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The lunacy of the British Christmas #1 enters its final phase for 2018

The lunacy is back.

The British have been betting on which single will finish at #1 on the charts at Christmas for decades, an obsession unique to Her Majesty’s Kingdom. And while many Christmases pass without much controversy, there are those special years where insanity takes over.

Take, for example, the 2009 campaign that pushed Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name” to number one. Or better yet, the big hit from cartoon character Mr Blobby in 1993.


We can go back even further. Witness Benny Hill’s “Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)” in 1971.

There are a number of songs in contention for 2018. Ariana Grande’s monster hit, “Thank U, Next,” which was at #1 last week, but was apparently passed by the #2 song by Ava Max.

However, Ava isn’t the only threat to Ariana. A guy named LadBaby is roaring up from behind with his song, “We Built This City on Sausage Rolls.”

Hold on. Back up.

LadBaby is a dad blogger named Mark Hoyle. He recorded this song–a perverse take on the awful Starship hit from 1985–as a present. Once he declared that profits would be donated to a food bank charity called The Trussel Trust, it took off. And get this: Mark has never, ever sung before. Not even karaoke.

Mark released this statement: 

Yes maaaaate! Who would have thought it? A sausage roll song being sung by a Nottingham lad would be sitting at number two in the official midweek singles chart?!

What a fantastic achievement and great START – but let’s not stop there!

Let’s pinch that number one spot from the global megastars, eat our own body weight in sausage rolls AND most importantly raise even more money to support the amazing UK food banks charity Trussell Trust this Christmas!”

Okay, then. Sadly, though, the BBC says that support for “Sausage Rolls” is dying. Damn.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 37893 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

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