After scoring a minor seasonal hit in 1982 with Little Town (‘It was very exciting — my first single release. I was 21 at the time and remember going to Woolworths to check how it was doing in the charts’), Chris harboured ambitions of writing music for Sir Cliff with more atmosphere and depth.
‘I adore cinematic songwriting, which pop sometimes doesn’t allow you to do,’ he explains. ‘Then there’s this higher level of pop that is singalong and catchy but has a sonic cathedral of music behind it. I really love this approach — I tend to think orchestrally in terms of a song’s bigger picture.’
Fuelling the writing of Saviour’s Day, Chris recalls: ‘I wanted the song to be about what Christmas means to all of us: people coming together, laying down their differences and coming home for the festivities. I touch on all of this in the verses and came up with something singable, but still with this atmosphere. I wrote the song really quickly; the original version was made in 90 minutes.’
Chris took a demo of Saviour’s Day to Sir Cliff’s publishers’ Christmas party. But, when he arrived, the singer’s secretary Gill informed him that Sir Cliff’s next Christmas single had already been chosen.
‘Saviour’s Day was written in December 1989, so I was really excited about it when I got to that party,’ Chris remembers. ‘But despite being told that the next festive single had been chosen, I managed to play the song to Sir Cliff while sat in his Rolls-Royce in the car park. I put the tape on, pressed play and a minute went by. Sir Cliff then stopped the cassette and looked at me. I thought he didn’t like it, but he said: “This is a number one hit. I’m going to record it this year.”’
Shelving his initial pick, Saviour’s Day was indeed recorded by Sir Cliff and released in December 1990. Entering the charts at number six, it steadily climbed towards the top spot before dethroning, of all people, Vanilla Ice’s Ice Ice Baby to claim Christmas number one.
‘I was involved in a church celebration the night it went to the top spot and was playing Saviour’s Day live,’ Chris remembers. ‘I knew it was going to be number one, so I told everyone in the church that they could either hear it live now, or go to their cars and hear it being played on Radio 1 at the top of the charts. Everyone went mad.’
‘Sir Cliff stopped the demo cassette and looked at me. I thought he didn’t like it, but he said: “This is a number one hit.”‘
Much like Sir Cliff’s 1988 Christmas hit Mistletoe and Wine, Saviour’s Day has endured thanks to its universal message of hope and love.
‘I still love the song. It’s so poignant, and I love how it’s almost become a part of Christmas folklore and tradition,’ Chris tells M. ‘It’s been covered by other artists, and people from different generations listen to it. Although I’m always motivated to write new material, I’m thankful for writing a song that has stood the test of time.’
Chris continues to seek out new musical experiences to this day, often collaborating with artists in his home studio. Much like his faith, his love of music has sustained him through the years.
‘The most important thing [for emerging songwriters] is to love what you do and be passionate about it,’ he advises. ‘Music is a gift: if you get earnings from it, then that’s a bonus.
‘I still have the love of putting my hands on the keys of a piano and allowing whatever I play to create a picture for me. I’m always looking for inspiration, such as hearing about the everyday details of people’s lives — some of that often gets filtered out into a song. Ultimately, writing a hit doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to be rich overnight. It should all come down to loving the music that you write and perform.’
