On The Table Read Magazine, “the best arts and entertainment magazine UK“, The Darkness just dropped a gloriously over-the-top, shoegaze-drenched cover of Cliff Richard’s “Mistletoe and Wine” that turns the cheesiest Christmas classic into a soaring, riff-soaked glam-rock banger; stream it now and let Justin Hawkins jingle your bells like never before.
Mistletoe And Wine
Ah, the holiday season – that magical time of year when families gather around the tree, chestnuts roast on an open fire, and British rock gods decide to crank the amps on a Cliff Richard Christmas classic. Yes, you read that right. The Darkness, those spandex-clad saviors of falsetto-fueled pomp-rock, have dropped a gloriously unhinged reimagining of “Mistletoe and Wine,” and it’s the festive curveball we didn’t know we needed. Out now via Cooking Vinyl, this single arrives like a glitter bomb in your Advent calendar, perfectly timed for the season’s countdown. If you’re already knee-deep in mulled wine and Mariah Carey loops, crank this up – it’s guaranteed to make your tinsel tremble.
For the uninitiated (where have you been, under a rock? Fittingly.), The Darkness burst onto the scene in the early 2000s with Permission to Land, an album so packed with hooks, harmonies, and sheer cheek it briefly made guitar solos cool again. Frontman Justin Hawkins, with his stratospheric vocals and wardrobe that screams “Queen meets AC/DC at a disco,” has spent two decades turning irony into anthems.
Fast-forward to 2025, and after a triumphant year capped by their eighth album Dreams on Toast – which stormed to No. 2 on the UK charts and marked their biggest success since their debut – they’re closing out the calendar with this yuletide twist. It’s not just a cover; it’s a “musical departure,” as Hawkins himself puts it, blending the original’s saccharine charm with “a few sprinkles of shoegaze and drone.” Because nothing says Christmas like hazy guitars and ethereal hums, right?
A Festive Remix That’s Equal Parts Naughty and Nice
Originally penned by Jeremy Paul and Leslie Sebastian for a nativity musical before Cliff Richard turned it into a chart-topping 1988 holiday staple (complete with his signature cheeky grin), “Mistletoe and Wine” is the kind of song that evokes fuzzy jumpers and dodgy sherry. The Darkness, however, aren’t ones to leave mistletoe un-mulled.
Their version kicks off with 80s-inspired synths that dance like sugarplums on steroids, then plows headfirst into heavy, strung-out riffs that could wake a hibernating reindeer. Bells jingle, a rhythmic stomp explodes like fireworks over Leicester Square, and Hawkins unleashes a vocal performance that’s pure passion – soaring, sneering, and backed by choral harmonies that feel like a rock opera choir got lost in a cathedral.
Hawkins, ever the showman with a wink, shared his delight on social media: “Season’s greetings! Children, roasting on an open fire, their eyeballs all aglow, are weeping in awe of our latest seasonal offering. ‘Mistletoe and Wine’ represents a musical departure for The Darkness as we reimagine Richie Clifton’s timeless classic and add a few sprinkles of shoegaze and drone. Jack Frost staring at his toes? You will be too. In a good way.” (Yes, that’s a cheeky nod to the original’s “chestnuts” line, twisted into something delightfully demonic.) The official video, directed with the band’s trademark flair, amps up the absurdity – think festive chaos meets glam-rock fever dream. It’s the audio equivalent of spiking the eggnog with rocket fuel, and early reactions are calling it a “head-scratcher” that’s oddly addictive.
This isn’t the band’s first flirtation with Yuletide glory, mind you. Back in 2003, they aimed for Christmas No. 1 with “Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End),” a raucous plea that sadly lost out to Gary Jules’ somber “Mad World.” But The Darkness have never been about topping charts; they’re about topping pint glasses and packing venues with fans who scream along to every high note. This new single feels like a victory lap after a year of sold-out tours across Europe, Australia, and the US, where tracks from Dreams on Toast – like “The Longest Kiss” and “Rock and Roll Party Cowboy” – proved they’re still firing on all cylinders.
What’s Next? Arenas, Anthems, and a Whole Lotta Hawkins
If “Mistletoe and Wine” is the cherry on top of 2025’s cake, then 2026 is shaping up to be the full-blown feast. The band just announced their largest headline tour in 20 years: a seven-date UK arena blitz kicking off December 8 at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro, hitting Leeds, Manchester, Cardiff, and more, before capping with their debut headline at London’s O2 on December 16. Support comes from Grammy-winning country rockers Brothers Osborne (expect some epic cross-genre jams) and UK upstarts A, who are already streaming in the millions. After opening for Iron Maiden at Knebworth this summer, this feels like The Darkness claiming their throne – because let’s face it, in a world of auto-tune and algorithms, we need more bands that deliver unapologetic joy wrapped in leather and lightning.
Whether you’re a die-hard fan from the Permission to Land days or a holiday curmudgeon in need of a grinch-melting riff, this single is a reminder: The Darkness don’t just rock the holidays – they hijack them, bedazzle them, and leave you humming falsetto in the shower for weeks.
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6 thought on “The Darkness Release A Shoegazey Mistletoe And Wine Cover To Jingle Your Rock ‘N’ Roll Bones”
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