Wikipedia

The Little Drummer Boy

"The Little Drummer Boy" (originally known as "Carol of the Drum") is a popular Christmas song written by American composer Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941. First recorded in 1951 by the Austrian Trapp Family, the song was further popularized by a 1958 recording by the Harry Simeone Chorale, which was a Christmastime chart hit through the 1960s and even decades later. Many other artists had chart success with the song, most notably Bing Crosby, who made a solo recording in 1962 as well as a duet medley with David Bowie in 1977.

"Carol of the Drum"
Sheet music for "Carol of the Drum" by Katherine Kennicott Davis
Song
Published1941
GenreChristmas
SongwriterKatherine Kennicott Davis

Composition

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Katherine Kennecott Davis wrote "Carol of the Drum" in 1941.[1] She was living in Concord, Massachusetts,[2] when the inspiration came to her during an attempt at napping one afternoon.[3][4] In a 2024 podcast of Hark! The stories behind our favorite Christmas carols, the guest was Lisa Graham, the director of the choral program and a senior lecturer in music at Wellesley College, Davis's alma mater, who answered questions about the composition that became "The Little Drummer Boy". Host Maggi Van Dorn said, "I have read that it could have been inspired or reminiscent of either a Czech or a French tune. Do you know anything about that?" Graham responded:[5]

I do, and, according to [Davis], neither. It was an original tune in her mind, and I think the mystery about the Czech origin was sort of at her own hand because on a whim, when she published the piece and turned in the manuscript, she wrote that it was based on a Czech carol, an old Czech carol. And it was completely made up because she thought it added a little bit of mystery to it, and she thought maybe it might give it a little more credence than just, say, an original composition.

Davis's interest was in producing material for amateur and girls' choirs: Her manuscript is set as a chorale, in which the tune is in the soprano melody with alto harmony, tenor and bass parts producing the "drum rhythm" and a keyboard accompaniment "for rehearsal only". It is headed "Czech Carol freely transcribed by K.K.D.", these initials then crossed out and replaced with "C.R.W. Robinson", a name under which Davis sometimes published.[6][7] According to Graham, "She gives the reason that she had published a number of carols under her own name and thought that, well, maybe something different. This might be a little more catchy."[8]

In the lyrics, the singer relates how, as a poor young boy, he was summoned by the Magi to the Nativity of Jesus. Without a gift for the infant, the little drummer boy played his drum with approval from Jesus's mother, Mary, recalling, "I played my best for him" and "He smiled at me". The story of a drummer at the manger is not from the Bible.[9]

Recording history

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"Carol of the Drum" appealed to the Austrian Trapp Family Singers, who first brought the song to wider prominence when they recorded it for Decca Records in 1951 on their first album for the label. Their version was credited solely to Davis and published by Belwin-Mills.[10] In 1957, the song was recorded with an altered arrangement by Jack Halloran[11][12] for his Jack Halloran Singers on their Dot Records album Christmas Is A-Comin'.[13] Dot was supposed to release their recording of "Carol of the Drum" as a single in 1957 but did not.[11]

A producer for Dot, Henry Onorati, had worked on the Halloran recording. He left Dot to become the new head of 20th Century-Fox Records, where he gave the arrangement to Harry Simeone,[11] who hired many of the same singers who had sung in Halloran's version and made a recording very similar to Halloran's with his newly-created Harry Simeone Chorale.[12][14] The only differences were that Simeone's contained finger cymbals and the song's title had been changed to "The Little Drummer Boy",[14] a name that Davis later said she disliked, describing it as "cutie cute".[15] It was included on Simeone's 1958 album Sing We Now of Christmas,[16] which was retitled The Little Drummer Boy in 1963.[11] (When Halloran's Christmas Is A-Comin' was reissued in 1959, both the album and the "Carol of the Drum" track were also given the song's new title.[17])

