Christmas Music in Dublin

It's December so now I can "officially" be belting out my Christmas music without guilt or shame! Like normal people - I did an internet search for an all-Christmas music station in Dublin. I was so excited that they had one here and it started on November 29th and goes until Epiphany (unlike the US where we stop the music the day after Christmas). I was so excited! 

We're 10 days into the all-Christmas music station and the channel has not even changed in the car. Not once have the children asked to change the station. I'm so glad they take after me! 

Thats our car - XMAS FM!

So, what do you hear on the radio in Dublin at Christmas? There is still a lot of the usual - White Christmas, Rudolph, Frosty. 

But then, there will be a song and you will go "wait - what?"

Some of it is the obvious - Bono in U2 singing "It's Christmas Baby Please Come Home" or Enya singing Silent Night in Irish (that would be Oíche Chiúin for the record - don't ask me to try and pronounce it.) I will try and take a video of K and T singing it because they have been learning it at school. The video was filmed in Christchurch Cathedral in Dublin. But then there's others…like Slade's "Merry Christmas Everybody." They play this all the time on the radio and you will hear it in commercials, shows, etc. The video from "Tops of the Pops 1973" is hilarious. If you can get past the singer's most fabulous hairstyle and check out the guitar players outfits here it is:

And then there's this song, which if you just listen to, sounds all cute and Christmas…but the actual band is Wizzard…what was going on in the UK in the 70's anyway? They play this song all the time too! My children love it!

Wizzard - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday

I think this next one could be the ultimate cheezy Christmas song, except that it totally grew on me.

Shakin' Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone

The song that I will always associate with Dublin now, is Fairytale of New York, by the Pogues. They play this here all the time. It's not a pretty song in most every way. Its basically a story of love lost, a bit bitter and angry, and ending up in jail. It does have a lovely upbeat tempo and a tin whistle. But I like it. It will not be everyone's cuppa tea, I get that. But if you come to Dublin at Christmastime, expect to hear it. And expect to hear people singing along to it. Because people do that here, randomly sing along with songs in stores. I'm not sure if I could ever get used to that. 

Pogues - Fairytale in New York

They also, like us, play a lot of "Do They Know its Christmas" - BandAid. This is my last one…I promise. Its a popular Christmas song here!

Chris Rea - Driving Home for Christmas

And that is my Irish Christmas song list. Enjoy!