Can just anyone write a Christmas hit and, as Noddy Holder of Slade would say, “win the lottery every Christmas” by coining it on royalties? Well, Irish Times writer Patrick Freyne  and his wife Anna Carey dreamed big with their entry to the the Christmas FM song contest. Patrick told Anton, er, Dermot and Dave about their attempt at cracking the Christmas market and went through some of the ‘rules’ (if you could call them that) of having a Christmas hit.

Some of the golden rules? Well, in no particular order (and possibly not applying to one song) keep religion out of it; Sing a rhyming list; Make it sexy; Don’t mention Christmas at all; Make it happen at Christmas; Add a touch of sadness balanced with a whisper of hope. 

Patrick and Anna studied these rules and decided their song should evoke bitter-sweet melancholy, partly in tribute to a teacher who told Patrick his voice made her sad. It may have a touch of the Handsome Family about it but - hey! - it’s got sleighbells!

Listen to the song here: 

Patrick has form in this field. A one-time musician with the awesome National Prayer Breakfast (read about them here) and the beguiling El Diablo (with Anna) he had previously tried to have a pop hit and a Eurovision hit! When he contacted his long-suffering music producer friend Les Keye about the Christmas song, Les asked: “Is it a good song this time?”

Read the original Irish Times piece here