It was the year The Pogues recorded Jack's Heroes with The Dubliners to commemorate the Republic's success in the World Cup.

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The Pogues' Fairytale Of New York was a re-entry at 26, with Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You not far behind, at 30.

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The song was first published in 1913 and has resulted in hundreds of recorded versions by acts ranging from Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby, The Pogues and Johnny Cash to The Muppets.

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The daughter of folk singer Ewan MacColl, she is best known for her 1987 Christmas hit with The Pogues, Fairytale of New York, and the hit single There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis.

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Well, The Pogues' boozy ballad "Fairytale of New York" remains as popular now as when it was released almost 20 years ago, regularly topping polls of the best Christmas songs ever, despite -- or perhaps because of -- being a tawdry tale of drunkenness, drug addiction and broken dreams.

CNN: The insider's guide to Christmas music