Song of the Day: Brenda Lee, “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”

Song of the Day 1 Minute

Born in Atlanta 76 years ago today, Brenda Lee is one of the first international pop stars. At 4’9" (145 cm), she earned the nickname "Miss Dynamite" when she recorded the song "Dynamite" when she was just 12 years old. She recorded "Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree" the following year. It was written by Johnny Marks, who also wrote "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "A Holly Jolly Christmas." It was Marks who wanted Brenda to sing it. She was backed by some of Nashville’s finest musicians: Hank Garland and Harold Bradley on guitar, Floyd Cramer on piano, Homer "Boots" Randolph on tenor saxophone, Bob Moore on bass, and Buddy Harman on drums. It reached #2 on the Hot 100 and the Holiday 100 and is a perennial favorite. in 2008, when the song turned 50, it had sold 25 million copies and was the 4th most frequently downloaded song.

And a happy birthday to my brother Jim, who was a year old when the song was recorded!

Published by John Holton

Internet disc jockey, lover of old TV (especially the commercials), inveterate wise guy.

Published

22 thoughts on “Song of the Day: Brenda Lee, “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree””

  1. Pingback: The Halfway Thru December Week That Was – The Sound of One Hand Typing

  3. I didn’t realize Brenda Lee was so young when she recorded this Christmas classic.

    Love,
    Janie

    Like

  5. Brenda Lee has a fabulous voice and “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” is such a “good mood” type of song. Happy Birthday to your brother!

    Like

  8. Little did she know when she know when she recorded that song…it would become an institution.

    Like

      1. She seems like such a great person…I’ve seen her before in a store in Nashville in the 80s…she is tiny.

        Like

    1. A great big voice from a tiny woman. If you get a chance, listen to “Dynamite.” She recorded it when she was 12, but even then that voice was there.

      Like

        1. Couldn’t find Helen’s version of “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” but she had a great voice, and she and Brenda would have been contemporaries.

          Like

Comments are closed.