Jump to content

A Holly Jolly Christmas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"A Holly Jolly Christmas"
Single by Burl Ives
from the album Have a Holly Jolly Christmas[note 1]
B-side"Snow for Johnny"
ReleasedNovember 1964
StudioColumbia (Nashville, Tennessee)
GenreChristmas, traditional pop
Length2:15
LabelDecca
Songwriter(s)Johnny Marks
Producer(s)Milt Gabler
Burl Ives singles chronology
"Pearly Shells (Popo O Ewa)"
(1964)
"A Holly Jolly Christmas"
(1964)
"Jealous"
(1965)

"A Holly Jolly Christmas", also known as "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas", is a Christmas song written by Johnny Marks and most famously performed by Burl Ives. The song has since become one of the top 25 most-performed "holiday" songs written by ASCAP members, for the first five years of the 21st century.[1] Successful covers have notably been recorded by Alan Jackson, Jerrod Niemann, Lady Antebellum and Michael Bublé.

Background

[edit]

"A Holly Jolly Christmas" was written by Johnny Marks in 1962. It was the title song of The Quinto Sisters' first album, Holly Jolly Christmas, recorded in June 1964 for Columbia Records, featuring guitarist Al Caiola with arrangements by Frank Hunter and Marty Manning.[2]

The song was featured in the 1964 Rankin-Bass Christmas special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, in which Burl Ives voiced the narrator, Sam the Snowman. Originally to be sung by Larry D. Mann as Yukon Cornelius, the song, as well as "Silver and Gold", was given to Ives due to his singing fame.[3] This version was also included on the soundtrack album.

The song was re-recorded by Ives and released in 1964 as a single and later featured the following year in his 1965 holiday album, Have a Holly Jolly Christmas. This version of the song has a somewhat slower arrangement than the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer version and features a twelve-string guitar solo introduction; it is this version that has since become the more commonly heard rendition on radio. This song mentions mistletoe in the bridge, where the singer asks the younger lover to "Kiss her once for me". The song features men and women singing the chorus, whose repeated "Ding-dong" imitation of Christmas bells are heard in the outro of the song, before it fades out.

The song's enduring popularity is evidenced by its reaching No. 30 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in 1998, as well as No. 21 on the US Country Digital Songs chart and No. 5 on the Holiday 100 chart in 2011.[4][5] The song charted on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time in 2017, after rules on chart eligibility for older songs had been relaxed several years before, and reached a peak of No. 38.[6]

For the week ending December 8, 2018, the song re-entered the Hot 100 chart. It reached No. 10 for the week ending January 5, 2019.[7][8] On the week ending January 4, 2020, it reached a new peak of No. 4.[9] With this feat, Ives now holds the record for the longest break between Hot 100 Top Tens as he returned to this minimum ranking after 56 years, seven months and two weeks since his previous Top 10 hit and, at 109 years after birth, surpassing Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" (which reached the Top 40 when Armstrong would have been 86 years old) as the oldest artist, living or deceased, to have a Top 40 hit. As of December 2019, Ives' recording has sold 664,000 copies in the United States since becoming available for download in the digital era.[10]

Chart performance

[edit]

Burl Ives version

[edit]

Alan Jackson version

[edit]
Chart performance for "A Holly Jolly Christmas" by Alan Jackson
Chart (1997–1998) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[37] 51

Michael Bublé version

[edit]

Lady Antebellum version

[edit]
Chart performance for "A Holly Jolly Christmas" by Lady Antebellum
Chart (2012–2016) Peak
position
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[72] 2
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[73] 37
US Holiday 100 (Billboard)[74] 80
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[75] 35

Jerrod Niemann version

[edit]
Chart performance for "Holly Jolly Christmas" by Jerrod Niemann
Chart (2014–2015) Peak
position
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[76] 53

Certifications

[edit]

Burl Ives version

[edit]
Certifications for "Holly Jolly Christmas" by Burl Ives
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[77] Platinum 70,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)[78] Gold 15,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[79] Silver 200,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Michael Bublé version

