Brenda Lee isn’t a name younger music fans may be familiar with, but thanks to TikTok’s trending sounds, they certainly know her breakout smash “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.”
When did Brenda Lee release “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree?”
The track, which was written by Johnny Marks, was originally recorded on October 19, 1958, when Lee was just 13. However, it wasn’t released in the United States until November 24. In December 1962, the song was promoted in the United Kingdom. Since the song is a bop that keeps giving, on November 3, 2023, Lee, now 78, shared the official video for the staple song.
During an interview with Billboard, Lee spoke about the record’s longevity. “It’s crazy to be shopping in a department store and hearing yourself sing at the same time. It’s pretty surreal,” she said. Not that she’s complaining: “It’s just been a wonderful, wonderful gift.”
Later in the conversation, Lee joked about Mariah Carey dethroning her as the top holiday song with “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” “She’s knocked me off [the top],” she said. “I wanna tell my folks, get out there. We gotta get ‘Rockin” back up there! But I will say, you go, Mariah! I love that song.”
Watch the official video for Brenda Lee’s song “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” above.