"I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday",sometimes written as"I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day",is aChristmas songrecorded by Englishglam rockbandWizzard.It was first released in December 1973 and, as with most Wizzard songs, was written and produced by the band's frontmanRoy Wood—formerly ofThe Moveand a founding member ofElectric Light Orchestra.Despite the song's strong, long-lasting popularity, it has reached no higher than number four on theUK Singles Chart,a position it occupied for four consecutive weeks from December 1973 to January 1974.[1][2]The song was beaten to the 1973Christmas Number 1spot bySlade's "Merry Xmas Everybody",which remained at the top of the charts for five weeks, from December 1973 to January 1974.
| "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| SinglebyWizzard | ||||
| B-side | "Rob Roy's Nightmare (A Bit More H.A.)" | |||
| Released | December 1973 | |||
| Recorded | August 1973 | |||
| Studio | Phonogram Studios, Stanhope Place, Marble Arch, London | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:55 | |||
| Label | Harvest,Warner Bros. Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Roy Wood | |||
| Producer(s) | Roy Wood | |||
| Wizzardsingles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Wood sings lead vocals. The original backing vocals for the single were by the Suedettes, augmented by the choir ofStockland Green SchoolFirst Year but because the master tapes were lost, the 1981 version featuring pupils fromKempseyPrimary School is the version that's been heard on TV, Radio, streams and downloads since the early 1980s.[3]
The original sleeve of the single credits "Miss Snob and Class 3C" with "Additional noises". The basic track for the single was recorded in August 1973, so to create a wintry feeling engineer Steve Brown decorated the studio with Christmas decorations and turned the air conditioning down to its coldest setting. Wood wore a woollen hat found inlost property.The schoolchildren were brought down from the Midlands to London by bus during the autumn half-term to add their contributions.[4]
At the time of the single's release, Wizzard's contract withEMIwas close to expiration. Promotional copies were pressed by Warner Bros., with whom the band had just signed for future releases. Only then was it discovered that EMI were legally entitled to the track after all, so theWarner Bros. Recordspressings were halted and the record appeared on theHarvestlabel, but with the same picture sleeve.[4]In a UK television special onITVin December 2012, the British public voted the song second (behind "Fairytale of New York") inThe Nation's Favourite Christmas Song.[5]
Music video
editThe video shows the band dressed up in a winter-themed studio and then joined by a group of children who play instruments and join in with the singing.
Re-releases
editAs it was kept from number one by Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody"it was decided to re-release the single in 1981. It was then found that the original tapes had been lost, so the song was re-recorded by the band and a new choir, fromKempseyPrimary School inWorcestershire,was used (they had appeared on Roy Wood's solo single "Green Glass Windows" earlier that year).[6]The single reached number 41 on theUK Singles Chart,and was released again in 1984, this time with an additional extended 12-inch version, getting as far as number 23.
As downloads became eligible for the weekly Top 75 from January 2007 onwards, and with exposure thanks to anArgostelevision advertisement, the song charted again in November and December 2007, this time reaching number 16. In the week of 13 December 2008, the song peaked at number 31. In the week of 14 December 2009, it peaked at number 45. In the week of 11 December 2010, it peaked at number 46. In the week of 12 December 2011, it peaked at number 28. It has appeared in the British top 40 every Christmas since and in the top 25 every Christmas since 2017.
