'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' goes to No. 1 — after 65 years! ;-)

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

A classic never gets old.

By Anastasia Tsioulas - 5 Dec 23

"This week's No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 is one you've probably heard before — over and over again. For decades. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"— sung by Brenda Lee, and first released 65 years ago, during the Eisenhower administration — has gone to No. 1 on the singles chart, for the first time ever.

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" was written by Johnny Marks — who, as part of a long, great tradition of American Christmas songwriters, was himself actually Jewish. (Marks also wrote "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "A Holly Jolly Christmas.") Lee recorded the song when she was just 13 years old, not long after she signed a contract with Decca Records.

Since its 1958 debut, this Yuletide classic has become a staple on holiday playlists. It's a sunny, up-tempo, broadly secular song, perfect for providing cheerful ambience. But there are a few more specific reasons it's been able to reach the top spot this year.

Back in 2018, Billboard reconfigured its chart calculation formula, giving more weight to streams (and especially to streams made on subscription or paid-tier services). That meant that catalog recordings — whether released a year earlier or decades ago — would have more of a chance to chart alongside new material, since listeners are likely to stream old favorites over and over again.

That effect has been especially notable during the holiday season, when artists have generally refrained from dropping big new releases — and when more listeners turn to a shared body of communally well-loved songs".

Works Cited: Brenda Lee - 'Rockin around the Christmas Tree' Billboard #1

"I still don't look at myself as a star. I've always had a thankful heart. I still sing because I love the sound of applause, because it's who I am, and because I still can". Brenda Lee

 

[njpaddy]

Happy for "Little Miss Dynamite". Been listening to that song every Christmas since the 50s. It's always on our holiday playlist.

 

[StillShaving]

A local radio station was commented that this Christmas song was waning in popularity but got a boost and another playing when she later became a teen age pop star. I was curious about her other songs but when looking on youtube did not find anything that I was familiar with.

Then that line from Golden Earing's "Radar Love" came into my mind...Brenda Lee's Coming on Strong. I never thought too much about that line, more or less assumed it was some innuendo. But today I learn it is a literal reference to a pop star and her song with that title.

 

[brucered]

No joke, I just finished spinning her Christmas album on my turntable about an hour ago.

Her LP is a staple at your house, even though it doesn't contribute to the billboard numbers.