Slade. Wizzard. Wham!
When it comes to Christmas songs, we know what we like, and we like what we know.
But is there a magical formula to writing a festive hit? Can a novice, armed with the right chords, instruments and lyrical motifs, unlock the secret to cracking the Christmas charts?
Last year, our very own Ollie Peart attempted to give it a go. This is his story…
Including footage never previously broadcast, in this feature-length documentary Olly Mann tracks Ollie’s journey, as he consults music journalist Chris Lochery and songwriter Philippe-Marc Anquetil to discover the role of ‘freewriting’, the significance of writing in a major key, and the importance of ‘finding the line’.
The Sounds Of Christmas was released in December 2018 - but we’ve never announced its final chart position, or revealed how much money it made for charity, until now.
There’s also a BRAND NEW 2019 MIX OF THE SONG for you to buy.
As before, Ollie’s share of the publishing rights, and every penny of artist royalties, go to Samuel’s Charity. Get it HERE.
Samuel's Charity work with underfunded children's wards in the UK to provide support and comfort to families. From supplying decent meals and internet access, to medical kit that makes children's live that much more comfortable, Samuel's Charity makes a positive difference to hundreds of family's lives at a very stressful time.
If, after hearing Olly meet Samuel’s dad, Martin, you’d like to make the charity a festive donation, please do so HERE.
Big thanks to all the podcasters who gave their time and participated in the song, including: The Guilty Feminist, The Two Shot Podcast, Do The Right Thing, Answer Me This!, Wannabe, The Tip Off, The Comedian’s Comedian, The Beef and Dairy Network, Fun Kids Radio, and For F1’s Sake.
Remember, this whole mad enterprise began when Jim Taylor, occasional member of Reverend And The Makers, sent Ollie a challenge by filling in our Feedback form. If YOU have an idea of a trend for Ollie to investigate in our next season of The Modern Mann, contact us now!
Here’s the video Ollie made for the song, featuring Mann-fans from around the world:
We’ll be back with a brand new episode on Wednesday, January 1st 2020. Until then… Happy Christmas!
This episode is supported by Beer52.com - the UK’s No.1 beer club. Mannfans can claim a FREE case of beer, worth £24 at beer52.com/mann.
