John Lewis Christmas ad 2017: The story behind 'Golden Slumbers', the Beatles song covered by Elbow

This year's festive advert features a cover by Manchester band Elbow

This year's hotly anticipated John Lewis Christmas advert has been released fit with British band Elbow's rendition of an album track by The Beatles.

The Guy Garvey-fronted band follows in the footsteps of Ellie Goudling, Tom Odell and London-based act Vaults to be handed the honour of featuring on what has become an annual festive treat for British television viewers.

This year's advert, directed by the Oscar-winning writer-director Michel Gondry, is accompanied by Elbow's version of Beatles track “Golden Slumbers.”

The song featured on the band's eleventh studio album Abbey Road, released in 1969, serving as the sixth part of a medley which caps the records. It's preceded by “She Came In Through the Bathroom Window” and is immediately followed by “Carry That Weight.”

The Beatles (Getty Images)

While credited to both John Lennon and Paul McCartney, it is widely known to have been penned and sung solely by the latter inspired by the lullaby poem “Cradle Song,” written by dramatist Thomas Dekker. It's reported that McCartney wrote the song after spotting the poem's sheet music at his father's home in Liverpool - unable to read music, he created his own.

The song was recorded on 2 July 1969.

Brit Award-winning band Elbow have released seven records, their most recent - Little Fictions - being released on 3 February 2017 and their fourth, titled The Seldom Seen Kid, scoring them the coveted Mercury Prize in 2008. It featured well-known song “One Day Like This.”

The Manchester-hailing band is comprised of Garvey, bassist Pete Turner, keyboardist Craig Potter and guitarist Mark Potter. Their longtime drummer Richard Jupp left in January 2016.

Their cover of “Golden Slumbers” will feature on the band's Best Of album, released 24 November.

Previous John Lewis Christmas ad covers include Oasis song “Half the World Away” and “Your Song” by Elton John.

You can find out verdict on the 2017 advert here.

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