Watch: James Dean Bradfield sings ‘Fairytale of New York’ and ‘Last Christmas’

Stephen Price

Last Christmas by Wham! has clinched the coveted Christmas number one this year, and resurfaced videos of James Dean Bradfield performing the song, along with Fairytale of New York, are being shared online by fans of the enduring songs.

Wham! made chart history this month as Last Christmas became the first song to be crowned Christmas number one two years in a row.

The festive classic had a 39-year wait to secure the coveted title last year after it was first released in December 1984 by pop duo George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley.

Following the release of limited-edition collectibles to mark the track’s 40th anniversary, it has soared up the charts again to become the most-streamed and physically purchased song of the week, according to the Official Charts Company.

Written and produced by George Michael, the Christmas classic takes on extra significance each Christmas Day following the much-loved singer songwriter’s death on 25 December 2016.

Whamageddon

Last Christmas was held back from being number one by Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas during its first chance at the peak Christmas chart position but it finally got there in 2023, not least in part thanks to the song’s popularity on TikTok and a few cheeky plays by those who wish to foil the plans of anyone taking part in Whamageddon.

Owing to its enduring popularity, a video is doing the rounds on social media of Manic Street Preachers’ James Dean Bradfield covering the song on an episode of TFI Friday that aired on Channel 4 at Christmas time in 1996.

The simple guitar version brings out a poignancy to the track that is perhaps overlooked with the big ‘80s production of the original, and James Dean Bradfield’s unmistakable vocals give the song a different feel to that of George Michael’s, who himself had a voice like no other.

‘Well, it’s been a year..’

Bradfield performed the track one more time over a decade later on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Radio 2 in December 2010, along with a very special duet of Fairytale of New York with KT Tunstall (with a slight amendment to the lyrics).

After a short chat, Evans makes way for Bradfield’s touching cover, saying: “In many ways we’re getting in a time machine and going back.”

If only we could.