Best of 2023: A #1 Song 65 Years After Release

 Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree Went to #1

I'm happy that BRENDA LEE made it to #1 with her 65 year old holiday hit, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree". The song came out in 1958 and has shown up on every Billboard Hot 100 chart since Christmas music was regularly listed during the holiday season. 

The song also charted on the 1960 and 1961 Hot 100s. "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree" has never been a number one record until the Billboard Hot 100 was released on December 5, 2023. 

UPDATE: Billboard announced that "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree" will top the Hot 100 for a second week in a row! Congratulations Brenda Lee (December 11).

With that accomplishment, Brenda Lee became the oldest person to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, eclipsing a record Louis Armstrong had since 1964's "Hello Dolly" when he was 64. Today (December 11) Brenda Lee turned 79.

In 1960 she had two #1 songs... "I'm Sorry" and "I Want To Be Wanted" both ballads in a lush, country crooning style. Most of her early records were produced by Owen Bradley, who also produced country music records for Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn.

My favorite Brenda Lee song is "Sweet Nothins'" a rock n roll track reached #4 on the Hot 100 in 1959. That track along with "I'm Sorry" and several others appeared on her great 1960 album release, Brenda Lee. We had that record in our family's collection since the 1960s. The whispering intro of "ah ha honey, alright..." grabbed it for me on "Sweet Nothins'".

This year a new video was produced for "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree" which appears in the link below (YouTube). She also sang the song at the Grand Ole' Opry on December 2023 telecast shown on NBC TV.

Christmas Song of the Day # 5 - "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" - Brenda Lee

 Christmas Song of the Day #5: Brenda Lee - Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree

Brenda Lee is one of my favorite female artists of all time. I first heard her music back in the early 1960s when out of a jukebox of 45s we were able to get "Fool #1" by her. It ended up being one of my Mom's favorite songs of the time. It is a nice ballad with a country flavor,  produced by Owen Bradley who at the time was also producing records for country singers Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn.

"Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" has become over time, a rock n roll holiday classic. It was great that Brenda recorded this classic single back in 1958 when she had that voice that could fill a large concert hall. It is right up there (to me) with her best rock n roll song ever, "Sweet Nothins'" from 1960.

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" was released as a single in 1958 to only marginal success that year and the next. It wasn't until 1960 when Brenda Lee struck it big with her #1 single "I'm Sorry" and the aformentioned "Sweet Nothins'" is when the single finally took off. It reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1960.

Since then "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree" has charted again in 1961 and 1962. In 2014 Billboard changed the rules for song placement on the Hot 100. From 2014 onward, "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree" has hit the Billboard Hot 100 every year up to 2019. In 2019 it peaked at #2. 

The song is back on the Hot 100 this week at #21.

More than 25 million copies of the single has been sold. It is also the 4th most streamed Christmas song of all time.

Running Playlist

Nov. 29 - "Mary Did You Know" - Mat and Savanna Shaw

Nov. 30 - "Being Home For Christmas (2020 version)" - Ivan & Alyosha

Dec. 1 - "Take Me Home For Christmas" - Dan + Shay

Dec. 2 - "Mele Kalikimaka Medley" - Kapena

Dec. 3 - "Rockin 'Round the Christmas Tree" - Brenda Lee

Bonus Tracks

Brenda Lee's second album simply titled "Brenda Lee" is in my opinion her best album ever. This record was released in August of 1960. All the tracks are playable from this YouTube playlist. Tracks include the following:

1. Sweet Nothin's

2. I'm Sorry

3. That's All You Gotta Do

4. Heading Home

5. Wee Wee Willies

6. Let's Jump The Broomstick

7. Dynamite

8. Weep No More My Baby

9. Jambalaya (On The Bayou)

10. (If I'm Dreaming) Just Let Me Dream

11. Be My Love Again

12. My Baby Likes Western Guys

#TBT - Throwback Thursday