Elton John cover tipped for Christmas chart race

Bookmaker William Hill has placed odds at 10/1 on the song, covered by Brit Award winner Ellie Goulding, taking the top spot in the pop charts ahead of the ad's first TV screening tomorrow night.

A cover of Elton John's 1970 single Your Song has been tipped as a contender for the Christmas number one after John Lewis selected it as the soundtrack to their new ad campaign.

Bookmaker William Hill has placed odds at 10/1 on the song, covered by Brit Award winner Ellie Goulding, taking the top spot in the pop charts ahead of the ad's first TV screening tomorrow night.

The 60-second ad shows various scenes of gift-giving including a child hanging a Christmas stocking on the family dog's kennel and a car mechanic wrapping a polka-dot teapot.

It follows a recent campaign featuring a version of Billy Joel's Always a Woman performed by Fyfe Dangerfield from the Guillemots and last year's Christmas ad accompanied by a cover of the Guns N' Roses single Sweet Child O' Mine by folk group Taken By Trees.

John Lewis managing director Andy Street said: "I am really pleased, but not at all surprised, that William Hill has announced these odds.

"There will be huge competition for the chart-topping song this Christmas, and I believe Ellie Goulding's version of Your Song, which complements our Christmas advert so perfectly, will be a strong contender."

William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams said: "We absolutely love the new Christmas advert from John Lewis and would put odds of 10-1 on the soundtrack becoming the Christmas number one.

"In fact, if it wasn't for X Factor we would probably put it down as our favourite."

The ad will first screen in a commercial break during ITV1's The X Factor tomorrow night.

Goulding's version of Your Song is available on iTunes.