Reading about the battle to top the UK singles chart this week --- won by Rage Against The Machine --- I wanted to find out the big hits during Christmases past.
Let's begin with the Noughties. My favourite is Somethin' Stupid by Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra, which charted in 1967, but this was the version that topped the UK singles chart on December 22, 2001, and it stayed No 1 for three weeks, according to the Official Charts Company. Here is Robbie Williams with Nicole Kidman singing Somethin' Stupid. He is back on the charts now with You Know Me.
Do They Know It's Christmas by Band Aid 20 topped the UK singles chart on December 11, 2004, and reigned there for four weeks. The all-star lineup included Paul McCartney and Bono. It was in aid of the people in Darfur, Sudan.
I remember What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong, which topped the UK chart in 1968. Katie Melua and Eva Cassidy took it back to the top on December 22, 2007 and it stayed there for a week.
Here's the complete list of UK Christmas chart-toppers since 2000 with the date they went No 1 and the number of weeks they spent there.
2008 Run: Leona Lewis (December 13, 2 weeks; succeeded by Hallelujah: Alexandra Burke, which went No 1 on December 27)
2007 What A Wonderful World: Eva Cassidy and Katie Melua (December 22, 1 week)
2006 Patience: Take That (December 2, 4 weeks)
2005 JCB Song: Nizlopi (December 24, 1 week)
2004 Do They Know It's Christmas: Band Aid (December 11, 4 weeks)
2003 Changes: Kelly and Ozzy Osbourne (December 20, 1 week)
2002 Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word: Blue featuring Elton John (December 21, 1 week)
2001 Somethin' Stupid: Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman (December 22, 3 weeks)
2000 Can We Fix It: Bob The Builder (December 23, 3 weeks).
