Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" is a Christmas song written by Johnny Marks and recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958. By the song’s 50th anniversary in 2008, Lee’s original version had sold over 25 million copies with the 4th most digital downloads sold of any Christmas single, and has since been recorded by numerous other music artists.

Original recording by Brenda Lee

Despite her mature-sounding voice, Lee recorded this song when she was only thirteen years old. The song's declaration of a rock and roll sound notwithstanding, its instrumentation also fits the country music genre, which Lee more fully embraced as her career evolved. The recording features Grady Martin's ringing guitar and Boots Randolph's swinging solo sax break. Veteran session player Buddy Harman is the drummer. The song is written in the key of A-flat major.

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. The song was also used in the 1990 film Home Alone during a scene when Kevin McCallister pretends that there is a holiday party taking place in his house, and discourages the burglars from robbing it.

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.

It peaked at No. 6 in the UK Charts, when it was released there in 1963, in 2013 due to downloads it became one of a number of songs to re-enter the UK Singles Chart near Christmas time along with Slade and The Pogues "Fairytale of New York", "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", it peaked at No. 63 on Sunday 15 December 2013.

For decades, 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.

The single returned to the Billboard Hot 100 chart on the week ending December 26, 2015, eventually reaching the No. 30 position two weeks later (i.e. the week ending January 9, 2016).^[2]

As of November 25, 2016, Nielsen SoundScan estimated total sales of the digital track at 1,000,000 downloads, placing it fifth on the list of all-time best-selling Christmas/holiday digital singles in SoundScan history.^[3]

Track listing

Side A

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (Johnny Marks) – 2:25

Side B

"Papa Noël" (Roy Botkin) – 2:02

Personnel

Other recordings

Kim Wilde and Mel Smith version

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"

Single by Mel & Kim

B-side

"Deck the Blooming Halls"

Released

November 23, 1987

Format

7", 12"

Genre

Christmas music

Length

3:38

Ten

Kim Wilde singles chronology

"Say You Really Want Me"
(1987)

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"
(1987)

"Hey Mister Heartache"
(1988)

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 No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart during the Christmas season 1987. 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 and an appearance from Smith's comedy partner Griff Rhys Jones and carol singers played by the band Curiosity Killed The Cat.

Kim Wilde and Nik Kershaw

Kim Wilde recorded a new version of the song on her 2013 holiday album Wilde Winter Songbook together with Nik Kershaw.

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.

Cover versions

The following artists have each recorded a cover version of the song:
1968 • Bill Haley & His Comets, for the U.S. label United Artists Records (not released commercially at the time)
1970 • Lynn Anderson, for her album The Christmas Album
1971 • The Partridge Family, for their album A Partridge Family Christmas Card
1983 • Lou Ann Barton, for the compilation album An Austin Rhythm and Blues Christmas
1986 • Mickey Gilley, for the compilation album The Nashville Christmas Album
1992 • Amy Grant, for her album Home for Christmas
123456 • Ronnie Spector and Darlene Love, for the charity compilation album A Very Special Christmas 2
1993 • Dion DiMucci, for his album Rock n' Roll Christmas
1994 • Alvin and the Chipmunks and Patty Loveless, for the album A Very Merry Chipmunk
1995 • Gary Hoey, for his album Ho! Ho! Hoey II
1997 • Hanson, for their album Snowed In
1998 • Cyndi Lauper, for her album Merry Christmas... Have a Nice Life
123456 • Dion, from the various artists Christmas compilation album Cruising Christmas
1999 • Alabama, for their album Christmas Vol. II (this cover version peaked at No. 64 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart)^[4]
1999 • Element, for the compilation album Happy Christmas Vol. 2
2000 • Green Day, posted for their fans on their website greenday.com
123456 • Jessica Simpson with Rosie O'Donnell, for O'Donnell's album Another Rosie Christmas
123456 • Mek Pek, for his rockabilly-project Mek and the X-Mas Peks
2004 • LeAnn Rimes, for her album What a Wonderful World (this cover version peaked at No. 3 on Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, No. 48 on Billboard Country Singles chart, and No. 30 on Billboard's Holiday Songs chart)^[5]
2006 • Rhonda Vincent, for her album Beautiful Star: A Christmas Collection
2007 • Hannah Montana for the Disney Channel Holiday soundtrack
123456 • Toby Keith, for his album A Classic Christmas
123456 • 1910 Fruitgum Company, for their album Bubblegum Christmas
123456 • Helena Vondráčková on her album Vanoce S Helenou - To Nej as "Vanoce Jak Hrom" _Czech
2008 • Davie Allan & the Arrows, for their album Fuzz for the Holidays
123456 • Joe Lynn Turner and others, for the album We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year
2009 • Lotta Engberg (titled "Julen Är Här"), for the album Jul hos mig
2011 • Chicago, for their album Chicago XXXIII: O Christmas Three
123456 • She & Him, for their album A Very She & Him Christmas
123456 • 3 Voices & Beatur, for their album It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
2012 • Victoria Justice, for the compilation album Merry Nickmas
123456 • Bella Thorne, for the compilation album Disney Channel Holiday Playlist
123456 • Mike Cannistraro, for the compilation album Boston's Best Holiday Hits
123456 • JOE-BOY, for debut download single release
2013 • The fictional New Directions glee club, for the Glee episode "Previously Unaired Christmas" and album Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Volume 4
123456 • Il Volo for their album Buon Natale: The Christmas Album ^[6]
2015 • Jann Arden on her album A Jann Arden Christmas
123456 • Kaitlyn Baker, for single release.^[7]

