The Christmas Song

By Mel Torme & Bob Wells
1944

Composed in the middle of a sweltering summer, the most recorded Christmas song of all time started out as a list of wintery things compiled by Wells in a whimsical attempt to "think cool". Once his vocalist friend Torme spotted the list and added music and a few extra lyrics to it, a holiday standard was born. It was first introduced by Nat King Cole with his trio in 1946, and Cole would later make it one of his signature tunes, recording it a total of four times. Torme himself would eventually record it three times.

Lyrics:

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,
Jack Frost nipping at your nose,
Yule-tide carols being sung by a choir,
And folks dressed up like Eskimos.

Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe
Help to make the season bright.
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow
Will find it hard to sleep tonight.

They know that Santa's on his way.
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh.
And every mother's child is gonna spy
To see if reindeer really know how to fly.

And so, I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety-two:
Although it's been said many times, many ways,
Merry Christmas to you.

Recorded By:

Diana Krall
Frank Sinatra
Andy Williama
Johnny Mathis
Bing Crosby