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| Sir Paul backs Rage to top charts | Sir Paul backs Rage to top charts |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Sir Paul McCartney has said if Rage Against The Machine beats X Factor winner Joe McElderry to the Christmas number one it would be "funny". | Sir Paul McCartney has said if Rage Against The Machine beats X Factor winner Joe McElderry to the Christmas number one it would be "funny". |
| The veteran singer, who appeared on the final of the X Factor last weekend told Sky News that if the rock band topped the chart it would "prove a point". | The veteran singer, who appeared on the final of the X Factor last weekend told Sky News that if the rock band topped the chart it would "prove a point". |
| The gap between the two songs narrowed on Friday, sales figures showed. | |
| McElderry's single, The Climb, is now just 9,000 sales behind Rage Against The Machine's Killing In The Name. | |
| Earlier in the week, the Los Angeles rock band had established a 60% lead over the 18-year-old - who won the X Factor last Sunday. | |
| Great reaction | Great reaction |
| A Facebook group aiming to get Rage Against The Machine to number one has attracted hundreds of thousands of members. | A Facebook group aiming to get Rage Against The Machine to number one has attracted hundreds of thousands of members. |
| "Everyone expects Joe to do it," said Sir Paul. | "Everyone expects Joe to do it," said Sir Paul. |
| "If he goes to number one then good luck to him. He's just some kid with a career ahead. I've got nothing against that, but it would be kind of funny if Rage Against The Machine got it because it would prove a point." | "If he goes to number one then good luck to him. He's just some kid with a career ahead. I've got nothing against that, but it would be kind of funny if Rage Against The Machine got it because it would prove a point." |
| The Christmas number one will be announced on Sunday | The Christmas number one will be announced on Sunday |
| The star said he got some great reaction from people about his performance on the X Factor. | The star said he got some great reaction from people about his performance on the X Factor. |
| "We got great feedback on the streets the next day. It's my claim to fame now." | "We got great feedback on the streets the next day. It's my claim to fame now." |
| X Factor judge Simon Cowell has criticised the campaign, but McElderry told BBC Breakfast that he was not taking it personally. | X Factor judge Simon Cowell has criticised the campaign, but McElderry told BBC Breakfast that he was not taking it personally. |
| "I'm not really seeing it as a personal attack, because I think if any other person would have won it would have been the same case," he said. | "I'm not really seeing it as a personal attack, because I think if any other person would have won it would have been the same case," he said. |
| "It's more against The X Factor than the actual winner. I would be disappointed if it's not number one - but it's out of my hands and there's nothing I can do about it and I just hope people get behind us and support us and buy the single." | "It's more against The X Factor than the actual winner. I would be disappointed if it's not number one - but it's out of my hands and there's nothing I can do about it and I just hope people get behind us and support us and buy the single." |
| He also admitted he is yet to hear the song by his chart rivals. | He also admitted he is yet to hear the song by his chart rivals. |
| Apology | Apology |
| On Thursday, Rage Against The Machine appeared on BBC 5 live and band singer Zack de la Rocha swore four times during their live performance of their song. | On Thursday, Rage Against The Machine appeared on BBC 5 live and band singer Zack de la Rocha swore four times during their live performance of their song. |
| A BBC spokesman said: "We had spoken to the band repeatedly beforehand and they had agreed not to swear." | A BBC spokesman said: "We had spoken to the band repeatedly beforehand and they had agreed not to swear." |
| He added: "When they did, we faded the band out and said sorry immediately. | He added: "When they did, we faded the band out and said sorry immediately. |
| "We apologise again to anyone who was offended." | "We apologise again to anyone who was offended." |
| Guitarist Tom Morello said the internet campaign "tapped into the silent majority of the people in the UK who are tired of being spoon-fed one schmaltzy ballad after another". | Guitarist Tom Morello said the internet campaign "tapped into the silent majority of the people in the UK who are tired of being spoon-fed one schmaltzy ballad after another". |
| Some of the proceeds made from the single will be donated to a UK-based music charity. | Some of the proceeds made from the single will be donated to a UK-based music charity. |
| The official Christmas number one will be announced on Sunday. | The official Christmas number one will be announced on Sunday. |
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