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Writer's pictureBulldogz Team
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The Christmas Song World Cup 2020

Updated: Dec 16, 2020




The 2020 Christmas Song World Cup is about to kick off!


Every four years the Bulldogz Christmas Song World Cup is played out over the month of December. 2020 sees the competition return, defending champion I wish it could be Christmas everyday by Roy Wood & Wizzard is joined by thirty one challengers to the crown.


The Draw




The songs have been seeded 1 to 4 and will be drawn into groups via live video on the evening of November 28th.


The Group Stage (1st - 12th December)

During the group stage, you can vote for each group once a day, placing songs in order of preference. At the end of the group stage, voting results are announced and the top two songs from each group progress to the elimination stage



Vote by using the twitter poll or our dedicated voting page by clicking on the icons below








Group A





The Power of Love - Frankie Goes to Hollywood


Clear voting patterns are now emerging with 3rd seed Lonely this Christmas clocking up over 50 points holding a slim lead over Driving Home for Christmas. The other two songs in the group, Andy Williams and Power of Love are being given top ranking votes by supporters but not enough to maintain the chase at this rate.


Group B





Stop the Cavalry - Jona Lewie

Merry Christmas Everyone - Shakin Stevens


A tight group with defending Champion I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday in an unexpected tight battle with outsider Merry Christmas Everyone . Overnight Roy Wood reclaimed the top spot from Shakin Stevens the positions have been reversed over the course of the day. Stop the Cavalry is very close to the leading pair and Thank God it's Christmas has rallied back into the chase while still bringing up the rear. This group is clearly shaping up as the one to watch.


Group C





2000 Miles - The Pretenders

Miseltoe & Wine - Cliff Richard


Last Christmas continues to perform well, being in a group of seven tunes to have breached the 50 point barrier in our Byzantine scoring system. 2000 miles and Stay Another Day are in a neck and neck race for second place, with the two changing position frequently, while Miseltoe and Wine is starting to be left behind, having not received a single first place vote until now.

Group D






Fairytale of New York - The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl

Little Saint Nick - Beach Boys

The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole


It seems there is little doubt that Fairytale of New York will romp home in this group, already with over 50 points and with a comfortable lead. Nat King Cole has overtaken Little Saint Nick to take second place and Happy Xmas (War is Over) trails behind, John Lennon's protest song being one of only three songs in the competition to not receive a first place vote in the group stages.


Group E






Wonderful Christmas time - Paul McCartney

Step into Christmas - Elton John


All I want for Christmas is You continues to power ahead in convincing fashion with a 50 plus points haul. It is already clear that this group is all about the second place. Rockin' around the Christmas tree leads that charge but there is very little to divide the three and any one of them could take that runners up spot.


Group F






White Christmas - Bing Crosby

Feliz Navidad - Jose Feliciano

Baby its cold outside - Neptune's Daughter cast


Boney M have performed well so far, amassing over 50 points with a healthy spread of voting for first and second position consolidating the lead over White Christmas. Baby it's cold outside is not far behind. Feliz Navidad has put in the second worst performance of the group stages so far despite some first ranking votes.


Group G






In Dulce Jubilo - Mike Odlfield


Mike Oldfield, with 51 points, holds a narrow lead over Darlene Love. Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow is managing to eat into the deficit behind the top two tunes, still within a chance of qualification. Band Aid is trailing heavily and looks doomed to fall considerably short of the qualifying songs.


Group H






25th December - Everything but the Girl

Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses


Group H has followed seeding with Slade putting in the best point score performance so far , with over 60 points collected. Little Drummer Boy has done well to stay even remotely close to the number one slot. 25th December is third despite not collecting one first place ranking vote, mainly because Christmas Wrapping has posted the poorest performance of the group stages so far.


Last 16 (14th, 15th, 16th & 17th of December)

The knock out matches are played over four days with two matches being voted on over each day.


Quarter Finals (18th, 19th, 20th & 21st December)

At this stage the competition is getting tense and each quarter final is played every day in this four day period.


Semi Finals (22nd & 23rd December)

Two matches, two days with the winners progressing to the Grand Final


Final (24th December)

The final is voted on over Christmas Eve and the winner will be crowned via live video on the webpage.



 


The Runners & Riders

This will be the third Christmas Song World Cup with The Pogues Fairytale of New York taking the crown in both 2008 and 2012 and even finishing as losing finalists in 2016. With such a pedigree it is clearly considered a favourite to retake the title.


Verdict : (4/1) One would be mad to vote against it being in the hunt


It will not be a cake walk though, Merry Xmas Everybody by Slade has the unenviable record of being eliminated by The Pogues in the Final (2008), Quarter Final (2012) and Semi Final (2016) even though the song achieved UK number 1 in 1973, a feat never achieved by The Pogues.


Verdict : (6/1) Never far from the finish line, always worth a punt


I wish it could be Christmas everyday by Roy Wood & Wizzard was eliminated at the Quarter Final stage in both 2008 and 2012 before taking the crown in 2016. The track was beaten by Slade in 1973 but is a regular Christmas tune playlist favourite and anticipated to do well in the competition.


Verdict: (6/1) A monster favourite of Glam stylings, why would you not get behind this one?


Mariah Carey's Christmas Goliath All I want for Christmas is you is an undeniable and relentless challenger for the top spot. Having fallen at the Semi Final stage in both 2008 & 2012 it came unstuck against Pretenders 2000 miles in the Last 16 in the 2016 tournament.


Verdict: (8/1) Mariah is known as the "Queen of Christmas" in America and surely their best chance of taking the crown


Internationally loved Wham! Last Christmas is especially popular with Spanish voters and can be counted on to do well. Reaching the Quarter Finals in 2008 and then the Semi Finals in 2012 it was anticipated to go one step further in 2016 but came unstuck in a Group of Death.


Verdict: (10/1) Almost criminally overlooked by the British voters, it needs the Spanish fans to show up to see it through


There is a big surge in popularity behind Chris Rea Driving Home for Christmas in this years finals. As the COVID restrictions look set to deny many people the chance to travel home for Christmas, this song has taken on a more sentimental quality for people than in previous years, it could be in with a real chance of causing an upset despite the previous best performance being a Last 16 appearance in 2008.


Verdict: (20/1) Some smart money on this tune doing well, it may turn a few heads but unlikely to go all the way


White Christmas Bing Crosby is one of the best selling songs of all time and Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without Bing crooning to us. A losing finalist in 2008 and in the Last 16 in 2012. Despite the place it has in our hearts it seems to fall short when up against some of the more modern hits


Verdict: (15/1) Always tipped to do well but not expected to reach the heights of the Final again


Christmas! (Baby please come home) Darlene Love is the most popular hit from the seminal classic Phil Spector Christmas Album released in 1963. It achieved a second wave of fame when it was used over the opening credits of Christmas film Gremlins. Always capable of upsetting the established favourites


Verdict: (25/1) An outstanding tune with a joyous sound that often falls short because it is not as well known as other songs



 



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