It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, as Brenda Lee's classic "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree" hits number-one for the first time, 65 years after its release in 1958. The song, which has become a staple of holiday playlists, has broken several records and made Lee the oldest person to top the chart.
"Rocking Around the Christmas Tree" is only the third holiday song to reach number-one, following "The Chipmunk Song" by The Chipmunks with David Seville, also from 1958, and "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey, which is currently at number-two. Carey's song, which was released in 1994, held the previous record for the longest wait from a song's release to hitting number-one, with 25 years. Lee's song surpassed that by 40 years, making it the oldest song to ever lead the chart.
The song is also Lee's third number-one, after "I'm Sorry" and "I Want to Be Wanted", both from 1960. This gives Lee the longest span of an artist topping the Hot 100, with 63 years, four months and three weeks, breaking Carey's record of 32 years and five months. Lee also has the longest break between Hot 100 number-ones, with 63 years, one month and two weeks between "I Want to Be Wanted" and "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree". The previous record holder was Cher, who had a gap of just under 25 years between "Dark Lady" and "Believe".
Lee, who will turn 79 next Monday, is also the oldest person to top the Hot 100, surpassing Louis Armstrong, who was 62 when "Hello, Dolly!" led the chart in 1964. Lee, who started her career as a child star, is known as "Little Miss Dynamite" for her powerful voice and petite stature. She has been inducted into the Rock and Roll, Country Music and Rockabilly Halls of Fame, and has received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Lee said she was thrilled and grateful for the success of her song, which she recorded when she was only 13 years old. She thanked her fans, her producer Owen Bradley, and the song's writer Johnny Marks, who also wrote "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "A Holly Jolly Christmas". She said she hoped her song would bring joy and happiness to people during the festive season and beyond.
[Source: Classic Hits Today]