Other versions by Roy Wood
editIn 1989, Wood re-recorded part of the song forJive Bunny and the Mastermixersfor use on their festive singleLet's Party,which topped the British chart in December. In 1995, he recorded a live version and released it as a single on his own independent record label Woody Recordings.[7]The only release from a shelved live album entitledAlive,the single, credited to theRoy Wood Big Bandcharted at number 59 on the UK Singles Chart.[8]
In 2000, Wood re-recorded the song again forMike Batt'sDramaticoRecords, as part of a medley with Batt's song "Wombling Merry Christmas".Thisnovelty recordwas released as "I Wish It Could Be a Wombling Christmas Everyday" byThe Wombleswith Roy Wood and reached number 22 on the UK Singles Chart.[9]
On 16 December 2020, Wood appeared with his band onDave'sMeet the Richardsons at Christmas,singing "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" in Jon Richardson and Lucy Beaumont's garden. This version, which also played out over the end credits, was credited to the Roy Wood Rock & Roll Band.[10][11][12]
Personnel
editCredits sourced fromThe Guardian.[13]
Wizzard
- Roy Wood– lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitars, drums, cowbell, shakers, maracas, sleigh bells, glockenspiel, tubular bells, saxophone, woodwinds, cash register
- Bill Hunt– pianos, French horn
- Rick Price– backing vocals, bass guitar, coins
- Keith Smart – drums
- Mike Burney– saxophone, woodwinds
- Nick Pentelow – saxophone, woodwinds
Additional musicians
- Hilary Gunton – backing vocals
- Stockland Green Schoolstudents – backing vocals
Charts
edit| Year | Song | Chart position | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [14][15] |
IRL | SWE Heat [16] | ||
| 1973 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"[C] | 4 | 6 | — |
| 1981 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-recording)[E] | 41 | 32 | — |
| 1984 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"[F] | 86 | — | — |
| "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-issue)[G] | 23 | 36 | — | |
| 2007 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-entry)[H] | 16 | 42 | — |
| 2008 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-entry) | 31 | 42 | — |
| 2009 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-entry) | 45 | 23 | — |
| 2010 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-entry) | 46 | 28 | — |
| 2011 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-entry) | 28 | 30 | — |
| 2012 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-entry) | 29 | 37 | — |
| 2013 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-entry) | 31 | — | — |
| 2014 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-entry) | 35 | 68 | — |
| 2015 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-entry) | 27 | 49 | — |
| 2016 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-entry) | 23 | 60 | — |
| 2017 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-entry) | 15 | 29 [17] |
— |
| 2018 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-entry) | 12 | ? | — |
| 2019 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-entry) | 10 | ? | — |
| 2020 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-entry) | 13 | 44 | — |
| 2021 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-entry)[18] | 15 | — | 20 |
| 2022 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-entry) | 23 | 39 | — |
| 2023 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-entry) | 25 | — | — |
| 2024 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"(re-entry) | 22 | 33 | — |
| "–" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||
- A^Vocal backing by the Suedettes
- B^Vocal backing by the Suedettes and the Bleach Boys
- C^Wizzard featuring vocal backing by the Suedettes plus the Stockland Green Bilateral School First Year Choir with additional noises by Miss Snob and Class 3C[19]
- D^Credited to Roy Wood's Wizzard
- E^This is the new version with children from Kempsey Primary School, but released on Harvest Records with the same catalogue number as the original.[20]
- F^Credited by the Official Charts Company as Roy Wood and Wizzard[21]
- G^Re-entry of re-issue with 12 "re-recording
- H^In the digital era of downloads and streaming, the record is credited simply to Wizzard, with the rights holder being EMI Records.
