Here’s a holiday story that makes my vintage heart happy: the nostalgic hit “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” has just topped Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for the first time in its 65-year history. Recorded in 1958, the rollicking tune made it to No. 14 in 1960. Over the last few years it’s risen to No. 2, beaten out by, you know it, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” The two songs have switched places for the moment, and 78-year-old singer Brenda Lee is getting a sentimental feeling in the new old-fashioned way:
On Monday, Billboard confirmed that Lee’s classic holiday tune had appeared atop this week’s Hot 100 chart, which measures the 100 most popular songs in the U.S. Not surprisingly, the list is populated at the moment by a number of Christmas staples, including Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock.”
Lee celebrated the achievement with a short note on her Instagram Stories.
“We did it, Brendanators!” she wrote.
At 78, Lee becomes the oldest performer in history to top the Hot 100. Her tune also sets a new record for the longest gap between a song’s release and its appearance in the top spot. The previous record holder was “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” which took 25 years to make the journey.
Though many assume her raspy, rockabilly voice to be that of a more mature performer, Lee was just 13 years old when she recorded “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” in 1958. The song was written by Johnny Marks, who also wrote the holiday standards “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Silver and Gold,” “A Holly Jolly Christmas” and “I Hear the Bells on Christmas Day.”
Two years after its initial release, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” entered Billboard’s Hot 100 for the first time, coming in at No. 14.
Much like “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” the song skyrockets in airplay annually between Thanksgiving and Christmas. For the past four years, it’s reached a peak position of No. 2, kept from the top spot by — what else? — “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”
“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” is Lee’s third No. 1 song. The Georgia-born singer previously topped the Hot 100 chart with “I’m Sorry” and “I Want To Be Wanted.” Both songs were released in 1960.
“I would’ve never thought in my wildest dreams that ‘Rockin’’ would be my signature song,” Lee, who is based in Nashville, Tennessee, told The New York Times in an interview published last month.
After joking that she and Carey were Christmas competitors, Lee added: “Oh, there’s room for everybody. Her song’s good, too. I love her singing.”
“Her song’s good, too.” That just about killed me. The shade of it all! No, I know Brenda was merely joking (probably). But it’s still a ballsy move to take on Ms. Mariah Carey in her peak season. And for that chutzpah, she’s converted me to a Brendanator! Billboard reported that “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” became only the third holiday song ever to reach No. 1, joining “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” And what is the remaining of the three songs? Of all the varied and fine Christmas music in the world? Come on, you know. The only other holiday song to hit No. 1 is none other than “The Chipmunk Song.” I kind of love that we live in a world where this is true.
“Rockin’” reaching No. 1 was likely helped along by the fact that its first-ever music video was released last month, starring Brenda Lee (of course) with appearances by Tanya Tucker and Trisha Yearwood. Golden oldie fans and new Brendanators like me can catch Brenda performing her chart-topping hit December 7 in Christmas at the Opry on NBC.
Photos credit: Judy Eddy/Cover Images, London Features/Avalon and screenshots from YouTube
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