Burl Ives photographed in 1974.
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The beloved Christmas song “A Holly Jolly Christmas” was written by Johnny Marks in 1962 and became most notable when Burl Ives sang it as the narrating snowman in the 1964 stop-motion film Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Ives re-recorded the song in 1965 for his holiday album Have a Holly Jolly Christmas.
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The song finally made it to the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time in 2017, reaching a peak position of No. 38. In 2020, it reached its peak position at No. 4 on the chart dated January 4. Artists such as Lady Antebellum and Michael Bublé have both covered the song for their holiday albums.
Check out the lyrics to this holiday classic and watch the original recording of it from the final scene of Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer.
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
(Have a holly, jolly Christmas
It’s the best time of the year)
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
Lyrics licensed & provided by LyricFind
Lyrics © ST. NICHOLAS MUSIC INC.
Written by: Johnny Marks