Certifications and sales
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[22] | 3× Platinum | 1,800,000‡ |
|
‡Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
The Big Reunionversion
edit| "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Singleby The Big Reunion (Five,911,Atomic Kitten,Honeyz,B*Witched,Liberty XandBlue) | ||||
| Released | 16 December 2013 | |||
| Recorded | October–November 2013 | |||
| Studio | London, England | |||
| Genre | Christmas | |||
| Length | 4:48 | |||
| Label | Universal | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Roy Wood | |||
| Producer(s) | Cutfather | |||
| Bluesingles chronology | ||||
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| Fivesingles chronology | ||||
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| 911singles chronology | ||||
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| Atomic Kittensingles chronology | ||||
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| B*Witchedsingles chronology | ||||
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| Honeyzsingles chronology | ||||
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| Liberty Xsingles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"onYouTube | ||||
Background and release
editOn 23 October 2013, it was announced that the six 1990s and early 2000s pop bands who reunited for theITV2seriesThe Big Reunion-Five,911,Atomic Kitten,B*Witched,Blue,HoneyzandLiberty X- would be releasing a cover version of "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday", with all proceeds split between sixText Santacharities:Age UK,Barnardo's,BeatBullying, theBritish Heart Foundation,CLIC Sargentand Help the Hospices.[23]
The recording of the charity single, which was produced by Danish producer and songwriterCutfather(the SaturdaysandOne Direction), was the subject of a behind-the-scenes documentary broadcast on ITV2 on 12 December 2013.[23]The song was released on 16 December 2013 and charted for 1 week in the UK Top 75 at Number 21, with the release credited to The Big Reunion Cast 2013.[24]
Music video
editThe official music video for theBig Reunionversion of the song was uploaded toYouTubeon 2 December 2013.[25]
Charts
edit| Chart (2013) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Ireland (IRMA)[26] | 82 |
| Scotland(OCC)[27] | 32 |
| UK Singles(OCC)[28] | 21 |
References
edit- ^The four consecutive weeks include one for which no new chart was published; when this occurs, it is the usual practice to repeat the previous week's chart to fill the gap. The same two records - "I Love You Love Me Love"and"You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me"- intervened between the Slade and Wizzard discs both before and after the" gap "week.
- ^"I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday — Wizzard".Last.fm.29 December 2022.Retrieved29 June2023.
- ^"Missing tapes and mystery choirs: The making of a Christmas classic".BBC. 25 December 2013.
- ^abVan der Kiste, John (2012).Roy Wood: The Move, Wizzard and beyond.KDP.
- ^"The Nation's Favourite Christmas Song".ITV.22 December 2012.
- ^"Missing tapes and mystery choirs: The making of a Christmas classic".BBC. 25 December 2013.
- ^"Face the Music - BIOGS - ROY WOOD".Archived fromthe originalon 2 August 2017.Retrieved17 December2020.
- ^"ROY WOOD | full Official Chart History".OfficialCharts.com.
- ^"I Wish It Could-Be a Wombling Christmas | full Official Chart History".OfficialCharts.com.Retrieved1 January2018.
- ^""Meet the Richardsons" Christmas Special 2 (TV Episode 2020) ".IMDb.com.
- ^"Meet the Richardsons at Christmas: Jon Richardson and Lucy Beaumont open up their Hebden Bridge home for festive special with Johnny Vegas".Yorkshire Post.Retrieved29 June2023.
- ^"Meet the Richardsons | Dave Channel".Dave.uktv.co.uk.
- ^Black, Johnny (20 December 2011).""The making of Wizzard's I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day – a classic interview from the vaults"".The Guardian.Retrieved12 November2024.
- ^Roberts, David (2006).British Hit Singles & Albums(19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 608.ISBN1-904994-10-5.
- ^"Wizzard | full Official Chart history".Official Charts Company.Retrieved28 December2019.
- ^"Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 52"(in Swedish).Sverigetopplistan.Retrieved3 January2022.
- ^"IRMA – Irish Charts".Irish Recorded Music Association.Retrieved30 December2017.
- ^"Official Singles Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company".OfficialCharts.com.
- ^1973 Harvest/EMI Records Ltd cat no: HAR 5173
- ^"Missing tapes and mystery choirs: The making of a Christmas classic".BBC News.25 December 2013.
- ^"Wizzard | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company".OfficialCharts.com.
- ^"British single certifications – Wizzard – I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday".British Phonographic Industry.Retrieved6 January2023.
- ^ab"The Big Reunion cast announce Christmas single in aid of Text Santa".itv.com.23 October 2013.Retrieved24 October2013.
- ^"BIG REUNION CAST 2013 | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company".OfficialCharts.com.
- ^"I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday".YouTube.Retrieved4 December2013.
- ^"Chart Track: Week 51, 2013 ".Irish Singles Chart.
- ^"Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100".Official Charts Company.
- ^"Official Singles Chart Top 100".Official Charts Company.