The Coral have released their first ever Christmas song with the haunting new single “She Died On Christmas Day.” After three decades and twelve studio albums, the Merseyside band finally turns its attention to the festive season with a track that leans into their signature sense of atmosphere rather than seasonal cheer. The song marks their first new music since 2023’s Top Five album Sea Of Mirrors.
“She Died On Christmas Day” draws inspiration from mid 20th century pop and rock traditions, particularly songs that paired upbeat melodies with dark and tragic storytelling. The Coral embrace that contrast fully, crafting a track that feels both nostalgic and unsettling. Fuzzed vocals echo like a fairground announcement while a dusty ballroom organ weaves through the arrangement, giving the song a cinematic quality that feels suited to dim lights and winter nights. The band’s subtly sinister songwriting style transforms the holiday setting into something ghostly and melancholic.
The single is available as part of a limited edition seven inch release titled Christmas On Coral Island, aimed at fans and collectors. Notably, the song is the final recording to feature narration from Ian Murray, also known as The Great Muriarty. His voice has been a defining presence on Coral Island and the later Holy Joe’s Coral Island Medicine Show broadcast, adding theatrical depth and continuity to the band’s recent work.
Nick Power explained that the song reflects the band’s love of fifties and early sixties British rock and roll, a sound rooted in the seaside towns and fairgrounds of their upbringing. That influence gives the track its eerie charm and emotional weight.
Although The Coral have not released other new music throughout most of 2025, the band has remained culturally active through celebrated live shows and the release of the Dreaming Of You documentary. “She Died On Christmas Day” stands as a fitting seasonal outlier, proving that even Christmas songs can carry shadows.
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