Simeone signed with Kapp Records in 1964 and recorded a new version of the song for his 1965 album O' Bambino – The Little Drummer Boy that ran 3 minutes 18 seconds.[18] It was recorded in stereo, had a slightly slower tempo, and contained different-sounding cymbals. Simeone recorded the song a third and final time in 1981; that recording was for an album again titled The Little Drummer Boy that was on the budget Holiday Records label and had a running time of 3 minutes and 8 seconds.[19]

"The Little Drummer Boy"
One of US single picture sleeves
Single by Harry Simeone Chorale
B-side"Die Lorelei"
ReleasedDecember 1958 (1958-12)
Genre
Length3:03
Label20th Fox
Songwriters
Music video
"The Little Drummer Boy" on YouTube

Simeone chart success

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"The Little Drummer Boy" by the Harry Simeone Chorale was released as a single in 1958[11] and was an enormous success,[20] ranking in the top 40 of Billboard magazine's Hot 100 singles chart from 1958 to 1962. The recording began eight consecutive annual appearances on the Christmas Singles chart when the magazine started ranking holiday songs separately in 1963. The 1965 version began appearing there in 1972.[21]

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Once the Simeone recording became popular, Davis wanted to clarify that she wrote the song, but the publishing company stood firm with her original notation that it was of Czech origin[22] and attempted to find further proof that it was.[23] An agreement was reached out of court in which Davis, Onorati and Simeone would share the royalties from the song.[24] Simeone and Onorati claimed and received joint composition credits with Davis,[14] although the two did not actually compose or arrange it.[11][12] Because she believed that Simeone and Onorati had done all the work that made the song so popular, she felt that the decision was fair but also felt that what they did was piracy and referred to them as "PIRATES" in capital letters in all written correspondence thereafter.[25] Halloran never received a joint writing credit for the song, something his family disagrees with.[11][12][26]

Aftermath

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In a 2009 op-ed for The New York Times, Louis W. Thompson wrote, "In later interviews, Katherine Davis seemed dismayed about her creation, saying the song had been ruined by being played too often."[27]

Original manuscript

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Katherine Davis died in 1980 and made provisions in her will so that all proceeds and royalties from her music went to the music department at Wellesley.[1] The collection of her manuscripts did not, however, include the one for "Carol of the Drum", which wound up at the auctioneer Sotheby's. The school won the manuscript after bidding $11,000 for it.[28]

Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy

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In 1977 Bing Crosby and David Bowie recorded a duet medley titled "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" for what would be Crosby's final holiday TV special (Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas). In 1982 it reached number 3 on the UK Singles Chart.[29] In 2008, Terry Wogan and Aled Jones recorded a cover for the album Bandaged: With a Little Help from My Friends; after a brief campaign amongst listeners of BBC Radio 2 instigated by DJ Chris Evans to get the song released in support of the Children in Need charity, it was released as a single on 8 December 2008,[30] and also peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart.[31]

Drummer Boy

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Justin Bieber released a version of the song with Busta Rhymes simply named "Drummer Boy" on his 2011 Christmas album Under the Mistletoe, adding rap verses. It reached number 86 on the Billboard Hot 100[32] and number 9 on the magazine's Holiday 100 chart.[33]

Charts

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Holiday 100 chart entries

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Since many radio stations in the US adopt a format change to Christmas music each December, many holiday hits have an annual spike in popularity during the last few weeks of the year and are retired once the season is over.[54] In December 2011, Billboard began a Holiday Songs chart with 50 positions that monitors the last five weeks of each year to "rank the top holiday hits of all eras using the same methodology as the Hot 100, blending streaming, airplay, and sales data",[55] and in 2013 the number of positions on the chart was doubled, resulting in the Holiday 100.[56] Recordings of "The Little Drummer Boy" have made appearances on the Holiday 100 and are noted below according to the holiday season in which they charted there.

