Irish journalist and Shane MacGowan’s widow, Victoria Mary Clarke, recently responded to the news that Wham! had beat out The Pogues on the Christmas charts for the coveted No. 1 spot. The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” was in the running for the top spot, but Wham!’s “Last Christmas” beat them to the punch.
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Fans of The Pogues were hoping the song would hit the top spot for the first time as tribute to Shane MacGowan, who passed away on November 30. The song has reached No. 2 on the charts every Christmas season since 2005, but has never hit No. 1.
Shane MacGowan’s Widow Responds to Wham! Beating The Pogues to the Top of the Christmas Charts
“I love Wham!!! We loved George,” Clarke wrote on Twitter following the news that Wham! had hit the top of the chart. The remaining member of Wham!, Andrew Ridgley, also made a statement celebrating the chart success. “Last Christmas has finally ascended to the much-cherished and sought-after Official Christmas number one, which was always the main goal,” he said. “George would be beside himself [that] after all of these years, [we’ve] finally obtained Christmas No 1. Yog [Michael] said that he wrote Last Christmas with the intention of writing a Christmas No 1.”
Ridgley concluded his statement with, “It’s mission accomplished.”
Fans of Shane MacGowan were rooting for “Fairytale of New York” to reach that coveted top spot in order to celebrate MacGowan’s life. He died on November 30 at age 65 and was laid to rest on December 8 in Tipperary, Ireland. His funeral was attended by many famous friends, such as Nick Cave, Johnny Depp, and the remaining members of The Pogues, who performed “The Parting Glass” at the ceremony. Clarke spoke during the offering portion of the funeral, where friends and family gave gifts representing MacGowan’s life and legacy.
Additionally, one of MacGowan’s last requests was to leave €10,000 behind one of his favorite bars where the wake was held following the funeral. Allegedly, the wake was a private affair and guests had VIP passes to get into the pub. Clarke later expressed her gratitude for MacGowan’s many friends and their support.
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