USA: Christmas surprise hit Mariah Carey – changed the panorama

NEW YORK/BERLIN (dpa) — Brenda Lee was 13 when she recorded “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree.” Not long ago, the girl, who was born in the American metropolis of Atlanta in the state of Georgia in 1944, signed her first recording contract after years of appearing on radio shows and talent contests. Johnny Marks, the songwriter who died in 1985 and came up with “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “A Holy Jolly Christmas,” is said to have particularly wanted Little Lee to record his new Christmas song.

This year, the song, released in 1958, turns 65, and singer Lee turned 79 on Monday (December 11) — and now “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” has topped the US charts for the first time. The rocking Christmas song, sung by stars such as Kim Wilde, Cyndi Lauper, LeAnn Rimes, Justin Bieber and Kelly Clarkson, has topped the US charts repeatedly over the past 65 years, 4 of them last. From years to number two, but now it’s back to number one for the first time since its release.

The song recently peaked at number nine on the German charts. In 2022, it achieved its highest ranking ever by placing fourth in the week before Christmas.

A music video was recorded for the first time

It may have helped that this year, in the US, Lee recorded a video for the first time during the song’s 65th birthday – which later went viral. In it, an old lady in a red robe can be seen swaying near a festively decorated Christmas tree. Lee also posted a video via Instagram showing how he found out his song is now at the top of the charts. “That’s amazing, wow,” says the musician, wiping tears from his eyes. “All these years. Mr. Marks would be proud.”

Lee also set records with her chart success: the longest gap between a song being released and reaching number one on the chart and she is now officially the oldest woman in the history of the US Billboard charts to reach number one.

However, this wasn’t her first chart-topper: she had already achieved it in the 1960s with “I’m Sorry” and “I Want to Be Wanted”. In all, Lee, who had been married for 60 years and had two children, had nearly 50 top 100 hits in the 1960s. He has sold more than 100 million albums, received awards such as Grammys and was included in Rock’n’roll. ‘Roll Hall of Fame and Country Music.

How did Brenda Lee start her career?

In Germany he appeared at the opening act of the Beatles. Lee came from a poor background and used his success to help support his family. Things slowly calmed down for Lee in the 80s, but every now and then he released a new album or a new song.

In recent years, the undisputed “Queen of Christmas” has always been Mariah Carey. “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” the 54-year-old’s hit, first released in 1994, topped the chart for the first time in 2019 and every year through 2022. In Germany, Carey returned to the top of the charts this year on Friday (December 8) – the fifth year in a row and the 14th number-one week for a Christmas pop hit.

In the US, Carey is currently number two, with more than half of the top ten Christmas songs. This year, however, Leigh surprisingly established herself as the “Queen of Christmas” by “rockin’ around the Christmas tree” — and as Leigh made public in an Instagram photo, Carey promptly sent flowers for it. “Dear Ms. Brenda, Congratulations on your historic No. 1. Have a wonderful Christmas. Love, Maria,” Lee wrote via Instagram in an accompanying card.

© dpa‍-infocom, dpa:231209‍-99‍-234048/3