THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

821-Wizzard-I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday.
1973-Number 4 single. In 1984 the song was re-issued, and this time it reached Number 23. Since digital downloads were introduced, the song has charted a further 14 times between 2007-2022 on the UK top 40, with a peak of Number 10 in 2019.

Best Bit-At 3.23. If you’re entertaining relatives that you only see once a year, and you are having to make small talk, you will probably find it difficult to relate to this songs message.

Roy Wood was born on November 8th, 1946, in Kitts Green, Birmingham, England, as well as being a singer, songwriter, and music producer, he also plays multiple musical instruments, including, guitar, cello, saxophones, percussion, and keyboards. He was the co-founder of ‘The Move’ (see also best songs 575) in 1965, then the ‘Electric Light Orchestra’ (see also best songs 970 and 25) in 1970, before forming ‘Wizzard’ (see also best songs 239) in 1972. He also launched a solo career, issuing four solo studio Albums between 1973-1987, and 19 singles between 1972-1987.

‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday’ was written and produced by Roy Wood, and was the fourth single released by Wizzard, from December 1973, the track was issued as a non-studio Album single, but was one of the 10 tracks on the groups first compilation Album called ‘See My Baby Jive,’ also from 1973. Although Roy Wood had played every instrument on his 1973 issued solo Album ‘Boulders,’ which had been recorded between 1969-1971, on ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday,’ the eight members of Wizzard at that time played on the track alongside Wood, who also sang the lead vocals.

‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday’ is actually credited on the original 1973 sleeve to, ‘Wizzard featuring vocal backing by the Suedettes plus the Stockland Green Bilateral School First Year Choir with additional noises by Miss Snob and Class 3C.’ The song was recorded in August 1973, and in order to create a wintry feel the songs engineer Steve Brown decorated the studio with Christmas decorations, and turned the air conditioning down to its coldest setting. The choir of children on the track were chosen from the ‘Stockland Green School,’ first year, in Birmingham, with Roy Wood insisting that the children had to be local to the area that he had grown up in as a child. Unfortunately the national television station, the ‘BBC,’ wouldn’t allow the school children to perform the song on ‘Top of the Pops,’ so other children who held ‘Equity Cards’ were brought in as replacements, much to the displeasure of Roy Wood. One of the school children was Hilary Gunton who has recalled,’My mother didn’t want me to go. I was just 12 and she was worried about what might happen to me with these Rock types, but I said I would never ever talk to her again if she stopped me. One day at assembly, the music teacher auditioned us by having us sing hymns unaccompanied in front of the whole school. It was incredibly embarrassing, but I knew that if I wanted to meet Wizzard, I had to do it.’ Roy Wood has said,’When I was in the control room listening to the kids singing what I’d written, I got really choked up, and the hairs were standing up on the back of my neck. It was glorious.’ As you will have noticed,’I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday’ has a very unusual intro, Roy Wood has explained,’We hired a proper old fashioned metal cash register, with all the scroll work on the sides, and I pressed the buttons while Rick (Rick Price, bassist) dropped the coins in.’

In 1989, Roy Wood re-recorded part of ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday,’ for ‘Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers’ Christmas single ‘Let’s Party,’ which reached Number 1 in the UK. In 1995, Wood recorded a live version, and released it as a single on his own independent record label ‘Woody Recordings,’ it was the only release from a unreleased live album called ‘Alive,’ the single was credited to the ‘Roy Wood Big Band,’ and charted at Number 59 on the UK Singles Chart. In 2000 Roy Wood joined forces with the English musician Mike Batt, the creator of the novelty Pop group ‘The Wombles,’ who had had a 1974 UK Christmas Number 2 hit with ‘Wombling Merry Christmas,’ together they put together the new track ‘I Wish It Could Be A Wombling Merry Christmas Everyday,’ which reached Number 22.

In 1981 Roy Wood decided to re-release ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday,’ It was then found that the original tapes had been lost, so the song was re-recorded by the band, and a new choir, which came from ‘Kempsey Primary School,’ in Worcester. The single reached number 41 on the UK Singles Chart, and was released again in 1984, this time with an additional extended 12 inch version, which reached Number 23 in the UK. The chances are that the version you hear on the radio, and the download you purchase at Christmas, is in fact the 1981 re-recording.

‘When the snowman brings the snow, well he just might like to know, he’s put a great big smile on somebody’s face. If you jump into your bed, quickly cover up your head, don’t you lock the doors, you know that sweet Santa Clause is on the way.’