: Because the record company refused to pay for a train ticket, his wife, Joan, drove their old Austin Mini all the way from Middlesbrough to London to pick him up from Abbey Road Studios.
Despite being written in 1978, the song remained in a drawer for years before its eventual release. Chris Rea Driving Home For Christmas (1986)
Chris Rea on 'Driving Home for Christmas' | The Story Behind : Because the record company refused to pay
The song was born from a moment of personal hardship rather than a desire to write a "hit". Chris Rea Driving Home For Christmas (1986)