[edit]
Certifications for "Holly Jolly Christmas" by Michael Bublé
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[80] Gold 45,000
Italy (FIMI)[81] Platinum 70,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)[82] Gold 15,000
Portugal (AFP)[83] Platinum 10,000
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[84] Gold 20,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[85] Platinum 600,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ The recording used in this single did not appear in the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer TV special, nor was it on the corresponding soundtrack. The version in this single was newly recorded with a much slower and different rendition, the one most commonly heard today. Both the "Holly Jolly Christmas" and its B-side, "Snow for Johnny" heard on this single, would later appear on Ives' 1965 Christmas album Have a Holly Jolly Christmas.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "ASCAP Announces Top 25 Holiday Songs – "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting...)" Tops List". Ascap.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2008. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  2. ^ "The Quinto Sisters, First to Sing "Holly Jolly Christmas" – Even Before Burl Ives". 14 December 2006.
  3. ^ "Holly Jolly Christmas". songfacts.com.
  4. ^ a b "Burl Ives Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  5. ^ a b "Burl Ives Chart History (Holiday 100)". Billboard.
  6. ^ "Hot 100 Chart Moves: Eminem & Ed Sheeran's 'River' Flows in at No. 11". Billboard. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  7. ^ a b "Burl Ives Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  8. ^ "Mariah Carey's 'Christmas' Climbs to No. 3 on Billboard Hot 100, Ariana Grande's 'Next' Leads for Seventh Week". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-08-02.
  9. ^ Trust, Gary (December 30, 2019). "Mariah Carey Becomes First Artist at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 in Four Decades, Thanks to 'All I Want for Christmas'". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  10. ^ Bjorke, Matt (December 8, 2019). "Top 30 Digital Country Tracks - Pure Sales: December 9, 2019". Rough Stock. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  11. ^ a b "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. January 2, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  12. ^ "Burl Ives – A Holly Jolly Christmas" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  13. ^ "Burl Ives Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  14. ^ "HRT Airplay Radio Chart No. 1060 - Issue Date: January 2nd 2023" (PDF). Hrvatska Radiotelevizija. 3 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  15. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 5152. týden 2018 in the date selector. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
  16. ^ "Burl Ives – A Holly Jolly Christmas" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  17. ^ "Burl Ives Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  18. ^ "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Week: 52/2018". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 2019-01-14. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  19. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  20. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  21. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  22. ^ "Mūzikas patēriņa tops gadu mijā" (in Latvian). LAIPA. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  23. ^ "2023 52-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. December 29, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  24. ^ "Burl Ives Chart History (Luxembourg Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  25. ^ "Burl Ives – A Holly Jolly Christmas" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  26. ^ a b "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. January 2, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  27. ^ "Burl Ives – A Holly Jolly Christmas". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  28. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 5152. týden 2018 in the date selector. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  29. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 52, 2023". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  30. ^ "Burl Ives – A Holly Jolly Christmas". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  31. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  32. ^ "Burl Ives Chart History (Country Digital Songs)". Billboard.
  33. ^ "Burl Ives Chart History (Country Streaming Songs)". Billboard.
  34. ^ "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. December 24, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  35. ^ "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  36. ^ "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  37. ^ "Alan Jackson Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  38. ^ "Michael Bublé – Holly Jolly Christmas" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  39. ^ "Michael Bublé – Holly Jolly Christmas" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
  40. ^ "Michael Bublé – Holly Jolly Christmas" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  41. ^ "Michael Buble Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  42. ^ "HRT Airplay Radio Chart No. 1059 - Issue Date: December 26th 2022" (PDF). Hrvatska Radiotelevizija. 27 December 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  43. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 51+52. týden 2023 in the date selector. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  44. ^ "Michael Bublé: Holly Jolly Christmas" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  45. ^ "Top Singles (Week 52, 2023)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  46. ^ "Michael Bublé – Holly Jolly Christmas" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  47. ^ "Michael Buble Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  48. ^ "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Week: 52/2018". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 2019-01-14. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
  49. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  50. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  51. ^ "Tónlistinn – Lög" [The Music – Songs] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on December 31, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  52. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  53. ^ "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 52" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  54. ^ "Mūzikas Patēriņa Tops/ 52. nedēļa" (in English and Latvian). LAIPA. December 31, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  55. ^ "2022 52-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  56. ^ "Michael Buble Chart History (Luxembourg Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  57. ^ "Michael Bublé – Holly Jolly Christmas" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  58. ^ "Singel 2023 uke 52". VG-lista. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  59. ^ "OLiS – oficjalna lista airplay" (Select week 16.12.2023–22.12.2023.) (in Polish). OLiS. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  60. ^ "OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży – single w streamie" (Select week 22.12.2023–28.12.2023.) (in Polish). OLiS. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  61. ^ "Michael Bublé – Holly Jolly Christmas". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  62. ^ "RIAS Top Charts Week 52 (22 - 28 Dec 2023)". RIAS. Archived from the original on January 3, 2024. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  63. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 51/52. týden 2022 in the date selector. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  64. ^ "Local & International Streaming Chart Top 100: Week 52". The Official South African Charts. Recording Industry of South Africa. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  65. ^ "Top 100 Canciones: Semana 52". Productores de Música de España. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  66. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 51". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  67. ^ "Michael Bublé – Holly Jolly Christmas". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  68. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  69. ^ "Michael Buble Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
  70. ^ "Michael Buble Chart History (Holiday 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
  71. ^ "Single Top 100 - digitális és fizikai értékesítés alapján - 2023" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  72. ^ "Lady Antebellum Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  73. ^ "Lady Antebellum Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard.
  74. ^ "Lady Antebellum – Chart history". Billboard Holiday 100 for Lady Antebellum. 2 January 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  75. ^ "Lady Antebellum Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  76. ^ "Jerrod Niemann Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard.
  77. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  78. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Burl Ives – Holly Jolly Christmas". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  79. ^ "British single certifications – Burl Ives – Holly Jolly Christmas". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  80. ^ "Danish single certifications". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  81. ^ "Italian single certifications" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved January 3, 2022. Select "2021" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  82. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Michael Bublé – Holly Jolly Christmas". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  83. ^ "Portuguese single certifications" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  84. ^ "Spanish single certifications". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  85. ^ "British single certifications – Michael Buble – Holly Jolly Christmas". British Phonographic Industry.
[edit]