Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
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| "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" | ||||
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| Single by Brenda Lee | ||||
| B-side | "Papa Noël" | |||
| Released | 1958 (US), December 1962 (UK)[1] |
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| Format | 7-inch | |||
| Recorded | October 19, 1958 | |||
| Genre | Christmas, Country, Rock and roll | |||
| Length | 2:02 | |||
| Label | Decca 9-30776 | |||
| Writer(s) | Johnny Marks | |||
| Brenda Lee singles chronology | ||||
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"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" is a Christmas song written by Johnny Marks and recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958 on Decca 9-30776.
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[edit] Background
Despite her mature-sounding voice, Lee recorded this song when she was only 13 years old. Despite the song's title, its instrumentation also fits the country music genre, which Brenda Lee more fully embraced as her career evolved. The recording features Hank Garland's ringing guitar and Boots Randolph's swinging solo sax break.
An instrumental version of the song appears as background music in the 1964 television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, which exclusively featured music written by Marks. It can be heard in the scene where Rudolph first arrives at the Reindeer Games and meets another reindeer named Fireball.
[edit] Chart performance and sales
Although Decca released the single in both 1958 and again in 1959, it did not sell well until Lee became a popular star in 1960. That Christmas holiday season, Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart[1]. It continued to sell well during subsequent holiday seasons, peaking as high as No. 3 on Billboard's Christmas Singles chart in December 1965.
For decades, Brenda Lee's recording was the only notable version of the song. Radio stations ranging from Top 40 to Adult Contemporary to Country Music to Oldies to even Adult Standards played this version. Lee's recording still receives a great deal of airplay, and has since turned into a perennial holiday favorite.
As of December 25, 2011, Nielsen SoundScan estimated total sales of the digital track at 679,000 downloads, placing it fourth on the list of all-time best-selling Christmas/holiday digital singles in SoundScan history.[2]
[edit] Track listing
- Side A
- "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (Johnny Marks) – 2:02
- Side B
- "Papa Noël" (Roy Botkin) – 2:25
[edit] Kim Wilde and Mel Smith version
| "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Mel & Kim | ||||
| B-side | "Deck the Blooming Halls" | |||
| Released | 1987 | |||
| Format | 7", 12" | |||
| Genre | Christmas music | |||
| Length | 3:38 | |||
| Label | Ten | |||
| Writer(s) | Johnny Marks | |||
| Producer | Stuart Colman | |||
| Kim Wilde singles chronology | ||||
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A version of the song by Kim Wilde and Mel Smith (credited as "Mel & Kim" as a parody of then-popular sister act Mel and Kim), featuring Pete Thomas, reached #3 on the UK Singles Chart during the 1987 Christmas season. The track was recorded to raise funds for Comic Relief. Its accompanying video featured the two hosting a Christmas party with guests including The Mekon.
[edit] Bob Rivers parody
Bob Rivers did a parody of the song entitled "Shoppin' Around for a Christmas Tree," released on his White Trash Christmas album in 2002.
[edit] Cover Versions
The following artists have each recorded a cover version of the song:
- 1971: The Partridge Family, for their holiday album A Partridge Family Christmas Card
- 1983: Lou Ann Barton (with Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff's saxophone solo), for the holiday album An Austin Rhythm & Blues Christmas
- 1992: Amy Grant, for her holiday album Home for Christmas
- 1992: Ronnie Spector and Darlene Love, for the charity holiday compilation album A Very Special Christmas 2
- 1997: Hanson, for their holiday album Snowed In
- 1998: Cyndi Lauper, for her holiday album Merry Christmas... Have a Nice Life
- 1999: Alabama, for their holiday album Christmas Vol. II (this cover version peaked at # 64 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart)[3]
- 2000: Jessica Simpson with Rosie O'Donnell, for O'Donnell's second holiday album Another Rosie Christmas
- 2004: LeAnn Rimes, for her album What a Wonderful World (this cover version peaked at # 3 on Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, # 48 on Billboard Country Singles chart, and # 30 on Billboard's Holiday Songs chart)[4]
- 2007: Miley Cyrus (as Hannah Montana), for the Disney holiday album Disney Channel Holiday
- 2007: Toby Keith, for his holiday album A Classic Christmas
- 2007: 1910 Fruitgum Company, for their 2007 album Bubblegum Christmas
- 2008: Joe Lynn Turner and others, for the 2008 Christmas album We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year
- 2009: Lotta Engberg (titled "Julen Är Här"), included on the album Jul hos mig
- 2011: Chicago, for their holiday album Chicago XXXIII: O Christmas Three
- 2011: She & Him, for their holiday album A Very She & Him Christmas
- 2011: 3 Voices & Beatur, for their holiday album It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
[edit] References
- ^ a b Rees, Dafydd; Crampton, Luke; Lazell, Barry (1989). Guinness Book of Rock Stars. Guinness Books. p. 293. ISBN 0-85112-872-6.
- ^ Grein, Paul (2011-12-28). "Week Ending Dec. 25, 2011. Songs: Bringing "Sexy" Back". Yahoo! Music. Nielsen Business Media. http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/week-ending-dec-25-2011-songs-bringing-sexy-235057906.html. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
- ^ Alabama's charting singles at Allmusic. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
- ^ LeAnn Rimes's charting singles at Allmusic. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
[edit] External links
- Lyrics to Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
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