Throwback Thursday: A discussion on Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"

Chris DeMakes A Podcast

Chris DeMakes

Music History, Music Commentary, Music, Music Interviews

4.9 • 923 Ratings

🗓️ 4 December 2025

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this festive Throwback Thursday episode from December 23rd, 2024, Chris DeMakes and co-host/producer Chris Fafalios dive into the story behind the beloved 1958 holiday classic "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." They trace the song’s origins from the pen of Johnny Marks to Brenda Lee’s unforgettable vocal performance at just 13 years old, recorded under the guidance of Nashville legend Owen Bradley. The conversation explores the song’s rockabilly roots, nostalgic lyrics, and the standout saxophone solo that gives it an extra burst of holiday spirit. They also reflect on the track’s remarkable staying power, its boost from films like Home Alone, and Brenda Lee’s historic climb to the top of the charts in 2023—proving that some Christmas magic only gets stronger with time. Chris DeMakes A Podcast is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at ⁠http://distrokid.com/vip/demakes For bonus episode of The After Party podcast, an extensive back catalog of past After Party episodes, early ad-free releases of new episodes of Chris DeMakes A Podcast, full video versions of episodes, and MUCH more, head to the Patreon at ⁠http://www.ChrisDeMakes.com Follow Chris DeMakes A Podcast on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/chrisdemakesapodcast/⁠ Join the Chris DeMakes A Podcast community on Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/2643961642526928/⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is brought to you by Distro Kit.
0:02.8	This festive season of McDonald's Get Grinched deals every day. Okay, okay. With a sausage sandwich for just... Let's see, 9-9-N-P? Six chiggin' mcnuggets for just... 9-9-p. Ha! Fine. Get Grinch deals every day in the McDonald's app. 18 plus app only. Ends 24th of December. One use per offer. Fees apply to delivery.
0:21.4	Participation varies.
0:22.2	Tees and Cs apply.
0:23.7	Stay. 18 plus app only ends 24th of December, one use per offer, fees apply to delivery, participation varies, Tiz and Cs apply.
0:23.7	Hey!
0:26.0	Just a little bit longer!
0:30.9	Hey, everybody, Krista Makes a podcast producer Chris Fafalius here, ready to take you all back in time for another throwback Thursday episode.
0:39.9	It's officially the holiday season now, and this week I'm just taking you back to last December
0:45.5	when Chris and I did an episode all about Brenda Lee's rocking around the Christmas tree.
0:52.1	Now, you'll hear all about Brenda's background, as well as how the song
0:56.4	came to be a Christmas classic in the actual episode, but here's a little extra context for you
1:02.0	before we jump in. Rocking around the Christmas tree made its debut on the charts on December 12th of
1:07.9	1960, so I just wanted to fill you all in on what was going on around that time.
1:13.9	So JFK had just defeated incumbent vice president Richard Nixon to become the 35th president
1:21.0	the month before this. On December 2nd of 1960, paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey discovered the fossil of the 1.4 million
1:32.8	year old Homo erectus in Tanzania.
1:37.2	A pretty cool legacy that Lewis Leakey left that I read about was that he fostered field
1:42.7	research of primates in their natural habitats,
1:45.7	and he personally focused on three female researchers that went on to become important scholars
1:52.7	in primatology. One of those was Jane Goodall, who I'm sure all of you have heard of before.
1:59.2	She's very cool. I recently listened to an interview with
	...

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