Holiday 100 chart performance for
"The Little Drummer Boy" (2011—2025)
Holiday
season		 Peak chart positions
The Harry
Simeone Chorale		 Pentatonix Bing Crosby
2011 25[57] — —
2012 28[58] — —
2013 35[59] 1[60] —
2014 66[61] 30[62] —
2015 47[63] 92[64] —
2016 69[65] 86[66] —
2017 81[67] 67[67] —
2018 83[68] 78[69] 46[70]
2019 88[71] 84[72] 46[73]
2020 — 62[74] 62[75]
2021 — 91[76] 81[76]
2022 — 100[77] 79[78]
2023 — 88[79] 90[80]
2024 — — 89[81]
2025 — — 76[82]

Notable cover versions

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Other renditions of "The Little Drummer Boy" have been mentioned in reviews and other articles. AllMusic's Stanton Swihart wrote of the Ray Conniff 1962 album We Wish You a Merry Christmas, "The Singers effortlessly pull off intricate rounds … and glorious harmonies throughout that seem tailor-made for tunes such as 'The Little Drummer Boy'."[83] Robert Christgau reviewed the 1981 Joan Jett and the Blackhearts album I Love Rock 'n Roll for The Village Voice, writing, "Covering the Dave Clark Five and 'Little Drummer Boy' on the same side is a great schlock yea-saying move, but a move is all it is--makes me want to hear the originals rather than play the side again."[84] Ken Lieck reviewed Ringo Starr's 1999 album I Wanna Be Santa Claus and described his cover as a "right-on rockin' version".[85] Norwegian electronic musician Hans-Peter Lindstrøm recorded a 42-minute version of the song in 2009. In 2019, The Guardian placed it at number 20 on their list of the 50 greatest Christmas songs.[86] J. J. Francesco of New Release Today reviewed For King & Country's 2020 album A Drummer Boy Christmas and described it as "themed after their signature rendition of the classic carol".[87]

Billboard reviews

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Various versions of "The Little Drummer Boy" have been praised by the editors of Billboard in reviews of the albums or singles on which they appear. In 1960, Stella Stevens recorded it for a single, which the editors gave three stars.[88] In 1962, it was included on the list of songs that created a "pleasant mixture" on the Roger Wagner Chorale's album It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.[89] In 1963, they categorized the rendition on The Andy Williams Christmas Album as one of the "best tracks" on the LP.[90] Bert Kaempfert and His Orchestra recorded the song that year as a single, which the editors gave four stars.[91] Reviewing Eddie Fisher's 1965 album Mary Christmas, they wrote that "The Little Drummer Boy" was one of the songs that "capture all the joy and happiness of the festive season".[92] They reviewed four releases that included a cover in 1966, including Christmas Is … by Percy Faith, His Orchestra and Chorus; the editors included "The Little Drummer Boy" on their list of "winners" on the album.[93] They described the recording on My Christmas Dream by Sonny James as "second to none"[94] and a cover on the reissue of The 4 Seasons Greetings that year as "exciting".[95] Lena Horne's on Merry from Lena was hailed as a "tender rendition".[96]

The song was "the best of the traditional cuts" on Stevie Wonder's 1967 album Someday at Christmas.[97] Another 1967 track, this time from the Midnight String Quartet album Christmas Rhapsodies for Young Lovers, was described as "a bright interpretation".[98] Two reviews of albums from 1968 included praise for the song: it was noted as a "holiday treat" on The David Rose Christmas Album.[99] Also, the Living Strings & Living Voices gave an "exceptional interpretation" on their album White Christmas.[100] Three albums from 1970 had notable renditions. In critiquing José Feliciano's Feliz Navidad album, they wrote, "Feliciano adds interesting new dimensions to old Christmas favorites like, … 'Little Drummer Boy'."[101] Charley Pride's recording on Christmas in My Home Town was described as a "first rate treatment".[102] Regarding the Jackson 5 Christmas Album, they wrote that "the boys come on strong with their unique treatments of" several songs, one of which was "The Little Drummer Boy".[103]

