Popular Nostalgia

RETURN OF THE CATS A 1980s favourite is set to become this year’s Christmas ‘must-have’ as retailer demand outstrips supply of the new Thundercats action figures and vehicles. The retro cartoon – with celebrity fans including Jonathan Ross, Chris Moyles and Paulo Nutini – has been updated and recently released on British TV screens. The […]

The 1984 “A Christmas Carol” was a television movie adaptation of Charles Dickens’ 1843 novella. Directed by Clive Donner, staring George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge. Filmed on location in Shrewsbury, England. Originally aired on December 17, 1984. Scott was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special […]

The McCallister family are late for their holiday and rush to the airport. Big Sis counts the family wrongly and they leave behind eight-year-old Kevin who is still sleeping. The night before, Kevin had an argument with his older brother and wished his family would just go away. He thinks it has come true when […]

“Jingle Bell Rock” was first released in 1957 and was played in the “Rockabilly” style rather than Rock and Roll. Bobby Helms released several recordings of the track and it was covered by Bill Haley & His Comet. Some of you may remember the Muppets version played by “Electric Mayhem” – the Muppets’ band with […]

The CBS executives hated this feature when they saw it because it had readings from the Bible, jazz and children’s voices, but it was a hit. Linus recites a reading from the Gospel of Luke (whilst carrying his blanket) under a spotlight and we all know what we forgot over the last two weeks: Charlie […]

A Muppet Family Christmas is a 1987 Christmas television special starring Jim Henson’s Muppets. Fozzie Bear’s mother thinks she has it all worked out for Christmas. She is going to California for the holidays and is renting out her home to the quiet and unassuming Doc. Until Fozzie comes home bringing all of his Muppet […]

Vaughn Wilton Monroe was born October 7, 1911 and showed an early talent for the trumpet. He wanted to be an opera singer, but the Depression made that ambition impractical. Instead, he sang with several bands, among them Austin Wylie (who later worked for Artie Shaw), Larry Funk (for which he made his recording debut), […]

Released in December 1994, this song reached number 1 in several countries although it lost out to East 17’s “Stay Another Day” in the UK. It sold eight million copies and was belted out by many a hen-night up and down the land. In December 2006 “All I Want for Christmas Is You” became the […]

Johnny Mathis had to choose between becoming an Olympic athlete and starting his recording career after both opportunities came along at once. He stuck with the latter and became a record breaking success, nicknamed the “velvet voice”, yet his athletic records still remain at San Francisco State University. This track has to be the cheesiest […]

Boney M were a West German pop and disco group who toured extensively throughout the 1970’s. The line-up of singers has changed many times over the decades, but the singers who performed and lip-synched on this single were: Maizie Williams, Bobby Farrell, Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett with Frank Farian as manager and behind-the-scenes vocalist. […]

“Two Little Boys” is a song written by Theodore Morse and Edward Madden in 1902 about the experiences of two men in the US Civil War. In 1969 it was revived by good old Rolf Harris, who hobbled his way through the notes and made it all sound like there was a punch line coming […]

“Christmas Alphabet” was Christmas #1 in 1955. He had been named Top UK Male Vocalist in 1952 and 1954. He could impersonate many famous singers and had sung with the top big bands of the era. Dicky appeared on “CALLING DICKIE VALENTINE” (ATV) in 1961. This series for the popular fifties and early sixties singer […]

“Mistletoe and Wine” got to number one in the UK in 1988. It features a choirboy, brass band and some dodgy graphics on the video. Check out the 80’s bouffant hair and the long grey shapeless coats. Anyone who can sway with as much gusto as Cliff Richard deserves a number one. The original was […]

“Santa Claus is Coming to Town” was written and first performed in 1934. The original was more instrumental than vocal. There is a version by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters, which was one of the first covers. The best part about this song is the latitude for jazz and big band antics, which is […]

“Stop the Cavalry” was released in 1980 for Christmas. This track was originally written as an anti-war song but a line about about a soldier wishing he was home for Christmas led the record company to add tubular bells and turn this tune into a yuletide staple. Thanks to the brass band arrangement, the track […]