Her memories of recording 香蕉视频直播淩ockin香蕉视频直播� Around the Christmas Tree香蕉视频直播� are a little hazy. She remembers the producer placing decorations around the studio and blasting the air conditioner on a warm Nashville day to create a holiday spirit. The musicians, she recalls, nailed it in a couple of takes.

That香蕉视频直播檚 about it. After all, Brenda Lee was 13 years old at the time 香蕉视频直播� and it was 66 years ago, in 1958.

Somewhat implausibly, her celebration of a 香蕉视频直播淐hristmas party hop香蕉视频直播� is more popular today than ever before. It香蕉视频直播檚 an unusual trajectory, even accounting for the fact that music listeners during the holiday season tend to embrace songs they香蕉视频直播檝e known for years.

香蕉视频直播淩ockin香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� eclipsed Mariah Carey香蕉视频直播檚 perennial favorite last December to top the Billboard music chart and make Lee, at age 78, the oldest woman to achieve that feat. A week later, following a birthday, she beat her own mark. Kendrick Lamar likely stands in her way of doing it again this year.

Another record: Sixty-five years represented the longest interval between a record being released and making it to No. 1.

香蕉视频直播淚t is a good song,香蕉视频直播� Lee told The Associated Press. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a song that anybody can sing. You can join in, you can sing it, everyone is happy. I sure am glad that I have it. I never thought in my life that a Christmas song would be my legacy. But I香蕉视频直播檒l take it.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播楢n ear worm on steroids香蕉视频直播�

It香蕉视频直播檚 a phenomenon that music journalist Holly Gleason noticed recently while stopping for coffee in Nashville, near the neighborhood where Lee lives. The song came over the loudspeaker and the room 香蕉视频直播� parents, kids, hipsters 香蕉视频直播� erupted in singing and laughter. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 kind of an ear worm on steroids,香蕉视频直播� said Gleason, whose 2017 book 香蕉视频直播淲oman Walk the Line: How the Women in Country Music Changed Our Lives香蕉视频直播� featured Lee, among others.

The song manages the neat trick of sounding retro yet not dated. Sweet guitar licks snake around Lee香蕉视频直播檚 voice in the original recording. Boots Randolph香蕉视频直播檚 saxophone solo drives it home. The party flies by quickly, the song over in two minutes, six seconds.

Composer Johnny Marks already had some seasonal hits to his credit, including 香蕉视频直播淩udolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播淎 Holly Jolly Christmas.香蕉视频直播� He specifically sought out Lee for his new song in 1958 and it香蕉视频直播檚 easy to see why: Who better to convey its innocence and spirit than a 13-year-old girl at the forefront of the Baby Boom? Rock 香蕉视频直播榥香蕉视频直播� roll was in its infancy then, too.

In the song, Lee sings about 香蕉视频直播渕istletoe hung where you can see, every couple tries to stop.香蕉视频直播�

In real life, she hadn香蕉视频直播檛 experienced her first kiss. 香蕉视频直播淟ord, no,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淣ot to say I didn香蕉视频直播檛 want to. I wasn香蕉视频直播檛 even allowed to date until I was 16.香蕉视频直播�

What is the 香蕉视频直播榥ew old-fashioned way,香蕉视频直播� anyway?

The song hits plenty of holiday reference points 香蕉视频直播� pumpkin pie, caroling, boughs of holly. You can overlook the part of the chorus that doesn香蕉视频直播檛 make much sense: what is the 香蕉视频直播渘ew old-fashioned way,香蕉视频直播� exactly?

The simplicity of 香蕉视频直播淩ockin香蕉视频直播� Around the Christmas Tree香蕉视频直播� is a big part of its appeal, said Nathaniel Sloan, a musicologist at the University of Southern California and co-host of the 香蕉视频直播淪witched on Pop香蕉视频直播� podcast. Like many successful holiday songs, it evokes nostalgia for a happier, more peaceful time 香蕉视频直播� even if that香蕉视频直播檚 more imagination than reality, he said.

The style is more rockabilly than traditional rock or country, and Sloan believes that has much to do with why it continues to sound fresh.

香蕉视频直播淭he thing that has always stunned me about the song is that you香蕉视频直播檙e listening to a 13-year-old香蕉视频直播檚 performance, and it doesn香蕉视频直播檛 sound that way to me,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 a depth to the vocal, even a weathered quality, that I can香蕉视频直播檛 believe she was so young. It香蕉视频直播檚 pitch-perfect.香蕉视频直播�

For all of its success, the song was barely noticed upon its release in 1958. Not until two years later, when Lee香蕉视频直播檚 profile was higher through hits like 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 Sorry,香蕉视频直播� did it make the music charts. Its biggest boost came 40 years after that, when 香蕉视频直播淩ockin香蕉视频直播� Around the Christmas Tree香蕉视频直播� was featured in the hit movie 香蕉视频直播淗ome Alone.香蕉视频直播� The movie itself has become a holiday staple, giving more exposure to the song each year.

Her record company continues to push the song, recording a video in 2023 that included guest appearances by Tanya Tucker and Trisha Yearwood. This year it has released 香蕉视频直播淣oche Buena Y Navidad,香蕉视频直播� a Spanish-language version using artificial intelligence to create a vocal derived from Lee香蕉视频直播檚 voice.

The record company is throwing Lee a birthday party

Universal Music is holding a party for her in Nashville to celebrate her 80th birthday on Wednesday. 香蕉视频直播淪he香蕉视频直播檚 just a force and a character,香蕉视频直播� said Cindy Mabe, the company香蕉视频直播檚 chairwoman and CEO. 香蕉视频直播淪he香蕉视频直播檚 full of spunk in the same way that 13-year-old girl was.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淩ockin香蕉视频直播� Around the Christmas Tree香蕉视频直播� made the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2019. It has been streamed more than 2.5 billion times globally and certified seven times Platinum, meaning at least seven million copies sold. Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, Meghan Trainor, Kacey Musgraves and the duo of Darlene Love & Ronnie Spector are among the artists who香蕉视频直播檝e covered it.

Lee has sung it countless times over the years, most recently at a charity event last year. It made her concert setlist even in the heat of summer. How much money the song has earned is murky; the record company wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 talk about it. The bulk of its income would likely go to Marks香蕉视频直播� estate.

香蕉视频直播淚t has never been a money thing for me,香蕉视频直播� Lee said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 been a love thing. The money is great, yes, and I香蕉视频直播檓 grateful. But I would be singing it on the corner for pennies because that香蕉视频直播檚 what I love to do.香蕉视频直播