In the first of our Holiday Tunes series, we brought you  a selection of Christmas songs by British Invasion rockers. This time around, we’re highlighting the rock n’ roll songs that made it onto the charts between ‘56 and ‘69. These are the songs that “modernized” Christmas standards by taking traditional Christmas themes and setting them to a rock n’ roll beat.

5.
The Hit: ‘Pretty Paper’, 1963
The Artist: Roy Orbison

Behind The Tinsel Tune: Written by Willie Nelson, Roy’s emotional and power-packed voice is a perfect match for this heart-rendering tune about the jolly (”In the distance the ringing of laughter”) and tragic (”And in the midst of the laughter he cries”) sides of Christmas.

Juke Box Jury: At the time, the pop charts were more receptive to country music songwriters, like ‘Mr. Guitar’ Chet Atkins and Man in Black Johnny Cash. Deemed “one of the best Christmas singles so far” in its November 23, 1963 issue, the song peaked at #15 on Billboard.

Lasting Legacy: ‘Pretty Paper’ remains a classic holiday favourite for many. Roy’s revived career in the 1980s — such as playing in the rock super-group The Traveling Wilburys — brought a new generation of listeners to his recordings.

4.

The Hit: ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’, 1960
The Artist: Brenda Lee

Behind The Tinsel Tune: This tune, written by Johnny Marks, the Channukah-celebrating “Mr Christmas of the Music World” (Does “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” ring a sleigh bell?), did not sell well when it was first released by Decca in ‘58 and ‘59. It became a huge hit, however, when Brenda Lee became a star in 1960. Brenda’s mature sounding voice might fool you – she was only 14 when the song was recorded! (She also reportedly recorded the song in the heat of July: “[Producer Owen Bradley] had the studio all freezing cold with the air conditioning, and he had a Christmas tree all set up to kind of get in the mood just a little bit.”)

Juke Box Jury: Little Miss Dynamite was an early rock n’ roller who found success with the “Nashville Sound”. Like Orbison’s “Pretty Paper”, the song peaked at #14 thanks to the acceptance of country tunes on the pop charts.

Lasting Legacy: Marks was one of the first to juxtapose the traditional themes of Christmas with the rock and roll backbeat – ‘Everyone dancin’ merrily in the new old-fashioned way‘.

3.

The Hit: ’Little Drummer Boy’, 1958 (peaked at #13)
The Artist: Harry Simeone Chorale

Behind The Tinsel Tune: ‘Little Drummer Boy’ tells the tale of a poor boy who makes his way to the manger but has nothing to offer except for his music. The song was written in 1941 by Katherine K. Davis but was reworked in 1958 with Harry Simeone, who arranged it.

Juke Box Jury: One wouldn’t categorize the recording as a rock or pop tune, but that didn’t stop it from peaking at #13 on the Billboard charts. It continued to score on the charts from ‘58 to ‘62.

Lasting Legacy: ‘Little Drummer Boy’ has become standard Christmas repertoire – with over 150 versions and worldwide sales of 25 million. Adaptations include recordings by the likes of Bing Crosby (and a duet with David Bowie), The Supremes and Stevie Wonder.

2.

The Hit: ‘Jingle Bell Rock’, 1957
The Artist: Bobby Helms

Behind The Tinsel Tune: A lyrical take-off on “Jingle Bells” (which coincidentally was published 100 years prior!), Jingle Bell Rock was written by Joe Beal and Jim Boothe.

Juke Box Jury: Like Brenda Lee’s hit, “Jingle Bell Rock” incorporated the wildly popular rock and roll genre into the Christmas song repertoire. The rockabilly hit peaked at #6 on the charts.

Lasting Legacy: The song has remained a classic Christmas favourite and is prominent in pop culture. The song has been covered by the likes of Chubby Checker with Bobby Rydell, Bill Haley & His Comets, k.d. lang (on The Pee-Wee Herman show no less) and Neil Diamond. It has also been used in a number of films, such as Cookie, Mean Girls, Lethal Weapon and Home Alone 2.

1.

The Hit: ‘The Chipmunk Song’, 1958
The Artist: The Chipmunks

Behind The Tinsel Tune: Ross Bagdasarian, who appeared in the films Stalag 17 and Rear Window, created the infamous ‘chipmunk’ sound under the pseudonym David Seville. In 1958, Bagdasarian won a Grammy Award for the best children’s recording.

Juke Box Jury: The novelty of three “chipmunks” singing in harmony was very popular (and still hasn’t worn off completely). The song was #1 for weeks on the Charts and sold over 4.5 million copies seven weeks after its release. The December 15, 1958 issue of Billboard notes its popularity – “it is a new sound, something different, and will appeal to parents to play for their children”.

Lasting Legacy: The song has become a yearly favourite ever since its release and spawned a short-lived television show in the ’60s. A new generation of Chipmunk fans came about with the series Alvin & The Chipmunks, which aired from ‘83-’90, the live-action/CGI film in 2007 and its ‘squeakquel‘ in 2009. Chipmunk overkill? Perhaps – the novelty may have worn off a little bit, but boomers alike are sure to remember with fondness the song that started it all.

What are your favourite Christmas songs from the ’50s and ’60s? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!

Tags: bing crosby, bobby helms, brenda lee, chet atkins, christmas, christmas songs, chubby checker, david bowie, harry simeone chorale, holiday tunes, johnny cash, johnny marks, roy orbison, willie nelson