homophobic slur. But some also believe the controversy is manufactured and don’t have an issue with the use of the word.

And then we have reams and reams of straight people who get personally offended every December when gay people get uncomfortable with them singing “faggot” while singing along to the song.

Brace yourselves – there are still three weeks until Christmas, with plenty of opportunities to publicly debate the use of homophobic slurs in popular songs before then.”

Fairytale of New York … back in the charts at 71, and now up to no.22.  How high will we go this year .. ¿

We are delighted to see that this Glasgow event is SOLD OUT.

A FESTIVE CELEBRATION OF KIRSTY MACCOLL AND FRIENDS

In what would have been her 60th year, Duglas from the BMX Bandits, Attic Lights, Carla J Easton & Eugene Kelly, Sister John, The Parsonage Choir, Celia Garcia, Tenement and Temple, San Fran & Junkman’s Choir, Lorraine Wilson, Therese Martin and The Lonesome Doves are among the acts peforming the songs of Kirsty, The Pogues, Ewan MacColl, The Smiths and many more.

All proceeds will be going towards Cure Claire’s Cancer. http://www.cureclairescancer.org/

The October meetup as reported in Bleeding Cool site.

Here’s … Terry!