The Sunderland band that nearly topped the Christmas charts | Global News Avenue

Forty years ago, Sunderland band Toy Dolls transformed a quirky children’s song, Nellie the Elephant, into a punk rock song that quickly became a fan favourite.

But the story of the song is more than just a catchy tune, it’s also about the battle for the number one spot on the UK pop charts at Christmas 1984.

“Nellie the Elephant” was originally written in the 1950s and has long been a beloved children’s song.

When the Toy Dolls released a punk-inspired cover, the song became a hit, selling over 530,000 copies.

Despite being released by Volume Records, a small independent label based in Newcastle, it still reached number four in the charts.

The Toy Dolls’ singer and guitarist is Mike “Olga” Algar, and the band is still recording and touring 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 his wife Sarah Reid.

“Nellie the Elephant is a great party song, you can’t deny that,” he said.

“The song was so catchy and fun. Everyone sang along. I still can’t believe over 500,000 people walked into the store and bought it!

“How did this happen? Crazy!”

The Toy Dolls’ cover of “Nellie the Elephant” found itself in the middle of a fierce battle for the coveted number one spot on the UK Singles Chart at Christmas 1984.

In addition to classics such as Wham’s “Last Christmas” and Madonna’s “Like A Virgin,” it competes with 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 and Nellie the Elephant taking to the charts.

“Last Christmas Wham was playing on a stage no more than 7m away from us and we were next,” he said. “Madonna is standing nearby and you think to yourself, ‘How did this happen?'”

The Dolls cover ultimately lost out to Band Aid, a global cause that raises money for famine relief in Ethiopia.

It was re-released this year, Reignite debate around its depiction of Africa and the role of British charities.

Zulu said he did not understand the criticism.

“What the hell is going on? This is just about helping people. Everybody should try to help other people. And it raises a lot of money.”

Nellie the Elephant is more than just a cover—it’s a reinvention.

The band took the upbeat, sing-along tune and infused it with a fast punk rock rhythm, adding their signature guitar riffs and an energetic, almost frenetic delivery.

While “Toy Doll” may not have achieved the No. 1 spot, “Nellie the Elephant” remains one of the band’s most iconic songs.

“People just love it. It’s so simple, so engaging, so fun,” Zulu said.

Despite losing do they know it’s Christmas? It secured its place in punk history in the battle of the Christmas charts.

“It’s still popular. It’s even played at funerals! People still ask me for autographs or selfies…it’s always there.”