In 1961, Nat King Cole delighted fans everywhere with “The Christmas Song,” subsequently earning the unofficial title of the King of Christmas. Since then, “The Christmas Song” has been not only a holiday classic but a signature track in Cole’s revered catalog.
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Cole got to put the song on full display when he appeared on The Danny Kaye Show in 1963, an Emmy Award-winning variety show on CBS hosted by actor Danny Kaye from 1963 to 1967. Cole appeared in the inaugural season on an episode that aired on Christmas Day, performing “The Christmas Song” and others. “Tonight, I can think of no finer Christmas present than the one we’re about to open,” Kaye said as he introduced Cole. “Wrapped in melody excitement, genuine magic, and tied with a ribbon of talent, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Nat King Cole.”
The singer then emerged on the soundstage with the opening number “Get Me to the Church On Time.” This led into “The Christmas Song” as Cole took his place by the fireplace. The live version differs slightly from the studio one, with his animated facial expressions telling the story of the song as much as the lyrics do while the mellifluous notes of his voice shine through.
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After “The Christmas Song,” he was greeted by Kaye, who wished the singer a “very merry Christmas.” “Nat, you sing so pretty,” the host praised. “I could listen to you all night.” After some banter about when Kaye saw Cole perform “The Christmas Song” two years prior in Japan, the two duetted on a jazz-inspired rendition of “Jingle Bells.” Cole also helped close the show by singing “Let There Be Peace on Earth” with Kaye and fellow guest Mary Tyler Moore.
“The Christmas Song” went through several transformations before becoming the timeless classic it is today. Cole first recorded the song written by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé with his trio in 1946. He re-recorded it later that same year with a string section. In 1953, he recorded a new version with a full orchestra, and another in 1961 using stereophonic sound, which became the version that floods the airwaves every holiday season.
“The Christmas Song” has made impressions on the charts since the 1960s. In 2004, it spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Holiday Airplay chart and in 2014, it peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Holiday 100. Between 1960 and 1962, it reached a peak of No. 65 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. However, it saw a resurgence in January 2023 when it reached the Top 10 on the Hot 100 for the first time and set the record for the longest climb to that chart position at 62 years.
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