View source for Xmas 93

{{Infobox song
| name       = Xmas 93
| cover      = Saint Etienne - Xmas 93.png
| alt        =
| border     = yes
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Saint Etienne (band)|Saint Etienne]]
| album      =
| A-side     = I Was Born on Christmas Day
| B-side     = {{hlist|"My Christmas Prayer"|"Snowplough"|"Peterloo"}}
| released   = {{Start date|1993|12|6|df=yes}}
| recorded   =
| studio     = Cat Music<br />{{small|([[Mitcham, London]])}}
| venue      =
| genre      = [[House music|House]]
| length     = {{duration|m=14|s=52}}
| label      = [[Heavenly Recordings|Heavenly]]
| writer     = {{hlist|[[Bob Stanley (musician)|Bob Stanley]]|[[Pete Wiggs]]}}
| producer   = Saint Etienne
| prev_title = [[Hobart Paving]]
| prev_year  = 1993
| next_title = [[Pale Movie]]
| next_year  = 1994
| misc       = {{External music video|{{YouTube|Jdzo_vPnhio|"I Was Born on Christmas Day"}}}}
}}
"'''Xmas 93'''" is a Christmas-themed single by English [[alternative dance]] band [[Saint Etienne (band)|Saint Etienne]]. It was released in the United Kingdom on 6 December 1993 by [[Heavenly Recordings]]. The lead track "I Was Born on Christmas Day" features guest vocals from [[The Charlatans (English band)|The Charlatans]] singer [[Tim Burgess (musician)|Tim Burgess]], and peaked at number 37 on the [[UK Singles Chart]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/28466/saint-etienne/ |title=Saint Etienne {{!}} Full Official Chart History |publisher=[[Official Charts Company]] |access-date=9 September 2017}}</ref> The song's title is a nod to band member [[Bob Stanley (Saint Etienne)|Bob Stanley]], who was born on 25 December 1964.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}} The music video for the single was filmed in the vicinity of [[Chelsea Register Office|Kensington and Chelsea Register Office]] in [[London]].
The main B-side, "My Christmas Prayer", is a cover of the 1959 [[Billy Fury]] original. The other two B-sides, "Snowplough" and "Peterloo", are both instrumentals. The B-sides "Snowplough" and "Peterloo" can be found in the ''[[So Tough]]'' reissue bonus disc, while "My Christmas Prayer" and "I Was Born on Christmas Day" on the ''[[Tiger Bay (album)|Tiger Bay]]'' reissue bonus disc.
==Critical reception==
Tim Sendra from [[AllMusic]] described "I Was Born on Christmas Day" as a duet between [[Sarah Cracknell]] and [[Tim Burgess (musician)|Tim Burgess]] "set to a [[house music|house]] beat." He added, "The melody is very sweet and the vocals blend together nicely, Burgess displaying a healthy (and unusual) dose of restraint."<ref>{{cite web|first= Tim |last= Sendra |title= Saint Etienne – ''I Was Born on Christmas Day'' |publisher= [[AllMusic]] |access-date= 6 November 2020 |url= https://www.allmusic.com/album/i-was-born-on-christmas-day-mw0001891141}}</ref> In his weekly UK chart commentary, [[James Masterton]] stated, "It wouldn't be Christmas without at least one seasonal record in the charts. Saint Etienne have spent the entire year missing out on the success they so richly deserve."<ref>{{cite web|last=Masterton|first=James|title=Week Ending December 25th 1993|url=https://chart-watch.uk/archives/1993/week-ending-december-25th-1993|website=Chart Watch UK|date=19 December 1993|accessdate=12 September 2021|author-link=James Masterton}}</ref> [[Everett True]] from ''[[Melody Maker]]'' named it Single of the Week.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Everett|last=True|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/53039319884/|title=Singles|work=[[Melody Maker]]|date=11 December 1993|page=27|access-date=17 July 2023|author-link=Everett True}}</ref>
Martin Aston from ''[[Music Week]]'' gave it four out of five and named it Pick of the Week in the category of Alternative, calling it a "seasonally-challenged" duet and "a catchy, if lightweight, slice of pop, with daytime radio appeal and press potential galore."<ref>{{cite magazine|first= Martin |last= Aston |title= Market Preview: Alternative - Pick of the Week |magazine= [[Music Week]] |date= 4 December 1993 |page= 13 |accessdate= 5 April 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1993/Music-Week-1993-12-04.pdf}}</ref> Danny Frost from ''[[New Musical Express|NME]]'' said "this is a bit of a swizz", noting "a breathier than ever" Burgess.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Danny|last=Frost|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/53041619814/|title=Singles|work=[[New Musical Express|NME]]|date=11 December 1993|page=13|access-date=17 July 2023}}</ref> Another ''NME'' editor, Jim Wirth, noted the "join-the-dots [[ABBA]]-isms" of the song.