{"id":27671,"date":"2017-12-19T12:07:35","date_gmt":"2017-12-19T17:07:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=27671"},"modified":"2022-12-13T13:06:49","modified_gmt":"2022-12-13T18:06:49","slug":"the-background-of-the-christmas-song","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/the-background-of-the-christmas-song.html","title":{"rendered":"The Background of \u2018The Christmas Song\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/em><\/strong>: In this article, Gena Philibert-Ortega writes about \u201cThe Christmas Song,\u201d the enduring holiday classic written by Mel Torme and Bob Wells in 1945. Gena is a genealogist and author of the book \u201cFrom the Family Kitchen.<\/span>\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

It seems that every year radio stations play Christmas songs earlier and earlier. Where I live, Halloween 2017 was barely complete when a local radio station started playing songs with bells and snowmen in their titles! These songs conjure up thoughts of snow, layering on jackets and mittens, and enjoying time with family and friends \u2013 but at least one Christmas song was written during a summer heatwave.<\/p>\n

\"Illustration:<\/a>
Illustration: A Christmas postcard, 1907. Credit: Souvenir Post Card Company; Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe Christmas Song\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

One familiar Christmas tune started out not as homage to the holiday season, but more as an antidote to hot weather. Even if you can\u2019t remember the title of the song, you are most likely familiar with the opening lines: \u201cChestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose.\u201d \u201cThe Christmas Song,\u201d penned in July 1945 by Mel Torme and Bob Wells, has a slightly non-Christmassy origin.<\/p>\n

The story behind the song has become legend, and while there are slightly different versions they all agree that Bob Wells, a songwriter, composer, and television producer was the author behind at least some of the lyrics. The story goes that he was trying to think cold thoughts as he suffered through a hot Southern California July day \u2013 and so he wrote down some \u201ccool\u201d ideas that would later become part of the iconic song:<\/p>\n

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
\nJack Frost nipping at your nose
\nYuletide carols being sung by a choir
\nAnd folks dressed up like Eskimos<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

His writing partner Mel Torme (singer, composer, and actor) walked into Bob\u2019s home, saw the notes and asked Wells what he was doing. Wells replied he was trying to \u201cwrite something to cool himself off.\u201d Torme sat down at the piano and after working for 45 minutes they had a song. Torme and Wells played the new song for the managers of Peggy Lee and Nat King Cole, and then for Cole himself, who a year later recorded it.* Cole\u2019s version would be the \u201cfirst holiday standard ever introduced by a black American.\u201d**<\/p>\n

Wells and Torme had a huge hit on their hands. Torme was only 19 years of age and Wells was 22 when they penned their enduring ballad. The royalties from that one song were a constant source of income for them throughout their lives. Torme even referred to it as his \u201cannuity.\u201d<\/p>\n

I wanted to learn more about this song, so I searched in GenealogyBank\u2019s Historical Newspaper Archives<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You can read the background story of the song, as well as the lyrics and music, in this 1978 newspaper interview with Mel Torme.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
San Diego Union (San Diego, California), 24 December 1978, page 52<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"An<\/a>
San Diego Union (San Diego, California), 24 December 1978, page 52<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Covered by Many Others<\/strong><\/p>\n

Most Christmas songs are covered by countless artists in every conceivable musical genre every year. Every holiday season includes albums recorded by whichever singer or music group is currently popular, and features their takes on old standards \u2013 especially \u201cThe Christmas Song.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Boston Traveler (Boston, Massachusetts), 4 February 1966, page 25<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Like most Christmas tunes, \u201cThe Christmas Song\u201d has been recorded by other artists besides Mel Torme and Nat King Cole. According to the above 1966 newspaper article, at that point \u201cThe Christmas Song\u201d had sold more than three million copies for Nat King Cole, and had been recorded by over 150 other artists.<\/p>\n

Obviously, in the more than half a century since this article was published, those numbers have grown exponentially. The list of artists recording \u201cThe Christmas Song\u201d includes: Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass, Sergio Mendez, Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby, Etta James, Barbara Streisand, The Jackson 5, Celine Dion, Bob Dylan, Gavin McGraw, and Pentatonix among others.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Boston Record American (Boston, Massachusetts), 12 November 1968, page 91<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Your Favorite Christmas Song?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Of \u201cThe Christmas Song,\u201d Good Housekeeping reported that it was Torme\u2019s favorite. While other reports deny that, there\u2019s one thing that is certain: it is a popular Yule-time tune.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Boston Herald (Boston, Massachusetts), 27 November 1977, page 62<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What is your favorite Christmas song? Is there a particular song that\u2019s a must-have for the holiday season? Let us know in the comments section below.<\/p>\n

—————————<\/p>\n

* \u201cThe Christmas Song,\u201d Performing Songwriter (http:\/\/performingsongwriter.com\/christmas-song\/<\/a>: accessed 7 December 2017).
\n** Ibd.<\/p>\n

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