A Holly Jolly Christmas

Burl Ives

About A Holly Jolly Christmas

"A Holly Jolly Christmas" (also called "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas") is a Christmas song written by Johnny Marks and most famously performed by Burl Ives. The song has since become one of the Top 25 most-performed "holiday" songs written by ASCAP members, for the first five years of the 21st century.


Year:
1995
441 
#1

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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

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Burl Ives

Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives (June 14, 1909 - April 14, 1995) was an American actor, writer and folk music singer. As an actor, Ives's work included comedies, dramas, and voice work in theater, television, and motion pictures. Music critic John Rockwell said, "Ives's voice ... had the sheen and finesse of opera without its latter-day Puccinian vulgarities and without the pretensions of operatic ritual. It was genteel in expressive impact without being genteel in social conformity. And it moved people." more »

7 fans

Written by: Johnny Marks

Lyrics © ST. NICHOLAS MUSIC INC.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Origin
"A Holly Jolly Christmas" was written by Johnny Marks, who is known for his Christmas-themed songs, for Burl Ives.
Year of Release
The song was originally released in November 1964.
Association with TV Special
It gained prominence when it was featured in the 1964 Rankin/Bass Christmas special, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", in which Burl Ives voiced the narrator, Sam the Snowman.
Chart Performance
Although it was not initially a chart-topping track, it gradually became one of the most popular holiday songs, often charting in Billboard's Holiday 100 every year.
Genre
"A Holly Jolly Christmas" falls under 'Christmas' music genre, combining elements of traditional pop and folk.
Cover Versions
Numerous artists have covered this beloved tune over the years, including Lady Antebellum, Michael Bublé, and Alan Jackson.
Legacy
"A Holly Jolly Christmas" has been included in numerous holiday-themed music compilations, and it is frequently played on radio during the Christmas season.
Grammy Hall of Fame
In 2020, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least 25 years old, and that have "qualitative or historical significance."
Lyrics
The song's lyrics convey a warm, cheerful holiday message with words like "have a cup of cheer" and "someone waits for you, kiss her once for me."
The Singer Burl Ives
Burl Ives, the singer of this song, is an American singer and actor. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his film "The Big Country".

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    "A Holly Jolly Christmas Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/5660214/Burl+Ives/A+Holly+Jolly+Christmas>.

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