Do you really like the song?

I think it's more about over-indulgence in drink than anything else; Christmas is such a drinking time with some people, and the alcoholism spoils the celebration for everyone. It is indeed a dreadfully sad song.

I’ve always loved this song, hope it makes no. 1 this year

The first time I heard it it became my no 1 favourite Christmas song and it's never been knocked off that spot. Fabulous song.

I’m not keen on it but I certainly wouldn’t leave a shop because it was on. That’s bonkers

NoI don’t like the voice. I might like it in a more pleasant voice

Me too!

Rubbish +++ and depressing!!

I hate it. Mainly because friends of ours have a party every Xmas and for X amount of years we've all had to gather around their piano (friend is a music teacher) with music and words provided and 'murder' Fairytale of New York'
Everyone thinks they're marvellous and all try to outdo one another warbling away.
I just want to throw up !

it's my favourite christmas song and, as someone up-thread said, so m6ch better than cliff richard or maria carey - both of which have been done to death!

Sorry. Never heard it or of it.

Love the song and always have, the tune, the gritty words and the voicesall make it a real favourite.
Cannot understand the comments re pretending to like something that you don't really like. It's only a song, we all have different tastes so why any need for pretence?

choughdancer

Love it.

So do I. No more Cliff Richard sickly stuff please
I always played it, even before Shane's death.

OREO I still listen to the music of my youth, I grew up with Frank Sinatra and Elvis blaring out on my parents radiogram, and Country Music, then graduated to my own tastes of Deep Purple and Pink Floyd, then I discovered Bob Marley £ Reggae, I love all these artists still, along with lots of others, I have very diverse, eclectic taste in music, literature, films and enjoy them as the mood takes me.

Best of all, I couldn’t give a fig if anyone else likes what I like

I’ve always liked that song . Yes it’s gritty and rough but I prefer it to some of the smaltzy cheesey Christmas songs . Plus Kirsty Macoll is from my home town . My friend was in her class .

I agree about the folk links - and so apparently did MacColl. She turned the song down when it was first offered to her, as it sounded like it would be the kind of music her father made, which she’d always sworn to avoid.

I LOVE IT!
Raunchy, historic and full of gusto
My choir sings it very enthusiastically !!!
I also like A Rainy Night in Soho which has meaning to me!

I love Shane McGowan's work - his songs, of course, but also the gravelly growl of his voice. I think that part of the appeal of FTNYC is that it's a contrast to all the schmaltzy songs which assure us that Christmas will be wonderful and magical. We all know that's often not what happens. People do have rows, they get drunk, they look back at the past and wonder what happened.... but the song ends on a hopeful note, as the singer has held on to their dreams.

Shane wrote some fabulous songs. I think that my favourites are The Boys From The County Hell and The Sickbed Of Cuchulainn, but so many of them were good. If I had to classify his work, I would call it modern folk rather than punk.

I like it. It's very good. I like the way Shame and Kirsty performed the song by acting it not just singing it.

I love it. The lyrics are ageless. I also love White Christmas. Both miles apart but brilliant just the same. Can't stand Cliff Richard's cheesy offerings.

I bought it when it was first released in 1987, and still love it!
To suggest 'herd mentality' is ridiculous beyond words, I'm sure we're all mature enough to decide for ourselves whether we like a song or not!

NotSpaghetti

I have always loved it for its gritty poetic honesty.

Exactly why I love it too.

I hate all the schmaltzy "ooooh isn't Christmas wonderful, and will all be with our loving families, having a wonderful time" songs.

Fairytale of New York is far more realistic

This is also why I liked the KFC advert from 2013 - far more realistic

youtu.be/UKcr1bZMV5s?si=grQ-rtBMJiO5d_82

My husband is Irish, we both love this song, and have done since the day it was released, nobody made us like it!

I love it. I use it as the ringtone in my phone at this time of year

I love it, really and I’m not just saying it. It’s miles better than many other Christmas songs.

I'd rather listen to it all day than listen to Mariah Carey screaming through her song just once