Brenda Lee performs “Rockin’ Around the Christmas” for “Christmas at the Opry” set to air December … [+] 7th on NBC.
It’s been a bit of a media whirlwind for Brenda Lee in recent weeks, as she marks the 65th anniversary of the holiday classic she recorded when she was just 13 years old. To celebrate, she released a new music video featuring Trisha Yearwood and Tanya Tucker and has a new EP with “Rockin,’” and some other Christmas favorites.
Recorded in 1958, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” has remained popular with some 240 million streams last year alone. And now, the song has made history, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time ever.
“It’s exciting, it’s wonderful, it’s kind of like when I had my first record,” Lee says, trying to explain what it means some six-and-a-half decades later. “I’m so humbled people still love the song. Honestly, I have no words.”
Brenda Lee reaches No. 1 with “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” 65 years after recording it.
Lee breaks several records, many held by Mariah Carey for “All I Want for Christmas. “Rockin’” not only beat out Carey’s song for the top spot this week, it also becomes the third holiday song ever to hit No. 1 on the Hot 100.
Lee makes history in a couple of other ways, as well. “Rockin’” now becomes her third No. 1. Her first was “I’m Sorry,” in 1960. She now holds the record for the longest gap between an artist’s first and most recent No. 1 hit. And at 78 (she turns 79 next week), she becomes the oldest woman to top the Hot 100, surpassing Cher (for “Believe” at age 52) and Carey (for “All I Want for Christmas” at 53.)
Lee is a music legend, a member of both the Rock & Roll and Country Music Hall of Fame with a string of hits including “I Want to Be Wanted” “Sweet Nothin’s,” “Fool No. 1,” and so many more. Nicknamed Little Miss Dynamite, the petite singer with the powerhouse voice had her first record deal with Decca Records before her 12th birthday.
Brenda Lee, fourteen-year-old American rock and roll singer, leaves for Milan, Italy, at London … [+] Airport, England, on April 5, 1959. (AP Photo)
16-yr-old pop singer Brenda Lee. (Photo by Don Cravens/Getty Images)
American singer Brenda Lee performs live on stage in London in 1964. (Photo by David … [+] Redfern/Redferns)
She credits famed Nashville producer Owen Bradley with helping launch her career, allowing her even at such a young age to choose the songs that best suited her.
“You get a lot of songs submitted when you’re going in for a session and Owen never, ever listened to songs submitted to me without me in the room. And I had the last say because he said, ‘Only you know if you can do it, only you know if you can sing it.’”
It was a different era. Those were also the days when everyone went into the studio together. She vividly remembers the day she recorded “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”
“Owen had it all decked out for Christmas, bless his heart. I didn’t know he was going to do that. But there was a Christmas tree, the lights were low, and all the guys were there, my A team, as we called them. The Anita Kerr singers, and the best players in town in the Quonset hut on 16th Avenue South. So, there was just a bit of Santa’s magic all over the place.”
It all shines through, in the song, too, with so the many different musicians helping showcase Lee’s voice. She remembers every single one of them, including the man behind that dynamic saxophone solo.
“I sure do,” she says. “That was Boots Randolph.”
Lee has always expressed her gratitude to, not only the musicians, but the gifted writers behind the songs. She believes “Rockin’” continues to strike a chord with music lovers, in part, because it’s so beautifully written.
“It’s still popular, I guess, because people love it and you’re not going to do anything without the people. It’s well-written, and what’s interesting is, it was written by a Jewish man. Every hit he had was a Christmas song.”
She’s referring to Johnny Marks who also wrote “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas.”
“He used to tell me, ‘I don’t what’s happening here. We don’t even celebrate Christmas,’” Brenda recalls with a laugh. “And I said well, don’t stop what you’re doing, whatever you’re doing, don’t stop!”
While “Rockin’” has remained a holiday favorite, the song had a resurgence in popularity when it was featured in the 1990 film Home Alone.
Lee has had a lot of fun celebrating this year’s 65th anniversary, including filming the new music video with Trisha Yearwood and Tanya Tucker.
Tanya Tucker and Brenda Lee decorating the Christmas tree in music video for “Rockin’ Around the … [+] Christmas Tree.”
Trisha Yearwood and Brenda Lee making cookies for music video for “Rockin’ Around the Christmas … [+] Tree.”
“It was great because they’re both my buds and we do stuff outside the business together. Of course, Tanya, she’s crazy, I love her to death! And Trisha, she’s precious, and one of the sweetest ladies you’ll ever meet. And for them to agree to do that with me was pretty darn special.”
Lee, who retired years ago to spend time with her family, says it’s been a lot of fun to be getting all of this attention.
“It’s been such a blessing to have this, what’s the word, career spurt, again. And to be back out there with such a wonderful, wonderful song.”
She’s grateful to her many fans old and new, for their continued support.
“This song came out when I was a teenager and now to know it’s resonated with multiple generations and continues to resonate – it’s one of the best gifts I have ever received. Keep on Rockin’ and Merry Christmas!”
Lee performs her Christmas classic (and new No. 1 hit) on “Christmas at the Opry” set to air on NBC on Thursday, December 7th at 8pm ET/PT.
