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MacGowan re-recorded his vocals, and the duo never recorded the song together. The song was completed with a harp played by Siobhan Sheahan, while the French horns and strings were recorded at Townhouse Studios, arranged by Fiachra Trench. MacGowan later said: "Kirsty knew exactly the right measure of viciousness and femininity and romance.

In operas, if you have a double aria, it's what the woman does that really matters. The man lies, the woman tells the truth. It opens with MacGowan sitting at a piano as if playing the song's opening. However, as MacGowan could not play the piano, a close-up shot of his hands actually features the hands of the band's pianist James Fearnley wearing MacGowan's rings on his fingers. The video was also filmed inside a real police station on the Lower East Side of the city.

Matt Dillon plays a police officer who arrests MacGowan and takes him to the cells. MacGowan and the band were drinking throughout the shoot, and the police were concerned about their increasingly rowdy behaviour.

Dillon, who was sober, had to intervene and reassure the police that there would be no problems. In reality, the NYPD does not have a choir. So, they sang a song that all of them knew the words to — the 'Mickey Mouse March'. The footage was then slowed down and shown in brief sections to disguise the fact the Pipes and Drums were singing a different song. MacColl's mother, Jean, called the ban "too ridiculous", while The Pogues said they found it "amusing".

Later that evening, Radio 1 backed down and said that after a day of criticism from listeners, they had reversed the decision. However, by , Radio 1 reversed its decision instead - opting to go for slightly altered lyrics including "you're cheap and you're haggard". A BBC spokesman said: "We know the song is considered a Christmas classic and we will continue to play it this year, with our radio stations choosing the version of the song most relevant for their audience.

The year before, the Gavin and Stacey Christmas special was also met with hundreds of complaints when two of its characters sang the uncensored lyrics during a karaoke session.

Despite hitting number one for five weeks in Ireland, it peaked at two in the UK. Martin Burke Self as Self. Bleddyn Butcher Self as Self. Gary Carpenter Self as Self. Nick Cave Self as Self. Philip Chevron Self as Self.

Matt Dillon Self as Self. Donleavy Self as Self. Peter Dougherty Self as Self. James Fearnley Self as Self. Jem Finer Self as Self. Richard E. Grant Narrator as Narrator. Jools Holland Self as Self. Darryl Hunt Self as Self. Paul Keating Self as Self. Ronan Keating Self as Self.

Steve Lillywhite Self as Self. Nick Mattingly. More like this. Storyline Edit. Add content advisory. Did you know Edit. It consistently makes the number one spot in polls on Britain's favourite Christmas song. And as it celebrates its 30th anniversary, that seems unlikely to change anytime soon. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies.

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