As a long-time admirer of Irish music and a connoisseur of Christmas tunes, I must say that Hozier’s rendition of “Fairytale of New York” on Saturday Night Live was nothing short of enchanting. Having grown up listening to the original version by The Pogues, I found myself deeply moved by the emotional resonance that Hozier and his backup singers brought to this classic.

On a chilly Saturday evening, Hozier graced the stage as the musical guest on “Saturday Night Live’s” holiday special. For his second number, this talented Irish musician paid homage to The Pogues’ timeless hit, “Fairytale of New York.

On various social media platforms, people have lauded Hozier’s heartfelt rendition of a Christmas classic originally released in 1987, considering it an apt homage to the Pogues’ singer Shane MacGowan, who passed away in 2013, as well as to the late Kristy MacColl, with whom MacGowan collaborated on the song.

As a passionate moviegoer, I can’t help but feel that Hozier’s rendition of ‘Fairytale of New York’ is about as authentically Irish as they come, and I am thoroughly enjoying it!

Sinead O’Brien on X praised a beautiful rendition of “Fairytale of New York” by Hozier and backup singers, which she believes would make Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl proud. To acknowledge the sensitive modifications made to the original song, she selected ‘sanitize’ as the Word of the Day. Sanitizing something involves removing or altering elements that might be considered inappropriate or offensive, such as the line “You scumbag, you maggot, You cheap lousy faggot” in this case.

Hozier and his backup vocalists altered the lyrics to “You scoundrel, you vermin, you’re cheap and rundown,” with one singer adding a playful wink during this amended phrase. As far back as 1992, MacColl was already singing this song with the same lyrical adjustment. Over time, the line “You’re an old whore on drugs” has been naturally left out in performances.

MacGowan, who is said to have written the song as a response to Elvis Costello’s challenge for a Christmas tune, once explained that “Fairytale” centers around “these old Irish-American Broadway personalities reminiscing about their lives and discussing whether things are going well during Christmastime.

Hozier’s first performance on “Saturday Night Live” was “Too Sweet” from his 2024 EP “Unheard.”

Watch Hozier perform “Fairytale of New York” below.

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2024-12-22 20:16