Elvis rejected it - Costello that is.
Jem Finer and Shane MacGowan’s masterpiece, Fairytale of New York, was fortunate to ever make it into the recording booth.
Along the way, it lost its original female vocalist, and some at their record label questioned the quality of the song.
Packed full of historical references, it has an almost theatrical quality that reveals much about the influences of the band.
That it has been voted not only Ireland’s favourite Christmas song - but the UK’s too - and is testament to a band who belonged in equal parts to both islands.
Donal Fallon joined Gavan Reilly for another episode of Hidden Histories to discuss.
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