Noddy Holder’s wife exposes people singing wrong lyrics to Merry Christmas Everybody for decades

The oldies are always the best, especially when it comes to deciding which Christmas classics to play while you're chowing down on a turkey dinner.

Slade's festive track Merry Xmas Everybody is now 50 years old, but it's still habitual for Brits to blast it on repeat throughout the entirety of the holiday season every year - as it's just so damn catchy.

However, despite hearing it relentlessly each December, it turns out a lot of us haven't been listening to Slade's lead singer Noddy Holder properly for all these years.

As a nation, we've been collectively butchering the lyrics that the frontman of the 70s rock banned wrote after a 'few drinks in the pub' since the track was released in 1973. Although I'm sure we've all got the 'It's Christmas!' bit down pat.

Ahead of 25 December, his wife Suzan warned people that they had been singing it all wrong in the hopes that Slade fans would perfect the words to the track so they don't make a fool out of themselves on Christmas Day when it comes on.

Obviously, Noddy made sure his nearest and dearest didn't fall into the trap a lot of us do and show themselves up belting out the incorrect lyrics - and he has a hilarious way of making sure his Mrs never forgets.

During a chat with GB News, the star revealed he wrote Merry Xmas Everybody in 'one fell swoop' while he was feeling a 'bit squiffy' after one too many.

X/@HolderSuzan

The 77-year-old said: "I love listening to it everywhere. And every day of the year practically. I'm out and about and somebody else shouts 'It's Christmas!' at me.

"Some will do it more so this time of the year obviously. And they all think it's the first time anybody's ever done it. I do think it's particularly funny when they do it in July as well."

Noddy explained that he always 'treats' his wife to her own very special version each year on Christmas morning since they got hitched in 2004.

He added: "Suzan doesn't like it though. Because on Christmas morning it's a tradition I scream it into her ear."

I mean, if you were Noddy Holder, wouldn't you?

Even if she's sick of the sound of it, Suzan doesn't want the rest of us lot to botch the lyrics and shared a post on X delivering an 'annual Christmas reminder' to Slade fans.

Anthony Devlin/Getty Images

Suzan wrote: "The CORRECT lyrics are… ‘does a ton-up on his sleigh’ NOT ‘does he turn up’. (It’s Midlands slang for 100 miles an hour) #MerryXmasEverybody."

To be fair, it does make sense... as we all know that Father Christmas has to put his foot down to drop off all the presents in time for the big day.

Let's just hope they're aren't any speed cameras in the sky to catch his high-speed sleigh.

People were left stunned when they found out that they had been singing the Slade song all wrong all this time and shared their thoughts on social media.

One said: "For 50 years I've been singing 'does it tug upon his sleigh'...this is a mind blowing revelation!"

Another added: "All these years I've been getting it wrong."

A third wrote: "Well, that’s ruined the last 50 years of singing the song for me."

And a fourth added: "Blimey, that's a revelation! I'd always thought it was 'Does a turn upon his sleigh!'"

Topics: Music, Celebrity, Christmas, UK News

Olivia Burke

Olivia is a journalist at LADbible Group with more than five years of experience and has worked for a number of top publishers, including News UK. She also enjoys writing food reviews (as well as the eating part). She is a stereotypical reality TV addict, but still finds time for a serious documentary.

@livburke_