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Santa Claus & The Christmas Trees

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British novelty band

Santa Claus & the Christmas Trees
GenresNovelty/pub rock
Years active1982–83
LabelsPolydor Records
Musical artist

Santa Claus and the Christmas Trees was a novelty band created by Polydor Records in 1981.

History

In 1981, a Stiff Records novelty band, The Snowmen, had a Christmas hit single. For the following year, Polydor A&R agent and occasional producer, Dennis Munday, whose main work was promoting post-punk groups such as The Jam, put together a bunch of session musicians to record a similar 45, this time as a medley of traditional Christmas songs in a pub singalong style. The song reached the top 20, and the musicians appeared on Top of the Pops on 16 September 1982. The band also recorded an X-rated version of the medley, under the same catalogue number (IVY 1), and with the same b-side, but with no identification on the sleeve or label.

Polydor also commissioned the same musicians to produce a single for Valentine's Day in 1983, a medley of love songs under the name Valentino and the Valentines; it was not a hit. Undaunted, Polydor released a second Christmas medley, also accompanied by an X-rated version, at the end of the year, and it also made the top 40, but there were no further releases from the concept.

Discography

Singles

Year Song UK
 RoI
1982 "Singalong-A-Santa (Medley)" 19 30
1983 "Singalong-A-Cupid (Medley)" – –
1983 "Singalong-A-Santa (Again)" 39 –
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

References

  1. "SNOWMEN". Official Charts Company.
  2. Bridge, Jon (2 September 2012). "Dennis Munday, first generation Mod and Polydor A&R who signed the Jam and other stories : an interview". Louder Than War. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  3. "Santa Claus & The Christmas Trees - Sing-a-Long-a Santa". youtube. 11 December 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  4. "Record details". 45cat. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  5. "Valentino And The Valentines – Singalong-A-Cupid (Medley)". Discogs. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  6. Creagh, Liam (5 February 1983). "Rock". Belfast Telegraph: 11.
  7. "Record details". 45cat. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  8. "SANTA CLAUS AND THE CHRISTMAS TREES". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  9. "Irish Charts". Irish Charts. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
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