Manic Street Preachers - Ghost of Christmas

There was a time when Christmas singles were shamelessly fun... long before the days of pretentious X-Factor wannabes cluttering up stockings around the country. Not since Mr Blobby has there been a Christmas song I've thought worthy of listening to. I toyed with Proper Crim-bo! a few years ago but I mean, come on.

So, in keeping with the goodwill to all men and such bollocks, Manic Street Preachers have recorded a Christmas song for shits and giggles and made it free for download off their official website. There was talk that Ghost of Christmas was pencilled in for a proper release but you could cite reasons such as losing bottle for that not eventually happening. Depends who you want to believe.

Releasing this track properly wouldn't have been a crime. In fact, it may even have pushed other Number One contenders hard. It's deliciously glam, albeit with the chugging power chords that wouldn't necessarily be out of place on a standard MSP b-side. But the ingredients for a successful Xmas track are all over this three-and-a-half minute beauty.

There may be a distinct lack of sleigh bells over the verses, but there are the obligatory tubular bells and a glorious - YES, glorious - saxophone solo ripped straight out of the Dexy's instrument archive, or maybe lifted straight off the Whose Line is it Anyway? theme. Oh, and there's also the rousing sing-along chorus. So why not take a chance and let rip on an unsuspecting public in the year that credibility was restored through Send Away the Tigers?

I guess it depends on what the Manics wanted to achieve in the first place. But maybe, for the fans, it's all the more nicer to have something tucked away from prying eyes. It certainly sits on my Christmas playlist... Leona fucking Lewis does not.