Brenda Lee ⏃ Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree ⏃ Live!

Performance is from a 1984 special.

ＲＯＣＫＩＮ' ＡＲＯＵＮＤ ＴＨＥ ＣＨＲＩＳＴＭＡＳ ＴＲＥＥ

Songwriter: Johnny Marks

Rocking around the Christmas Tree
at the Christmas party hop
Mistletoe hung where you can see
every couple tries to stop

Rocking around the Christmas tree,
let the Christmas spirit ring
Later we'll have some pumpkin pie
and we'll do some caroling

You will get a sentimental feeling
when you hear
Voices singing let's be jolly,
deck the halls with boughs of holly

Rocking around the Christmas tree,
have a happy holiday
Everyone dancing merrily
in the new old-fashioned way

Repeat last two stanzas & end with

Everyone dancing merrily
in the new , old, fa shioned waa-ay


Fun Facts 'bout Rockin'

1) The song was written by Johnny Marks while on summer vacation at a Vermont lake.

2) Marks decided to write a rocking Christmas song when the quiet lake was disturbed by teenagers dancing to a blaring radio.

3) Brenda Lee got the song by default. Marks sent the demo to Nashville because he mistakenly associated rock only with the south. I suppose he was thinking of Elvis, Jerry Lee, Little Richard etc. Owen Bradley at Decca records, however, had only one rocker under contract and that was young Brenda.

4) In 1958, the record failed miserably. Only about 5,000 copies were sold. Decca released the single "Papa Noel" & "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" on 24 November 1958. They did not pick an "A" side, but promoted both sides to radio DJs and in magazines such as Billboard.

6) In 1959, the record failed again. Brenda's "Sweet Nothin's" was climbing the charts in late 1959 and Decca hoped to capitalize by releasing Rockin/Papa for the second time. The single did better than in 1958, but still did not chart. "Rockin" seemed destined for the archives, perhaps to be dredged up and put on some future "Rarities" collection.

7) In 1960, Brenda Lee became a surprise superstar. She sold at least 3 million records that year. Decca decided to give "Rockin" one more chance. The third time was a charm. The single climbed to #14 on the Hot 100.

8) In 1990, the unexpected happened again. The recording was used in the blockbuster film "Home Alone". The popularity of the movie exposed the song to younger generations and lifted "Rockin" to still another level. The song had become a perennial favorite and one of a several dozen songs that received seasonal airplay. Since the movie, however, "Rockin" has often occupied the top spot in radio airplay among Christmas songs.

9) Johnny Marks (1909 - 1985) also wrote "Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer" and "Holly Jolly Christmas". Despite writing some of the biggest selling Christmas songs of all time, Marks never celebrated a religious Christmas in his life. Mr. Marks, you see, was Jewish.

10) Brenda Lee was 13 yrs old at the time of the recording. Most people listening to "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" judge the singer to be much older. Next time you hear the original recording or watch "Home Alone", imagine a tiny 13 yr old girl in a recording studio on October 19, 1958. She is surrounded by Boots Randolph honking the saxophone and the great Hank Garland filling the spaces with guitar licks. They produced a record that has entertained us for over 50 years now.

Plot Proposal for a Film
A Christmas song written by a Jewish guy in Vermont is recorded by 4 ft nothin' 13 yr old girl in Nashville. It becomes a worldwide hit and remains popular fifty years later. Nevermind, nobody would believe such a story.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Live

[MsIlovebtr]

if i had to pick a favorite oldies singer,then i would pick her.

[crazy123guy12345]

thumbs up if u clicked because of the afro

[DreamChemistryMusic]

• ★Merry★* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

•。★Christmas★ 。* 。

° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚

˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛

˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門｜ ˚And a Happy New Year !!

...♥*•♪♫•*¨* ℒℴvℯ ॐ Light *¨*•♪ Joy to all! ♫•*¨* Peace on Earth ♪♫•*¨*

[Pug40]

@demonsandslord and you have no couth

[demonsandlords]

the teen singers of today like selena gomez, demi, miley, and all those awful singers this is what a good voice sounds like not you u guys have no talent

[ShadowProJeCTj0j0]

she s awesome

[3mmaSu3tunes]

i love her so much!

[wandaslice]

Fav xmas song of all time ... Brenda Lee is Christmas :)

[ivangprohaska]

Brenda............sempre demais.......sensacional esse clip.

[yasmin3121]

This was brilliant! Shes a great singer!