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JOHNNY MARKS OWNS CHRISTMAS: ASCAP, the American royalties society, produces a list of the most-performed Christmas songs - a top 25 - which shows that Johnny Marks is the most successful Christmas song-writer in the world, ever, as he has three entries in the chart (Rudolph, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree and A Holly Jolly Christmas. We've never heard the last one, but who are we to question the wisdom of ASCAP?
And if you need a little reassurance that Christmas traditions are in place, the youngest song on the Top 25 is a quarter of a century old - Wing's Wonderful Christmastime.
The chart in full:
1. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) Mel Tormé. Robert Wells)
2. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin)
3. Winter Wonderland (Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith)
4. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie)
5. White Christmas (Irving Berlin)
6. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne)
7. I'll Be Home For Christmas (Walter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck Ram)
8. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (Johnny Marks)
9. Little Drummer Boy (Katherine K. Davis, Henry V. Onorati, Harry Simeone)
10. Jingle Bell Rock (Joseph Carleton Beal, James Ross Boothe)
11. Silver Bells (Jay Livingston, Ray Evans)
12. Sleigh Ride (Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish)
13. Feliz Navidad (José Feliciano)
14. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (Edward Pola, George Wyle)
15. Blue Christmas (Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson)
16. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree (Johnny Marks)
17. Frosty The Snowman (Steve Nelson, Walter E. Rollins)
18. A Holly Jolly Christmas (Johnny Marks)
19. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (Tommie Connor)
20. It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (Meredith Willson)
21. Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) (Gene Autry, Oakley Haldeman)
22. Wonderful Christmastime (Paul McCartney)
23. Carol Of The Bells (Peter J. Wilhousky, Mykola Leontovich)
24. Santa Baby (Joan Ellen Javits, Philip Springer, Tony Springer)
25. This Christmas (Donny Hathaway, Nadine McKinnor)
Saturday, December 04, 2004
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2 comments:
It's odd - you would think that with the ever-closer nature of American and British culture, there wouldn't be a Christmas song so popular there that is such a blank, unknown entity over here. But I've just googled the lyrics and... well, I'm still frankly baffled:
Have a holly, jolly Christmas;
It's the best time of the year
I don't know if there'll be snow
but have a cup of cheer
Have a holly, jolly Christmas;
And when you walk down the street
Say Hello to friends you know
and everyone you meet
Oh
ho
the mistletoe
hung where you can see;
Somebody waits for you;
Kiss her once for me
Have a holly jolly Christmas
and in case you didn't hear
Oh by golly
have a holly
jolly Christmas this year
Is it just me, or does that kind of imply that Holly is a person who is going to be had this Christmas?
Of course, the Americans don't have 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday' or 'Here It Is Merry Christmas'
Quite popular and one of my Favorites too! Very Festive. Get the Burl Ives version and download it. Its just waiting to be a Christmas hit across the pond!
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