Country Connections By James and Ellen Perry
Good music soothes the soul and makes you happy.
“Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire,” The first lyrics from Nat King Cole’s, “The Christmas Song.”
This article provides a list of Christmas songs. Some are still played during Christmas on the radio. Some aren’t anymore. There’s info on when these songs were played and where they came from. One of the better known artists actually played on the Mid-Day Merry-Go Round in Knoxville.
I hope you all enjoy these songs.
1. White Christmas by Bing Crosby-1952 version
2. The Sweetest Story Ever Told by Stuart Hamblen-1956-Written by Stuart Hamblen
3. Memory of an Old Christmas Card by Jim Reeves-1963-November
4. Christmas in My Home Town by Sonny James-1954 Version-October
5. Rocking Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee-1958
6. Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms
7. Pretty Papers by Roy Orbison
8. Christmas Can’t Be Far Away by Eddy Arnold 1954 Version
9. Christmas in Dixie by Alabama
10. Blue Christmas by Elvis Presley
11. My Christmas Dream by Sonny James
12. Silver Bells by Jerry Vale
13. I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Elvis Presley
14. The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole
15. Tennessee Christmas by Alabama
16. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer by Gene Autry
White Christmas, written by Irving Berlin for the film Holiday Inn starring Bing Crosby, Marjorie Reynolds, Fred Astair was first performed Christmas Day 1941 and became a #1 hit during Christmas of 1942. It sold 50 million singles since becoming the most popular Christmas song and largest selling single ever.
The Sweetest Story Ever Told was written and recorded by Stuart Hamblen in 1956. This song should be played for every child.
Memory of an Old Christmas Card by Jim Reeves was released November 1963. It’s a beautiful sentimental Christmas love ballad.
Christmas in My Hometown was written by Sonny James, real name Jimmie Hugh Loden, and parents, Delta and Archie Lee Loden, sister, Thelma. They were from Hackleburg, Alabama, which is located near the Mississippi line.
Sonny was known as “The Southern Gentlemen,” and charted his first hit, “Young Love,” in 1956, and went on to score 23 #1 hits, setting a record for having sixteen #1 hits in a row.
Sonny, his parents and his sister all performed in Knoxville’s Mid-Day Merry-Go-Round. Sonny produced recordings for Marie Osmond’s hits and Nat King Cole.
“Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” was recorded in 1953 by 13-year-old Brenda Lee and has sold over 25 million copies worldwide. It was written by Jimmy Marks who also wrote “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” and “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” with the A Team Musicians providing the music.
“Jingle Bell Rock”—Bobby Helms recorded this song which I think was a seasonal song more so than a Christmas song, although it’s played during the Christmas season by the media. It was recorded October 29, 1957 at Bradley Recording Studio in Nashville by producer Paul Cohen, Owen Bradley and the A Team Musicians, and backed by The Anita Kerr Singers. “Jingle Bell Rock” is still played today during the Christmas season.
“Pretty Paper,” written by Willie Nelson, was recorded in Studio B in London, England on September 11, 1963, and released November 15, 1963, has become another Christmas hit. It was a Top Ten Hit on the Billboard AC chart.
“Christmas Can’t be Far Away,” recorded by Eddy Arnold, September 13, 1941, at RCA Victor Studio in Manhattan, New York, by producer Stephen Sholes with Little Roy Wiggins on steel guitar, was the first of a four-song session.
“Christmas in Dixie,” recorded by Alabama, was released in 1982 and hit #35 on Billboard Hot Country.
“Blue Christmas” was recorded September 5, 1957, by Elvis Presley on his LP Elvis’ Christmas Album and released as a single in 1964. The original recording was done at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California. Millie Kirkham provided the high soprano voice. The Jordanaires did the backing and Scotty Moore, Bill Black, D.J. Fontana and Dudley Brooks were the musicians. By the way, Elvis did not want to record this song.
“Silver Bells” by Jerry Vale was released in 1964 on the album “Christmas Greetings From Jerry Vale.” It’s a great rendition by a great voice that’s become a Christmas traditional song.
“I’ll be Home for Christmas” was recorded by Elvis Presley on September 7, 1957, at Radio Recorders in Hollywood. Producer was Stephen Sholes, with musicians Scotty Moore, Bill Black, D.J. Fontana, with background vocals by Millie Kirkham and the Jordanaires.
“The Christmas Song”—Nat King Cole Trio recorded the song on June 1946 and did a second recording with a string section added in August 1946. The song was written by Mel Torme and Robert Wells. This song is one of the classic top Christmas songs of all times.
“Tennessee Christmas” was written by Amy Grant, recorded by Alabama and released by RCA in 1985 on Alabama’s “Christmas.” This album went to #8 on Billboard Top Country Chart.
“Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” was recorded by Gene Autry in 1949 and hit #1. The recording sold 2.5 million records the first year and eventually sold 25 million records. Rudolph was first seen in a book published by Montgomery Ward Department Stores in 1939 and ten short years later the song was recorded that would eventually become one of the top Christmas songs of all times.
Folks, you can listen to all of these top 16 songs on your computer: just type in the name of the song and artist, click the mouse, and listen. If you listen to this list three or four times, YouTube will make a personal “my mix” list that you bring up and will play without stopping except for commercials. This will certainly beat the junk on radio today.
See you in January.