The Goblin Song: Doctor Who Christmas single with Millie Gibson and Ncuti Gatwa supports Children in Need

Russell T Davies has written a Doctor Who charity single, The Goblin Song, composed by Murray Gold, ahead of the Christmas special episode The Church on Ruby Road.

The music video for the song, released today, features clips from the upcoming Christmas Day episode, with The Doctor and Ruby Rose crawling through the confines of a mysterious pirate ship.

Since Davies returned as showrunner, Doctor Who has featured whimsical moments even during moments of high drama - The Toymaker singing along to Spice Up Your Life whilst killing UNIT soldiers in The Giggle is a standout moment.

Evidently, Davies isn’t done with the musical numbers just yet, and the new original tune, The Goblin Song, will also feature in the upcoming Christmas episode which will be Ncuti Gatwa’s first full episode as The Doctor, and will introduce Millie Gibson as his companion Ruby Rose.

Can you listen to The Goblin Song now?

The Goblin Song lyrics video was released by the BBC today, you can watch it right here: 

What is The Goblin Song about?

The lyrics to the new song are actually quite disturbing. It features a goblin singing about the creatures having secured a human baby that they can feast on - ‘Big brown eyes, caramelise’ etc.

Midway through the song The Doctor, who is crawling above the goblins, tells Ruby he wonders whose ship they are on. At this point the goblin singer stops discussing the myriad ways of preparing and eating a baby, and begins to sing about their beloved Goblin King, and all the things that he can eat.

The song ends with The Doctor and Ruby landing among the goblin horde and disrupting the king as he is about to tuck into the baby, leaving things on a major cliffhanger that the Christmas special will presumably resolve.

Davies said: “We’re releasing this as an early Christmas present for everyone. And if you want to see how the Doctor and Ruby escape from the Goblin King at the end of the song, you’ll have to watch on Christmas Day!”

Could The Goblin Song be a Christmas number one?

The Goblin Song is the first ever official Doctor Who Christmas single in the show’s 60 year history, but it has stiff competition to make it to the number one spot this year.

It is just one of seven charity Christmas singles vying for the top spot - the other tracks are Check Meowt (Nala the Station Cat), West End Girls (Sleaford Mods), I Wish it Could Be Christmas Everyday (Rock Choir), I Love Christmastime (The Gleeman), I’m in the Mood for Christmas (Sooty), and So Delicious (The Celebs).

Additionally odds on Christmas classic Fairytale of New York by The Pogues have been slashed by the bookies following the death of lead singer Shane MacGowan on November 30.