Chris Rea - Driving Home For Christmas [REMASTERED HD] • TopPop

We remastered the best clips on the TopPop YouTube channel in HD. We also upgraded the sound from the original masterfile, to give you the best possible experience. Enjoy the great legacy of Toppop in HD!

"Driving Home for Christmas" is a Christmas song written and composed by English singer-songwriter Chris Rea. It was originally released as one of two new songs on Rea's first compilation album 'New Light Through Old Windows' in October 1988, and issued as the fourth single from the album in December 1988, where it peaked at No. 53 on the UK Singles Chart as part of The Christmas EP.
Despite its original modest chart placement, the song has made a reappearance in the top 40 every year since 2007 when it peaked at No. 33, and is featured among the Top 10 Christmas singles. It reached a new peak of No. 11 in 2018. In a UK-wide poll in December 2012, it was voted twelfth on the ITV television special The Nation's Favourite Christmas Song.

The Toppop recording in the studio was made by Chris Berger. He remembers that the cameraman filmed on the motorways around Hilversum:
"I recognise the exit of the A1 to Laren en the A27 to Maartensdijk', he confirms.

Christopher Anton Rea (born 4 March 1951) is an English rock and blues singer-songwriter and guitarist. Born and raised in Middlesbrough, he is of Italian and Irish descent. He is known for his distinctive, husky-gravel voice and slide guitar playing, and the Guinness Rockopedia described him as a "gravel-voiced guitar stalwart".

British Hit Singles & Albums stated that Rea was "one of the most popular UK singer-songwriters of the late 1980s" and "already a major European star by the time he finally cracked the UK Top 10 with the release of the single "The Road to Hell (Part 2)", which was his 18th chart entry. Two of his studio albums, 'The Road to Hell' and 'Auberge', topped the UK Albums Chart. Rea was nominated three times for the Brit Award for Best British Male Artist: in 1988, 1989 and 1990. His other hit songs include "I Can Hear Your Heartbeat", "Stainsby Girls", "Josephine", "On the Beach", "Let's Dance", "Driving Home for Christmas", "Working on It", "Tell Me There's a Heaven", "Auberge", "Looking for the Summer", "Winter Song", "Nothing to Fear", "Julia", and "If You Were Me", a duet with Elton John.

'Driving Home For Christmas' charted for one week at #5 in the Dutch Tipparade of the Dutch Charts on 27 December 1986. This Toppop recording was first broadcast on December 23, 1986.
It became a hit in his homeland UK two years later in 1988.

Broadcast date: 1986/12/25

This is to let you know that the video recording of the video clip was originally recorded by AVROTROS Broadcasting. AVROTROS Broadcasting hereby warrants and represents that it is the sole and exclusive owner of the physical film and/or videotape footage in this video clip.

The performance of the artist(s) in the clip was filmed and recorded with the written consent of the artist(s) and their representatives.

AVROTROS is a Dutch radio and television broadcaster, founded in 2014 from a merger of AVRO and TROS. From January 1st, 2014 the name of the merged broadcaster was used in joint programmes. AVRO was founded in 1923 as the Netherlands first public broadcaster. TROS started broadcasting in 1964. Toppop was a weekly AVRO pop program that was aired between 1970 and 1988.

AVROTROS Broadcasting
PO Box 2
1200 JA Hilversum
The Netherlands

TopPop was the first regular dedicated pop music TV show in the Dutch language area. Dutch broadcaster AVRO aired the programme weekly, from 1970 to 1988. Presenter Ad Visser hosted the show for its first fifteen years.
World famous music artists performed on TopPop: ABBA, 10CC, Bee Gees, The Jacksons with Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Earth & Fire, Queen, Golden Earring, Boney M, KC & The Sunshine Band, Chic, Donna Summer and many many more.

[trinaq]

I always liked the line "Top to toe in tailback", the alitteration really makes this song. Definitely one of the more underrated Christmas songs.

[Birdie-qd]

what an extraordinary, soft, hoarse and attractive voice. One of Chris Rea's favorite songs. Health, good wishes and pure love to all people!

[jessegrd]

Chris Rea has some of the most beautiful pop songs, such as "Fool If You Think It's Over, " "On the Beach, " and " I am Driving Home for Christmas."

[Hamburgerwassonst]

It's my favourite Christmas song! My wife comes from a different country to me and for over 30 years we have been travelling to her parents' house every Christmas - often for hours on snow-covered roads - from Germany to Czech Republic via Poland..more than 700 km.. This song accompanies us every year ever time! It is wonderful!

[tommygunn]

You don't get that voice without living. My favourite Christmas song of all time!🌲

[debbiedamato]

I love this song. My all time favorite. Very soothing and relaxing. This needs to be played on U.S. radio stations. Great job Chris for writing this beautiful song.

[canmin]

Wonderful song !!!! Awesome voice !!!! Merry Christmas everyone !!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[DelightfulCabezonFish-niiu]

It reminds me of my late lover who passed away over 2 years ago and I know the love of my life is still close to my heart.❤

[margosipman]

One of the most BEAUTIFUL ♥️💋 Christmas songs! Thank you Top Pop! I wish you a Merry Christmas And a good 2024!🎁🧑‍🎄🎄☃️🙏🕊️🕯️✨🧨🎆🎇🙋

[bnice]

I used to love hearing this song on the radio when I was driving on the 401 driving from Toronto, Ontario Canada to Windsor, Ontario Canada visiting my parents and friends for Christmas. 😊😊 Thank you for sharing, TopPop. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family(ies). 🎄🎁🎀🎀🎁🎄🎅🍷🍪🍪🤶🍷🍪🍪

[bothcarmen]

VERY NICE! HAPPY HOLIDAY 'S DAY ALL! MERRY CHRISTMAS! 🙏❤️🕊️🙂🌹⛄🧑‍🎄🌲💕🌟

[GretelFreeman-ql]

Nice song to listen to at this time I can't stop listening to it💖

[sangeetamehta]

This song touches your heart for the people who are dearest to you ❤

[JamesWhite-ooth]

❤❤❤❤😊😊 !!! THAT WAS A VERY PRETTY PERFORMANCE AS WELL !!! DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, BY CHRIS REA !!! THIS IS AN EXCELLENT NEW STATION, THAT I JUST REALIZED THAT I COULD ACCESS, WITH MY VERY FANCY CELL PHONE, A MOMENT AGO !!! I BELIEVE I COULD SATISFY MY ENTIRE DESIRE FOR BRILLIANT MUSIC, WITH THIS STATION, AND ONLY THIS STATION, FOREVER, IF I NEEDED TO !!! MANY THANKS TO THE AMAZING STAFF, THAT PUT IT ALL TOGETHER, AND MADE IT POSSIBLE TO DO, EXCACTLY THAT !!!" 😊😊❤❤❤❤

[andreagasperoni]

Voce bellissima, voce da ascoltare sempre....♥️

[marge_que_shi]

I always look for this song this time of the year.. soothing to hear..😊

[DSamp]

While I take the train home for Christmas every year, this song is a ritual all the same to me.

[Headwind-]

a very masterful voice chris rea ladies an genimen

[thatsgirl]

Beautiful Christmas song.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 🎄✨️🎁🦌🎅🤶🧑‍🎄
Happy Wednesday.... thank you for sharing! 💖

[ElisabethKlaassen]

Beautiful Christmas Song from Chris Rea and wish you a Lucky Wednesday and Christmas 🎅🤶🧑‍🎄with the family.LG Elisabeth and Joep...