The Late Late Toy Show could watch the show as it was not geo-blocked. 40,000 applications for tickets were received with only around 200 available. The show had a "Mary Poppins" theme, with Ryan Tubridy opening the show dressed as chimney sweep Bert and then tore off the costume to reveal his Christmas jumper. The 2013 toy show featured a record breaking 237 toys. Over 231 performers and demonstrators took to the stage, with 34 of them performing a special opening number from Mary Poppins. The opening song on the show was Chim Chim Cher-ee and featured Ryan Tubridy dancing. In advance, a week before
Cotton Fields 1958 album "Belafonte Sings the Blues" with a live version appearing on the 1959 concert album "Belafonte at Carnegie Hall": Belafonte had learned "Cotton Fields" from Odetta and been singing it in concert as early as 1955. A #13 hit in 1961 for The Highwaymen, "Cotton Fields" served as an album track for a number of C&W and folk-rock acts including Ferlin Husky ("The Heart and Soul of Ferlin Husky" 1963), Buck Owens ("On the Bandstand" 1963), the New Christy Minstrels ("Chim-Chim-Cheree" 1965) and the Seekers ("Roving With The Seekers" 1964): Odetta also made a new studio recording of the