Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
Recorded by a 13-year-old who became a legend
♫ Lyrics
At the Christmas party hop
Mistletoe hung where you can see
Every couple tries to stop
Let the Christmas spirit ring
Later we'll have some pumpkin pie
And we'll do some caroling...
Lyrics excerpt shown. This song is under copyright protection.
❄ The Story
"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" was written by Johnny Marks — the same songwriter behind "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" — and recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958 when she was just 13 years old. The recording session took place in Nashville, and Lee's precocious vocal talent belied her age: her voice sounded mature, confident, and full of holiday spirit.
The song initially flopped, selling only 5,000 copies in its first year. But it was re-released in 1960, caught on with radio DJs, and slowly built an audience. What happened next is a modern phenomenon: in the streaming era, the song exploded. It re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 every December, climbing higher each year until it finally reached #1 in December 2023 — 65 years after its original release. Brenda Lee, then 78 years old, became the oldest woman ever to top the Hot 100.
The song's appeal is its infectious energy — it captures the excitement of a Christmas party in just over two minutes, with jingle bells, a rockabilly groove, and Lee's irresistible vocal. Alongside Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" and Bobby Helms's "Jingle Bell Rock," it forms the holy trinity of modern Christmas pop.
🎶 Notable Recordings
The original — reached #1 sixty-five years later
A synth-pop reimagining
A rock-inflected cover for Amazon Music
Fun Facts
Brenda Lee was just 13 years old when she recorded it in 1958.
It sold only 5,000 copies in its first year — considered a commercial flop.
The song reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2023 — 65 years after release.
Brenda Lee became the oldest woman ever to top the Hot 100 at age 78.