The Original Its Christmas Day By Dougie Campbell

This is a guest post from Dougie who wrote the song, "It's Christmas Day".

I've often heard it said that Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without Christmas songs. Well, that's certainly the case for me. I'm Dougie Campbell and when I was at school I wrote a Christmas song.

There was a competition in a local newspaper so I thought I'd have a go. I'd never written a song before, let aIone a Christmas one but I posted my entry off and waited. Sadly I didn't hear anything more about it so I assumed it didn't win!  I was, however, pleased with the way the song sounded and asked my local primary school in Balfron, Scotland if they would be interested in singing it. They said 'yes' and they sounded great!  The next thing I knew a local record company got wind of it and decided to release it as a single.

A trip to a recording studio was on the cards for all the pupils at Balfron Primary School.
It was a very small release but amazingly 'It's Christmas Day' ended up getting plays on both BBC, local radio and TV. And there were newspaper articles. In fact, quite often I would turn on the radio and I'd hear it playing. All the pupils would call each other and discuss what radio station had just played the song and what they had said about it.  If I was excited, I can't begin to imagine how the Balfron pupils must have felt!  We felt like pop stars (in our own small way!). We even appeared twice on the national TV news and it was the first song ever to be played over the sound system in the main square in Glasgow, George Square,  that wasn't released by a major record company.

Fast forward to 2009.It was coming up to Christmas again and I thought I would make a short video of still pictures to accompany the song. That year, a few people heard 'It's Christmas Day' on YouTube and made some really nice comments about it. The following year, I received an email from a Mezzo Soprano in the USA. She loved 'It's Christmas Day'  and wanted to perform it at her church. Of course I was delighted.(She did a wonderful job btw!) You can listen to her version here:

The following year, interest in 'It's Christmas Day' began to snowball, if you'll pardon the pun. It was performed  choirs in the USA, India, Holland, Spain, Italy, Poland, Canada ,Germany, UK, the Philippines and many other countries too. I received many humbling and rewarding feedback from choirmasters and performers. Incidentally, you can view some of the other choirs on this webpage of 'It's Christmas Day'. The song has also been performed by international recording artist Marri Nallos. This beautiful version is very different to the children's version of the song and Marri brings an entirely different feel to the song. You can listen to Marri's version 
So, as we approach Christmas 2013 you may wonder how 'It's Christmas Day' is doing. Let's just say it has far and away exceeded my expectations. On YouTube, it has had over 250,000 views and on SoundCloud, both Marri Nallos and The Balfron Christmas Stars versions of 'It's Christmas Day' have reached over 10,000 plays.

I really don't know what the special ingredient is that is making the song so popular. All I know is that it is truly delightful to have another choir from somewhere in the world asking if they have permission to perform the song this Christmas.  So on the 25th, as I sit down with my family for Christmas dinner, I will raise a toast to the original choir of Balfron Primary School and all the new choirs and singers who have done such a wonderful job

Lyrics To Its A Christmas Day 

A baby boy was born one day,
In a stable far away.
He nestled in a manger bed,
On straw he laid his tiny head.

(Chorus)
It’s Christmas Day all over Earth,
Let the bells ring out for Jesus’s birth.

The shepherds came from near and far.
Guided by a lonely star, the Wise men travelled night and day,
To Bethlehem where Jesus lay.

(Chorus)
It’s Christmas Day all over Earth,
Let the bells ring out for Jesus’s birth.

They looked upon that infant face, 
Saviour for the human race,
So every year on Christmas Day,
We’ll thank dear God in our own way.

(Chorus)
It’s Christmas Day all over Earth,
Let the bells ring out for Jesus’s birth.

Republished By SME SEO Agency for The Official Its Christmas Day Website