References

1 2 Rees, Dafydd; Crampton, Luke; Lazell, Barry (1989). Guinness Book of Rock Stars. Guinness Books. p. 293. ISBN 0-85112-872-6.
↑ "Music: Top 100 Songs | Billboard Hot 100 Chart". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2016-02-22.
↑ Staff, Billboard (November 25, 2016). "What Are the Top-Selling Holiday Songs?". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
↑ Alabama's charting singles at AllMusic. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
↑ LeAnn Rimes's charting singles at AllMusic. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
↑ "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree: Il Volo: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2016-02-22.
↑ "Kaitlyn Baker Releases New Version of 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree'". Broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2016-02-22.

LeAnn Rimes singles

Discography

Blue	"Blue" "Hurt Me" "One Way Ticket (Because I Can)" "Unchained Melody" "The Light in Your Eyes"

You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs	"You Light Up My Life" "On the Side of Angels"

Sittin' on Top of the World	"Commitment" "Nothin' New Under the Moon" "These Arms of Mine" "Feels Like Home"

LeAnn Rimes	"Big Deal" "Crazy"

God Bless America	"God Bless America"

Twisted Angel	"Life Goes On" "Suddenly"

Greatest Hits	"This Love"

This Woman	"Nothin' 'bout Love Makes Sense" "Probably Wouldn't Be This Way" "Something's Gotta Give" "Some People"

Whatever We Wanna	"And It Feels Like" "Everybody's Someone" (with Brian McFadden) "Strong"

Family	"Nothin' Better to Do" "Good Friend and a Glass of Wine" "What I Cannot Change"

Lady & Gentlemen	"Swingin'" "Crazy Women" "Give"

Spitfire	"What Have I Done" "Borrowed" "Spitfire" "Gasoline and Matches"

Non-album singles	"How Do I Live"

Guest singles	"Written in the Stars" (with Elton John) "Cattle Call" (with Eddy Arnold) "Last Thing on My Mind" (with Ronan Keating) "Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore" (with Bon Jovi) "In Front of the Alamo" (with Hal Ketchum) "Just Stand Up!" "When It's Good" (with Marc Broussard)

Soundtracks	"Looking Through Your Eyes" "I Need You" "Can't Fight the Moonlight" "But I Do Love You" "We Can"

Promotional singles	"Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart" "Sittin' On Top of the World" "The Right Kind of Wrong" "You Are" "Soon" "Tic Toc" "Santa Baby"

Kim Wilde

Studio albums	Kim Wilde Select Catch as Catch Can Teases & Dares Another Step Close Love Moves Love Is Now & Forever Never Say Never Come Out and Play Snapshots Wilde Winter Songbook

Remix albums	The Remix Collection

Compilations	The Very Best of Kim Wilde (1984) The Singles Collection 1981–1993 The Very Best of Kim Wilde (2001) The Hits Collection

Singles	"Kids in America" "Chequered Love" "Water on Glass" "Cambodia" "View from a Bridge" "Child Come Away" "Love Blonde" "Dancing in the Dark" "House of Salome" "The Second Time" "The Touch" "Rage to Love" "Schoolgirl" "You Keep Me Hangin' On" "Another Step (Closer to You)" "Say You Really Want Me" "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" "Hey Mister Heartache" "You Came" "Never Trust a Stranger" "Four Letter Word" "Love in the Natural Way" "It's Here" "Time" "Can't Get Enough (Of Your Love)" "I Can't Say Goodbye" "World in Perfect Harmony" "Love Is Holy" "Heart over Mind" "Who Do You Think You Are" "Million Miles Away" "If I Can't Have You" "In My Life" "Kids in America 1994" "Breakin' Away" "This I Swear" "Shame" "Loved" "Born to Be Wild" "Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime" "You Came 2006" "Perfect Girl" "Together We Belong" "Baby Obey Me" "Run to You" "Lights Down Low" "Real Life" "It's Alright" "Sleeping Satellite" "To France" "Ever Fallen in Love"

Related articles	Discography Marty Wilde Ricky Wilde

Book:Kim Wilde

The Jets

Bob Cotton Ray Cotton Tony Cotton

Singles	"Yes Tonight Josephine" "Love Makes the World Go 'Round" "The Honeydripper" "Blue Skies" "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" "Party Doll"

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