Pogues track wins Christmas poll

Singer Kirsty MacColl featured on The Pogues' Christmas hit

Fairytale of New York by The Pogues and the late Kirsty MacColl, has been voted favourite Christmas song in a poll by music TV channel VH1.

The track, which went to number two in 1987, beat the original Band Aid single - recorded in 1984 - into second place.

Wham's Last Christmas, also released in 1984, polled at number three and Slade's Merry Xmas Everybody - first released in 1973 - was at number four.

Current chart-topper Do They Know It's Christmas? came in at number five.

TOP TEN CHRISTMAS TUNES 1. Fairytale of New York - The Pogues/ Kirsty MacColl 2. Do They Know It's Christmas? - Band Aid 3. Last Christmas - Wham! 4. Merry Xmas Everybody - Slade 5. Do They Know It's Christmas? - Band Aid 20 6. All I Want For Christmas is You - Mariah Carey 7. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday - Wizzard 8. White Christmas - Bing Crosby 9. Happy Xmas (War is Over) - John Lennon 10. Stay Another Day - East 17 Source: VH1 online poll

The re-recorded charity single by Band Aid 20, widely tipped to be this year's Christmas number one, has already sold more than 600,000 since its release on 29 November.

Also in the top ten were Bing Crosby's White Christmas, at number eight, and John Lennon's Happy Xmas (War is Over) at number nine.

However Sir Cliff Richard failed to make the top 10, despite a string of Christmas hits including Millennium Prayer and Mistletoe and Wine.

The poll of 10,000 people was conducted online. Fairytale of New York gained nearly a quarter of all votes cast.

Singer Kirsty MacColl died four years ago at the age of 41 when she was hit by a speedboat while scuba diving off the coast of Mexico.

BBC News website users sent in their views on the best Christmas records.

I love "Santa Baby" by Eartha Kitt. Every girl's ideal Christmas list.
Kay, UK

Driving home for christmas-lovely stuff
luke cardy, seaham, county durham

Apart from the obvious ones, my favourite Christmas track is probably the one by the Kinks in which a department store Santa is mugged by a bunch of kids demanding money rather silly toys. It's probably very un-PC nowadays, but it is quite catchy.
dave godfrey, swindon

I am surprised that Greg Lake's I believe in Father Christmas is not even in the running. One of the best, if not the best. Merry Xmas!
John Dean, Kobe, Japan

The best Christmas song for me has got to be There Ain't No Sanity Clause, by The Damned. A 100 miles an hour slice of festive mayhem, with a killer tune from Captain Sensible, clever lyrics, a great Dave Vanian vocal, and even some traditional sleighbells thrown in. Brilliant stuff.
Ian Kelly, Southampton, UK

Just Like Christmas by Low. Lovely gentle track with loads of sleigh bells. Big favourite of Mark & Lard as I recall.
Jayne, Leek, England

The Slade song still takes quite some beating after all these years!! Not bad for a three hour session on a sweltering July day in New York in 1973..... I am also quite fond of the Wizzard single.
Ian E at The Slade Archive, Manchester UK

Good selection for the number one slot, but my favourite is Christmas Wrapping, by The Waitresses. I think it was in the charts in the late 80s. Always reminds me of the day, in a positive way of course. Its the three months prior to Christmas that I get fed up with!
Andrew, Eastbourne, East Sussex

Definately The Pogues with Kirsty MacColl. They performed it live at the Heineken Music Festival in Leeds in the mid 1990s and it was magical, even in August!
Julian Wharam, Kidderminster, England

Merry Xmas Everybody - Slade
John Clarkeson, Bognor Regis

My all time favourite Xmas song is got to be Chris Rea's " Drivin Home for Christmas " Great song to get in the mood for the festive season. Always gets the goosebumps up on my arm. Goes relativley unoticed this record.
Gregg Lamb, London, Stoke Newington

My fave is fairytale of New York, though I am also rather partial to Stop the Cavalry, by Jona Lewie. I have been known to stay in a shop while that song plays!
Katie, Driffield

What about good old Cliff! Who can forget Saviours Day or Mistletoe and Wine? British Classics.
Chris, Leeds, England

I would like to champion the cause of Kate Bush's under-rated December Will Be Magic Again. Also, to prove that prog rock and Christmas hits can mix, Ring out the Solstace Bells by Jethro Tull and I Believe in Father Christmas by Greg Lake.
Muzzy, Edinburgh, Scotland

Paul McCartney - simply having a wonderful Christmas time. Best track of all time.
Hugh, London , UK

I absolutely adore Greg Lake's I Believe in Father Christmas, but agree that Fairytale in New York is a truly fantastic Christmas song. Can't say I'm keen on Ronan Keating's version, though - I'll stick to the original!
Anna, London, UK