I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday

Music video

The video shows the band dressed up in a winter-themed studio and then joined by a group of children who play instruments and join in with the singing.

Re-releases

As it was kept from number one by Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody", it was decided to re-release the single in 1981. It was then found that the original tapes had been lost, so the song was re-recorded by the band and a new choir, from Kempsey Primary School in Worcestershire, was used (they had appeared on Roy Wood's solo single "Green Glass Windows" earlier that year). 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, getting as far as number 23.

As downloads became eligible for the weekly Top 75 from January 2007, and with exposure thanks to an Argos television advertisement, the song charted again in November and December 2007, this time reaching number 16. In the week of 13 December 2008, the song peaked at number 31. In the week of 14 December 2009, it peaked at number 45. In the week of 11 December 2010, it peaked at number 46. In the week of 12 December 2011, it peaked at number 28. It has appeared in the British top 40 every Christmas since and in the top 25 every Christmas since 2017.

Other versions by Roy Wood

In 1989, Wood re-recorded part of the song for Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers for use on their festive single "Let's Party", which topped the British chart in December. In 1995, he recorded a live version and released it as a single on his own independent record label Woody Recordings. The only release from a shelved live album, Alive, the single, credited to the Roy Wood Big Band, charted at number 59 on the UK singles chart.

In 2000, Wood re-recorded the song again for Mike Batt's Dramatico Records, as part of a medley with Batt's song "Wombling Merry Christmas". This novelty record was released as "I Wish It Could Be a Wombling Christmas Everyday" by the Wombles with Roy Wood and reached number 22 on the UK singles chart.

On 16 December 2020, Wood appeared with his band on Dave's Meet the Richardsons at Christmas, singing "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" in Jon Richardson and Lucy Beaumont's garden. This version, which also played out over the end credits, was credited to the Roy Wood Rock & Roll Band.

Personnel

Credits sourced from The Guardian.

Wizzard

• Roy Wood – lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitars, drums, cowbell, shakers, maracas, sleigh bells, glockenspiel, tubular bells, saxophone, woodwinds, cash register
• Bill Hunt – pianos, French horn
• Rick Price – backing vocals, bass guitar, coins
• Keith Smart – drums
• Mike Burney – saxophone, woodwinds
• Nick Pentelow – saxophone, woodwinds

Additional musicians

• Hilary Gunton – backing vocals
• Stockland Green School students – backing vocals

Charts

• A Vocal backing by the Suedettes
• B Vocal backing by the Suedettes and the Bleach Boys
• C 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
• D Credited to Roy Wood's Wizzard
• E This is the new version with children from Kempsey Primary School, but released on Harvest Records with the same catalogue number as the original.
• F Credited by the Official Charts Company as Roy Wood and Wizzard
• G Re-entry of re-issue with 12" re-recording
• H In the digital era of downloads and streaming, the record is credited simply to Wizzard, with the rights holder being EMI Records.

Certifications and sales

''The Big Reunion'' version

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Background and release

On 23 October 2013, it was announced that the six 1990s and early 2000s pop bands who reunited for the ITV2 series The Big Reunion - Five, 911, Atomic Kitten, B*Witched, Blue, Honeyz and Liberty X - would be releasing a cover version of "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday", with all proceeds split between six Text Santa charities: Age UK, Barnardo's, BeatBullying, the British Heart Foundation, CLIC Sargent and Help the Hospices.

The recording of the charity single, which was produced by Danish producer and songwriter Cutfather (the Saturdays and One Direction), was the subject of a behind-the-scenes documentary broadcast on ITV2 on 12 December 2013. The song was released on 16 December 2013 and charted for 1 week in the UK Top 75 at Number 21, with the release credited to The Big Reunion Cast 2013.

Music video

The official music video for the Big Reunion version of the song was uploaded to YouTube on 2 December 2013.

Charts

References

References

1. The four consecutive weeks include one for which no new chart was published: when this occurs, it is the usual practice to repeat the previous week's chart to fill the gap. The same two records - "[[I Love You Love Me Love]]" and "[[You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me]]" - intervened between the Slade and Wizzard discs both before and after the "gap" week.
2. (29 December 2022). "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday — Wizzard".
3. (25 December 2013). "Missing tapes and mystery choirs: The making of a Christmas classic". BBC.
4. Van der Kiste, John (2012). ''Roy Wood: The Move, Wizzard and beyond''. KDP.
5. "The Nation's Favourite Christmas Song". [[ITV (TV network). ITV]]. 22 December 2012.
6. "Face the Music - BIOGS - ROY WOOD".
7. "ROY WOOD | full Official Chart History".
8. "I Wish It Could-Be a Wombling Christmas {{!}} full Official Chart History".
9. ""Meet the Richardsons" Christmas Special 2 (TV Episode 2020)".
10. "Meet the Richardsons at Christmas: Jon Richardson and Lucy Beaumont open up their Hebden Bridge home for festive special with Johnny Vegas". [[Yorkshire Post]].
11. "Meet the Richardsons | Dave Channel".
12. Black, Johnny. (December 20, 2011). ""The making of Wizzard's I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day – a classic interview from the vaults"".
13. "Wizzard {{!}} full Official Chart history". [[Official Charts Company]].
14. "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 52". [[Sverigetopplistan]].
15. "IRMA – Irish Charts". [[Irish Recorded Music Association]].
16. "Official Singles Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company".
17. 1973 Harvest/EMI Records Ltd cat no: HAR 5173
18. (25 December 2013). "Missing tapes and mystery choirs: The making of a Christmas classic". BBC News.
19. "Wizzard | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company".
20. (23 October 2013). "The Big Reunion cast announce Christmas single in aid of Text Santa". [[itv.com]].
21. "BIG REUNION CAST 2013 | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company".
22. "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday". [[YouTube]].