Norfolk School Accidentally Plays Gary Glitter Christmas Song

In a curious turn of events, a small village school in Norfolk has inadvertently turned their Christmas celebration into a lively dance party, thanks to a cassette tape, an old-school mistake, and a song that hasn’t aged quite as well as its festive rivals.

The incident occurred when Headmaster Colin O’Donnell, who has been running the school for over 15 years, decided to play a selection of Christmas classics to get the pupils in the holiday spirit. However, in an effort to keep the tunes nostalgic and “authentic,” O’Donnell reached for an old cassette tape he believed contained festive favourites. He assured his staff it was “basically the same as what the kids would hear every year.”

“It was a Christmas tape I’ve had since the 80s,” O’Donnell explained. “In my mind, all Christmas music is timeless. It all sounds the same, right? ‘Jingle Bells,’ ‘Frosty the Snowman,’ and, of course, ‘Another Rock and Roll Christmas.’”

What O’Donnell didn’t realise, however, was that one of the tracks on the cassette was “Another Rock and Roll Christmas” by Gary Glitter, a song that is infamous for its controversial association with the disgraced pop star. As the song blared from the speakers, the children, having never heard it before, began to enthusiastically dance and sing along. The energetic atmosphere quickly spread, and before long, the school hall was transformed into a dancefloor full of joyful, unaware children.

“We were just following the beat and dancing to the music,” said Emma Walker, a Year 4 student. “I had no idea who was singing it, but it was really fun!”

However, as the song continued, a few parents in the audience began to notice something was amiss. Initially dismissing their discomfort, they continued to smile and clap along with the children. But as the song’s chorus repeated, one parent finally recognised the tune and froze.

“I couldn’t believe it,” said Susan Harris, a mother of two at the school. “The music sounded so familiar, but I just couldn’t place it. Then I realised, it was Gary Glitter! And my heart sank. The kids were dancing, completely oblivious.”

The atmosphere shifted abruptly when a few of the parents began exchanging concerned looks. “We all tried to keep calm, but the unease was palpable,” Harris added. “No one wanted to ruin the kids’ fun, but some of us couldn’t help but feel awkward about what was happening.”

Realising the mistake, the headmaster quickly paused the tape and swapped it for another The children, however, were left buzzing with excitement. Some even begged for an encore performance of the now-infamous track, not understanding the reason for the sudden interruption. Swapping to a Rolf Harris megamix was just unfortunate.

In a statement to the parents later, O’Donnell apologised for the unintentional mishap. “I had no idea the song’s history, and I deeply regret that it caused any discomfort. My intention was simply to share some nostalgic music with the students. I assure everyone that we will stick to more appropriate holiday songs moving forward.”

Though the incident has sparked some mild controversy in the village, most parents are choosing to laugh it off. “It’s a classic case of ‘everything old is new again,’” one parent remarked. “But next year, I’ll be checking the playlist myself!”

As for the children, they’re simply looking forward to the next holiday assembly, this time, with a more carefully curated set of tunes.