This document provides a summary of 10 best British Christmas songs, listing each song's title, artist, and year. For some of the songs, it provides more context such as background on when and why the song was written. It concludes by highlighting a new Christmas song called "Miles Apart, Seconds Away" by Talk Home, noting its potential to touch many hearts like classic Christmas songs.

1. 10 Best British Christmas Songs for
This Season

2. 10. “Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)” – The Darkness
(2003)
Released by “The Darkness” in 2003, “Christmas Time (Don’t Let
the Bells End)” was showcased as a festive EP aimed at grabbing
the number 1 spot in the UK’s Christmas songs list. However, Gary
Jules’ and Michael Andrew’s “Joyless Mad World” grabbed the top
slot on the podium, pushing it to the runner up’s slot.
The Darkness then featured the single as a bonus track while re-
releasing their 3rd debut album “Permission To Land”.
According to Frontman Justin Hawkins, the lyrics of the song
reflect upon the pain of someone who works far from family for 51
weeks of the year. And how they try to fill in a few days of
endless joy, festivity, and quality family time at Christmas.

3. 9. “Driving Home for Christmas” – Chris Rea (1986)
Chris Rea recorded this unimaginably popular Christmas tune in
1986. He came up with the lyrics some 8 years ago, though, in
1978, on his way back home for Christmas to Middlesbrough from
London. It was such an eventful day of his life.
Two years after its release, the song peaked at #53 on the UK
singles chart. However, it has been successful in re-entering the
UK Top 75 each year after 2007, not to mention charting several
other European country’s listings.
In 1997, 1998, and 2011, the song was used by a food retail chain
in Iceland for some of their Christmas shoots. The latter one
featured a cover by the singer and TV host Stacey Solomon. Her
version of the song charted at #27 in the UK.

4. 8. “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” – John Lennon & Yoko Ono/The
Plastic Ono Band (1972)
This one was written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in their New
York City hotel room in 1971. The recording took place on the
evening of October 28th and 29th at the Record Plant in the same
city. The song failed in charting across the US after its initial
release on the Christmas of 1971.
It performed quite well in the UK, however, when it was released
there the next year, charting at #4. Making it to the top of the
US charts as a Christmas classic took it some time.

5. 7. “Stay Another Day” – East 17 (1994)”
East 17’s Tony Mortimer wrote this song about his brother, Ollie,
who committed suicide. It went on to be the #1 on the UK charts
in 1994. And, Tony Mortimer says he knew from the very start that
this song was destined to top the charts.
The lyrics of its first verse go like this, “Don’t you know we’ve
come too far now just to throw it all away”, referring to his
brother’s suicide.
The other part, “I touch your face while you are sleeping, and
hold your hand, don’t understand what’s going on,” is about the
sense of loss he encountered after his death.
Despite being to chart-topper in the UK during Christmas
1994, Mortimer says he didn’t write it with festive
intentions. The A&R department wanted to lift it a bit with some
bells on the end, but no more than that. However, it overcame all
odds to turn into one of the best Christmas songs of all time in
the UK.

6. 6. “Stop the Cavalry” – Jona Lewie (1980)
The Britons see this amalgam of anti-war protest with some brass
band arrangements as a Christmas radio standard throughout the
country. One of the reasons is its deeply emotional side: set up
during the Great War in the Front, where a trench-ridden desolate
and desperate soldier wishes to be home for Christmas.
Again, the basic idea of the song wasn’t about the festivities of
Christmas, as told by Jona Lewie on various occasions. The one
line that relates it to Christmas, i.e., “I wish I was at home
for Christmas”, is about a soldier who has been on the front for
some time and wants to go back home to his loved ones.
The record company chose the line from a marketing perspective,
adding a tubular bell at the end. But it seems to do enough,
making the song #3 in the UK, doing great in various other
European countries.

7. 1. Miles Apart, Seconds Away – Talk Home (2021)
We conclude our list on a Christmas song with immense potential
to touch millions of hearts like the classical Christmas songs
listed above. Titled “Miles Apart, Seconds Away”, it is conceived
and produced by Talk Home, a household name among expats in the
UK.
From lyrics to music and tempo, everything makes it a true
Christmas melody. Not to mention the original and very real
concept of this human desire to be close to your near and dear
ones at a time like Christmas.
Since we don’t want to spoil the fun for you, you can listen to
the song by yourself and tell us how good it is.
View more songs at: Links

8. Visit today
blog.talkhome.co.uk