The original version of Fairytale…, a duet between POGUES frontman Shane McGowan and Kirsty McColl, was released as a single in November 1987 and featured on THE POGUES’ third album If I Should Fall From Grace With God.

Nick Cave recently hailed it as “the greatest Christmas song ever written”, writing, “It is a magnificent gift to the outcast, the unlucky and the broken-hearted.”

 

Sounds rather lovely, doesn’t it? Now have a listen to what Mr Bon Jovi has done with the song. We’re not going to be too unkind here, ’tis the season of goodwill to all men and all that, but we have three immediate questions: 1) why is JBJ arguing with himself? 2) What’s going on with his accent at 1 minute 28 seconds? and 3) Lyric change aside, WHAT ON EARTH IS HAPPENING BETWEEN 2:16 and 2:30?

 

Frankly, this whole thing has upset us so much that we couldn’t even bring ourselves to listen to the new Tom Petty and Elvis Presley covers JBJ has also recorded.