York singer aims for Christmas No 1 with song written ‘after a few drinks and a smoke’

Could a complete unknown from York race past the X-Factor winner, Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé and clinch the Christmas number one?

That’s the aim of Anthony Dunnout who hopes to claim the coveted festive top spot with a tune written after “enjoying a few drinks and a smoke”.

Despite his obscurity, Anthony’s song snappily titled Fairytale Of North Yorkshire (Santa Won’t You Write Me A Christmas Number One), has come from nowhere to be rated 50-1 by bookmaker Ladbrokes to top the charts later this month.

That puts it not far behind the likes of chart heavyweights Little Mix (20-1), Sam Smith (33-1), Justin Bieber (25-1) and the recently deceased David Cassidy (33-1).

Ed Sheeran featuring Beyonce is the runaway favourite (4-7), followed by Wham’s Last Christmas and X-Factor winners Rak-Su (both 5-1).

But internet support is growing for outsider Mr Dunnout despite only minor radio play and no promotion from within the music industry.

Santa’s surprise

[arve url=”https://youtu.be/N5Z6sNCMvhc” title=”Wizzard’s Christmas classic” /]

His song draws inspiration from famous festive hits by the likes of Wizzard and Slade, while the title is a take on the 1988 Christmas classic by The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl, Fairytale of New York.

The lyrics say that the mysterious Mr Dunnout struggled for a hit song for some time but was hopeful his luck would change after a visitation from Father Christmas himself.

On his new website the artist explains how he got the idea for the song…

It was Christmas Eve almost a year ago and with the help of my two daughters, I’d just finished decorating my tree.

Mariah Carey was singing All I Want For Christmas on TV when my six-year-old handed me a piece of paper and asked, ‘Daddy, why aren’t you writing a letter to Father Christmas?’

So to appease her, in my best handwriting I wrote “Santa, won’t you write me a Christmas Number One?”

Later that evening I dropped the girls at my ex-wife’s house before returning home and enjoying a few drinks and a smoke.

The next morning I awoke fully clothed, with this fully formed festive ear-worm (bells and all) chiming around my head.