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The stories behind 10 of the finest Christmas songs

A selection of carols and seasonal tracks from The Life of a Song series, including The Pogues’ perennial favourite ‘Fairytale of New York’

© Shane MacGowan of The Pogues in 1990; Andy Soloman/Shutterstock

Fairytale of New York — the Christmas song for people who hate Christmas songs
The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl recorded a sozzled classic whose lyrics have stirred controversy
Driving Home for Christmas — the heartwarming story behind Chris Rea’s seasonal classic
Written after a long car journey north, the track became a favourite festive cover
Corpus Christi Carol — an ancient song steeped in mystery
Jeff Buckley sang what is probably the best-known rendition of a carol whose meaning is still debated
I Believe in Father Christmas — Greg Lake’s song has darkness as well as sparkle
The singer and his co-writer Pete Sinfield had a worldwide hit with this thoughtful seasonal track
Last Christmas — how Wham!’s 1984 hit became an instant classic
The medieval saga that inspired Good King Wenceslas
This unusual carol about the 10th-century Duke of Bohemia has enjoyed a quirky journey through modern music

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