1970s

Episode 3 looks back at the golden era of the Christmas number one: the 1970s. Arguably the decade where the UK’s fascination with the festive chart toppers truly began, it was the decade of glam rock, novelty fun and Christmas anthems. Slade, Mud, Wizzard, Johnny Mathis and Boney M would show how to make a great Christmas song that can stand the test of time, and the charts become flooded with festive hits: some classic, some… not so classic. Benny Hill and Little Jimmy Osmond bring novelty to the top, and there are truly huge chart hits for Queen and Wings. Full Christmas number ones (look away if you don’t want ‘spoilers’!): 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’ 1978: Boney M – ‘Mary’s Boy Child/O My Lord’ 1979: Pink Floyd – ‘Another Brick in the Wall’