Friday December 23 2005


Dr Feelbad

By Matthew Tempest

A special Christmas message from New Labour "attack dog" Dr John Reid (copyright Jeremy Paxman) might not be top of everyone's wishlist from Santa, but if you're a member of Her Majesty's armed forces, you're getting one anyway.

On Christmas day, squaddies stuck out in the Iraqi desert, the Afghan plains or on an aircraft carrier out at sea, missing their loved ones, can tune in to British Forces Radio to hear Dr Reid's top five Chrimbo tunes. For those who spent much of 2005 pyscho-analysing president Bush's iPod favourites, the tunes that have the defence secretary grooving around the Christmas tree and holding out the mistletoe are (in no particular order):

1) Amarillo - Tony Christie
2) Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
3) Wind Beneath Your Wings - Bette Midler
4) Country Roads - John Denver
5) Mull of Kintyre - Paul McCartney

Amarillo and Bohemian Rhapsody were, of course, the tunes spoofed "hilariously" by some soldiers earlier this year. Other choices might raise an eyebrow, certainly among the RAF at least.

Mull of Kintyre, as well as being Paul McCartney's heart-warming 70s hit with Wings, was where an RAF Chinook crashed in disputed circumstances in 1994, killing all 29 crew, comprising senior elements of the mililary and MI5, the RUC and GCHQ.


The Mull of Kintyre is at the very South West tip of the Kintyre peninsula in Western Scotland.
An RAF Chinook crashed there in 1994, killing 29.


John Denver's own aviation record is no more inspiring, having plunged to his death whilst flying solo in 1997. An MoD spokesman pointed out that Mull of Kintyre was the biggest-selling Christmas tune of all time "and that's the reasoning behind that choice".

Alternative top fives are welcome: Bob Dylan's "Masters of War", perhaps?

guardian.co.uk