Punk almost tops the Christmas charts
Forty years ago, Sunderland band the Toy Dolls took a quirky children’s song, Nellie the Elephant, and turned it into a punk rock anthem that quickly became a fan favourite.
But the story of the track is more than just a catchy tune – it’s about a battle for the number one spot in the UK pop charts at Christmas 1984.
Originally written in the 1950s, Nellie the Elephant has long been a much-loved children’s song.
When the Toy Dolls dropped their punk-infused cover, the track became a sensation, selling over 530,000 copies.
Despite being released on a small independent Newcastle-based label, Volume Records, it reached number four in the charts.
The singer and guitarist of the Toy Dolls was Mike “Olga” Alger, and the band still records and tours today.
The bassist at the time was Pete Zulu, who left the band in 1985 and now runs the Black Horse pub in Boldon, South Tyneside with wife Sarah Reid.
“Nelly the Elephant was a great party song, you can’t deny that,” he says.
“It was so catchy and fun. Everyone sang along. I still can’t believe that over 500,000 people went into a store and bought it!”
“How did this happen? Madness!”
fight for number one
The Toy Dolls’ cover of Nellie the Elephant found itself in a fierce battle for the coveted number one spot on the UK Singles Chart at Christmas 1984.
As well as classics such as Wham’s Last Christmas and Madonna’s Like a Virgin, it was pitted against one of the best-selling songs of all time, the charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas? By Band Aid.
Zulu has fond memories of appearing on Top of the Pops, when Nelly the Elephant climbed the charts.
“They were doing Wham Last Christmas on a stage more than 7 meters away and we were on the next stage,” he says. “Madonna was standing nearby and you’re thinking to yourself, ‘How did that happen?’ “
The cover of toy dolls ultimately lost out to Band Aid’s charity effort, which was inspired by a global objective to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia.
It has been re-released this year, restarting a debate around the portrayal of Africa and Britain’s role as a donor.
Zulu says he doesn’t understand the criticism.
“What’s it all about? It was just about trying to help people. Everyone should try to help others. And it raised a lot of money.”
‘Out of there forever’
Nellie the Elephant was not just a straightforward cover – it was a reinvention.
The band took the joyful, solo tune and infused it with a faster, punk rock tempo, featuring their signature guitar riffs and an energetic, almost frenetic, performance.
Although Toy Dolls did not achieve the number one spot, Nelly the Elephant remains one of the band’s most iconic tracks.
“People love it so much. It’s so simple, so catchy and so much fun,” says Zulu.
Despite losing, do they know it’s Christmas? In the Christmas chart battle, it secured a place in punk history.
“It’s still popular. It’s even played at funerals! People still ask for my autograph or selfie…it’s available forever.”