| "Driving Home for Christmas" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Chris Rea | ||||
| from the album New Light Through Old Windows | ||||
| Released | November 1988 | |||
| Recorded | 1986 | |||
| Genre | Pop rock, Christmas | |||
| Length | 4:33 | |||
| Label | Magnet | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Chris Rea | |||
| Producer(s) | Chris Rea, Stuart Eales | |||
| Chris Rea singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Driving Home For Christmas (2009 video in aid of Shelter)" on YouTube | ||||
"Driving Home for Christmas" is a Christmas song written and composed by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea.[1] The first version was originally released as the B-side to his single "Hello Friend" in 1986. In October 1988, a re-recorded version served as one of two new songs on Rea's first compilation album New Light Through Old Windows. It was issued as the fourth single from the album in November 1988, where it peaked at number 53 on the UK Singles Chart as the lead track of The Christmas EP.[2][3]
Despite its original modest chart placement, the song has made a reappearance on the UK Singles Chart every year since 2007 when it peaked at No. 33,[4] and is featured among the Top 10 Christmas singles.[5][6][7][8] It reached a new peak of number 10 on the UK Singles Chart in 2021.[1] In a UK-wide poll in December 2012, it was voted twelfth on the ITV television special The Nation's Favourite Christmas Song.[9]
The song has since been covered by numerous artists, including Engelbert Humperdinck. A 2011 version by Stacey Solomon peaked at number 27 on the UK Singles Chart.
- ^ a b "Official Charts > Chris Rea". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
- ^ "Chris Rea - Driving Home For Christmas (The Christmas EP)". Discogs.
- ^ Forums, BuzzJack Entertainment. "Music forums focusing on chart music with chart and entertainment discussion". www.buzzjack.com.
- ^ James Masterton (21 August 2013). Top 40 Annual 2012. James Masterton. ISBN 9781301260676.
- ^ Rob Hastings (13 December 2010). "All we want for Christmas is an old festive song". The Independent. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
- ^ Media Monkey (2 December 2010). "Mariah Carey top of the tree at Christmas". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
- ^ Lauren Kreisler (19 December 2013). "Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You tops 1 million sales!". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
- ^ Rob Copsey (12 December 2014). "I'm streaming of a white Christmas: Mariah and The Pogues set to enter Christmas Number 1 race?". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
- ^ "The Nation's Favourite Christmas Song". ITV. 22 December 2012.