<ref>{{cite web|first= Jim |last= Wirth |title= St Etienne – London Kentish Town Forum |url= http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19990005105525reviews.html |work= [[NME]] |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20000817175611/http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19990005105525reviews.html |access-date= 24 November 2020|archive-date= 2000-08-17 }}</ref> Leesa Daniels from ''[[Smash Hits]]'' wrote, "This starts off like a [[disco]] classic in the making. But then the weedy girl vocals of Sarah Cracknell come in followed by the weedy boy vocals of Tim Burgess from [[The Charlatans (English band)|the Charlatans]]. And the whole disco classic is out the window." She concluded, "It's dead catchy and instantly singable".<ref>{{cite magazine|first= Leesa |last= Daniels |url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/smashhits90s/33031278854/in/album-72157680520738360/ |title= New Singles |magazine= [[Smash Hits]] |date= 4 December 1993 |page= 57 |accessdate= 27 April 2021}}</ref>
==Music video==
A music video was produced to promote the song. It was later made available on [[YouTube]] in May 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=Saint Etienne - I Was Born On Christmas Day|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdzo_vPnhio|publisher=[[YouTube]]|date=10 May 2012|access-date=12 September 2021}}</ref> In 2020, Sarah Cracknell talked about making the video, saying "We had such a laugh making the video for ‘I Was Born On Christmas Day’ and Tim was a real star. We shot the whole thing in sequence on a Sunday which ended up in a massive party. I'm sure I accidentally broke the hearts of many Charlatans fans who thought the wedding was real."<ref>{{cite web|title=I Was Born On Christmas Day video shoot with Tim Burgess|url=https://www.facebook.com/SaintEtienneOfficial/posts/i-was-born-on-christmas-dayvideo-shoot-with-tim-burgesswe-had-such-a-laugh-makin/10157533696371536/|publisher=[[Facebook]]|date=13 December 2020|access-date=12 September 2021}}</ref> The video featured actor [[Richard O'Sullivan]], of [[Man About The House]] fame, playing the father of the bride.
==Track listings==
All tracks produced by [[Saint Etienne (band)|Saint Etienne]].
{{Track listing
| headline = CD single and 12" single<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=Xmas 93 |type=UK CD single |others=[[Saint Etienne (band)|Saint Etienne]] |publisher=[[Heavenly Recordings]] |year=1993 |id=HVN 36CD}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=Xmas 93 |type=UK 12" single |others=Saint Etienne |publisher=Heavenly Recordings |year=1993 |id=HVN 3612}}</ref>
| title1 = I Was Born on Christmas Day
| note1 = featuring [[Tim Burgess (musician)|Tim Burgess]]
| writer1 = {{hlist|[[Ian Catt]]|[[Bob Stanley (Saint Etienne)|Bob Stanley]]|[[Pete Wiggs]]}}
| length1 = 3:14
| title2 = My Christmas Prayer
| writer2 = [[Billy Fury]]
| length2 = 3:28
| title3 = Snowplough
| writer3 = {{hlist|Stanley|Wiggs}}
| length3 = 3:43
| title4 = Peterloo
| writer4 = {{hlist|Stanley|Wiggs}}
| length4 = 4:27
| total_length = 14:52
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = 7" single and cassette single<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=Xmas 93 |type=UK 7" single |others=Saint Etienne |publisher=Heavenly Recordings |year=1993 |id=HVN 36}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=Xmas 93 |type=UK cassette single |others=Saint Etienne |publisher=Heavenly Recordings |year=1993 |id=HVN 36CS}}</ref>
| title1 = I Was Born on Christmas Day
| note1 = featuring Tim Burgess
| writer1 = {{hlist|Catt|Stanley|Wiggs}}
| length1 = 3:14
| title2 = My Christmas Prayer
| writer2 = Fury
| length2 = 3:28
| total_length = 6:42
}}
==Charts==
{|class="wikitable"
!Chart (1993–94)
!Peak<br />position
|-
|Europe ([[Eurochart Hot 100]])<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1994/MM-1994-01-15.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100|magazine=[[Music & Media]]|volume=11|issue=3|date=15 January 1994|page=15|accessdate=12 November 2021}}</ref>
|align="center"|93
|-
|[[UK Singles Chart|UK Singles]] ([[Official Charts Company|OCC]])
|align="center"|37
|-
|UK Airplay (''[[Music Week]]'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1993/Music-Week-1993-12-25.pdf|title=The Airplay Chart|magazine=[[Music Week]]|date=25 December 1993|page=28|access-date=4 May 2024}}</ref>
|align="center"|27
|}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Saint Etienne}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1993 singles]]
[[Category:Heavenly Recordings singles]]
[[Category:Saint Etienne (band) songs]]
[[Category:Songs written by Bob Stanley (musician)]]
[[Category:Songs written by Pete Wiggs]]