Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s new recording of classic festive hit “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day” set for December release and competition

A classical version of one of Britain’s most popular festive songs, Wizzard’s “I Wish It could Be Christmas Every Day”, has been recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and is set for release as a single next month.

This perennial favourite has charted no less than 16 times since it was originally released in 1973, when it was written, performed and produced by national music legend Roy Wood.

Now, through a collaboration between the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Staffordshire-based music company Swan Music, a classical recording of the song is to feature on the orchestra’s latest album “A Royal Philharmonic Christmas”.

It has been scored and produced by Swan Music’s Danny McCormack and was recorded recently at St John’s Smith Square in London’s Westminster, a former church which functions as a concert hall.

Roy, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and co-founder of The Move and Electric Light Orchestra, said he is pleased with this new rendition of his hit song.

“It has turned out to be a very nice version,” said Roy.

“I have worked with Danny McCormack for a number of years now, and he is very much in the zone, when it comes to my orchestral preferences.

“I’m sure it will turn out to be a memorable track on ‘A Royal Philharmonic Christmas’.”

Roy explained how the song came about.

“When I wrote “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day“, most Christmas records up until then had just been novelty or comedy songs.

“I was thinking, there hadn’t been a rock ’n’ roll type Christmas song since Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” all those years ago.

“I wrote it around May and June of 1973 and we recorded it in August when the weather was not really suitable for a wintery gem.

“I asked the band to turn up to the session wearing suitable clothing for the occasion.

“We put up some big fans which I had hired, plus some blue spotlights and left it for an hour - boy was it cold.

“We also put up decorations and lights and a tree in the studio control room to add to the atmosphere of jollity.

“So the band recorded it wearing overcoats, bobble hats, scarves and gloves.

“It was a really enjoyable recording session, which you can now hear plainly on the recording.

“Unfortunately though, I didn’t realise that other artistes had a similar idea (Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody was recorded in July 1973 and became the Christmas number 1 that year).

“I had known Noddy Holder since the early days.

“He kept his cards close to his chest, as did a few other people.

“Anyway, all of the decent seasonal hits seemed to be released either that year or the one after.”

“A Royal Philharmonic Christmas” also includes classical versions of other festive hits including Slade’s “Merry Xmas Everybody”, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas”.

“The choice of songs made for the album, are not obvious, compared to other Christmas compilations,” added Roy.

“These are probably the more suitable ones for a classical treatment. This in turn gave Danny more room to spread out on the arrangements, and not be tied down to the usual script.”

Asked about the enduring appeal of classic Christmas songs such as his Roy said: “It’s probably because there have been very few decent Christmas songs since the 1970s.

“The record companies were very quick to realise that after Christmas Day, the radio stations would stop playing them.

“Therefore as far as they were concerned, the sales were limited.

“This is why, after that era it became more fashionable with boy bands etc to appear on TV wearing Christmas outfits, and having snow falling on the set, but not mentioning Christmas too much in the lyrics.

“The only single in recent years that has managed to transcend that fashion is Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You“. which I thought was a good pop song and in the spirit of what it is supposed to be about.”

This is not the first time Roy has collaborated with the RPO which has been at the forefront of music-making in the UK for more than 70 years.

“I did some work with (musical arranger, keyboard player and former RPO conductor) Louis Clark on ‘Hooked On Classics’ in the early eighties,” said Roy.

“He invited me along to play the bagpipes on a medley of Scottish tunes. We ended up tracking on a shed load of pipes so it then sounded like a squadron.

“We did some selected gigs some time after that, on which I got to play together with ‘proper’ pipers.

“I also sang with the RPO at a concert of Beatles songs at the Royal Albert Hall in front of the Queen and Prince Philip.

“Also Paul McCartney and George Harrison were there , which made me very nervous indeed.

“I have since followed the fortunes of the RPO, they are a great band of musicians, and another important factor for me, they are genuinely a nice bunch of people.”

Roy added that he is is “honoured" to be involved with its new recordings.

“There are plans in the offing to record an album of my own personal songs, together with the RPO maybe next year,” he said.

“The RPO is a tremendous orchestra - I hope this new Christmas album will be very successful for them.”

Danny McCormack, who worked as musical director and producer on the project, said: “I am very excited about this album.

*The bright and powerful versions of these iconic Christmas songs have been beautifully played by one of this country’s most revered orchestras.

“It was a wonderful opportunity to work again with the fabulous RPO and bring some Christmas cheer at the end of what has been a very difficult year.”

Swan Music is keen to support musicians as work in the industry has been decimated due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Recording at St John’s Smith Square enabled the musicians to socially distance.

“It is a beautiful venue in London,” added Danny.

“And we were supported by Floating Earth, a brilliant outside broadcasting company, in making a studio out of this former church.”

RPO Recordings Consultant Ian Maclay said: “We have done many crossover albums in the past.

“It is always enjoyable for the players to let their hair down and recording some classic Christmas tracks that are familiar to everyone allows them to do that.

“If more people get to hear the RPO through this album, that would be brilliant.”

Swan Music’s Managing Director, Iain Kerr, said: “Following on from our recent success with Boyzlife’s debut album, Strings Attached, which hit the top 10 in the charts, we had a couple of epic projects in the pipeline.

“However, because of Covid these have been pushed back to next year, so we are very excited to be able to pull together this unique independent production with the Royal Philharmonic and really hope it is well received.

“Like most music releases nowadays it will be available internationally on all digital stores but we are also pressing a limited number of CDs.

“We have been burning the midnight oil and think this album will be something special.”

A Royal Philharmonic Christmas is due for release on December 4.

There is a Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/ARoyalPhilharmonicChristmas/

And now Its Competition Time!!

We're gearing up and getting excited for the forthcoming single release next week The Royal Philharmonic's take on the Christmas classic by the legend that is Dr Roy Wood.

The first ten correct answers will win a signed copy of A Royal Philharmonic Christmas by the man himself.

So here we go!

Which American Rock Band Released a 7” single of I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day to celebrate Record Store Day recorded live off the cuff with Roy at the NEC 2019?

DM me with your answer

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