A Scottish businessman has recorded a tongue-in-cheek Christmas song about the cost of living crisis as he tries to put a positive spin on the tricky times faced by many during the festive period.
Martin Wykes has recorded Santa, Will You Help Me Pay My Heating Bill This Year to shine a light on the financial problems of the last year. The East Lothian man, who once ran the Boredom Free Zone chain of stores in Edinburgh and Glasgow, has spent his life playing musical instruments and started songwriting seriously a decade ago.
He even wrote a tune for One Direction – but couldn't persuade the one-time supergroup to record his lyrics. However, speaking to the Record's sister site Edinburgh Live, Martin has expressed hopes this could be his big Christmas hit.
He said: "I was just thinking it will be really tough for families this year. Everyone knows it, with the energy bills, fuel costs, energy bills, your house, food costs - and nobody's wages are getting any bigger.
"You have the normal Christmas songs but I don't think these can really cut it this year. They don't really reflect what's happening in the country. And I just think most people would just want their heating bills paid for Christmas."
The upbeat tune sees Martin ask Saint Nick for a hand with his outgoings, and boasts the catchy refrain: "Tell them that Christmas is not for sale/Even though my heating bills are off the scale."
Self-proclaimed "creative" Martin, 53, got into songwriting after befriending late Eurovision songwriter Bill Martin, who penned Sandie Shaw's Puppet on a String, Cliff Richard's contest winner Congratulations and Luxembourg singer Geraldine's entry Toi. He also got to know Edinburgh musician David Paton, bassist in 70s Scottish rock outfit Pilot.
Martin said of Bill: "He was quite the character. One time we had a songwriting session in my studio.
"Picture the scene: he's an established Eurovision songwriter...and then there's me. He flew up to Edinburgh and is sitting in my flat – I'm just some wee guy who he met in a pub one night!"
He continued: "I did write a song called One Direction to My Heart, but it was towards the end of 'One Direction's' career. I thought it was a great song for them because it was a ballad, but we never got anywhere with that."
The missed shots at glory haven't dampened Martin's spirits. His daughter, Elsie, is guiding him through social media to share his work and he hopes Santa, Will You Help Me Pay My Heating Bill This Year could be the winner.
He added: "Everything has gone up in price. Loads of people will be struggling.
"We [Scottish people] have a good way of laughing about stuff and deflecting. I think once people start laughing about stuff, we go, 'okay, we can get through this."
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