The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl: Fairytale Of New York - Seconds

Didn't this play over the closing credits of "My Own Private Idaho?" Beautiful.

It's gritty and uncompromising, JUST LIKE CHRISTMAS.

Actually, "Just Like Christmas" is my number two.

Nice piece; I've personally always been partial to 'A Rainy Night in Soho" off the Poguetry in Motion ep when Cait O'Riordan was the female voice of the band. Re; sentiment (religious or not) what about the chorus: "the Boys of NYPD Choir / were singing "galway Bay"/ and the Bells were ringin out / For Christmas Day"? That kind of Gerry feel well whether written by an American and Irishman or someone in between (think Frabnk McCourt) strikes me as secret religious code, just like W talking about Dred Scott in th debate. I had forgotten this was written byv Ronan Keating and not the nearly toothless wonder. Personally I'm also leaning towards "Thousands are sailing." Immigration; now that's a Christmas present!