Cash Box reviews

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Cash Box magazine editors also highlighted recordings of "The Little Drummer Boy" by various artists, three of which were from 1963. They, too, appreciated the Andy Williams rendition, describing it as one of the songs on the album that had a "lyrical and flavorful reading".[104] They also liked the Bert Kaempfert single and wrote, "A pleasing instrumental rendition of the Yuletide favorite."[105] In their review of We Sing You a Merry Christmas by The Osmond Brothers, they wrote that the group was "at their best" on several songs, one of which was "The Little Drummer Boy".[106] Four albums from 1964 also received high marks for covering it. The editors called it a "Yule delighter" on the 12 Songs of Christmas album by Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Fred Waring[107] and one of the "bright bands" on A Merry Christmas by Al Martino.[108] George Greeley recorded "Carol of the Drum" for his album The Best Loved Christmas Piano Concertos, and the editors listed it as one of the songs that contributed to "[l]oads of listening enjoyment".[109] In their review of More Sounds of Christmas by The Ramsey Lewis Trio, they wrote that "The Little Drummer Boy" was one of the songs on which "[t]he group's improvisation is effectively highlighted".[110] Tennessee Ernie Ford's recording was released as a single in 1965, and the editors wrote, "Soft, muted ork and choral backing builds powerfully."[111] Also in 1965, regarding a single by The Crusaders, the editors wrote, "This powerful R&B reading of the while-back venture should conquer all kinds of markets and get lots of spins for the Crusaders."[112]

The 1966 album Christmas Is … by Percy Faith included a recording of it that was "outstanding".[113] On the 1967 album Christmas Carols & Good Gospel by Cleophus Robinson, "The Little Drummer Boy" was "among the stronger efforts".[114] Two 1968 albums elicited comments on the song, one being The Perry Como Christmas Album, on which the singer gave his "usual smooth" performance.[115] The other was The Magic of Christmas by The Soulful Strings, which included a "highly interpretive reading".[116] In addition to the chart hit that Johnny Mathis had with the version from his 1963 album Sounds of Christmas, his second recording for his 1969 album Give Me Your Love for Christmas was recommended by the editors as "a stirring rendition".[117] In 1969, they also reviewed Duke Pearson's Merry Ole Soul album and wrote, "The group's readings of 'Little Drummer Boy' and 'Go Tell It on the Mountain' are outstanding and become much more than seasonal tunes as they are treated here."[118] It was also described as a "highlight" of The Temptations' Christmas Card in 1970.[119] Regarding Hark, The Herald Angels Swing by the World's Greatest Jazz Band of Yank Lawson and Bob Haggart, they wrote, "One of the hardest they tackle is 'Little Drummer Boy', which they interpret with horn and drum power beyond belief."[120]

References

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  1. 1 2 "Wellesley Faculty Experts Provide Historical Context for Christmas Carols for WGBH, U.S. Postal Service". Wellesley College. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  2. ↑ Maggi Van Dorn (2 December 2024). "The Little Drummer Boy". Hark! The stories behind our favorite Christmas carols (Podcast). Lisa Graham. America Media. Event occurs at 8:37. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
  3. ↑ "Wellesley Faculty Experts Provide Historical Context for Christmas Carols for WGBH, U.S. Postal Service". Wellesley College. Retrieved 8 December 2020. [One day], when she was trying to take a nap, she was obsessed with this song that came into her head.
  4. ↑ Maggi Van Dorn (2 December 2024). "The Little Drummer Boy". Hark! The stories behind our favorite Christmas carols (Podcast). Lisa Graham. America Media. Event occurs at 8:41. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
  5. ↑ Maggi Van Dorn (2 December 2024). "The Little Drummer Boy". Hark! The stories behind our favorite Christmas carols (Podcast). Lisa Graham. America Media. Event occurs at 9:11. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
  6. ↑ "Image of original manuscript in Wellesley College Library". Archived from the original on 4 January 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  7. ↑ Cummings, Robert. Katherine K. Davis biography at AllMusic
  8. ↑ Maggi Van Dorn (2 December 2024). "The Little Drummer Boy". Hark! The stories behind our favorite Christmas carols (Podcast). Lisa Graham. America Media. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
  9. ↑ "Is the little drummer boy in the Bible?". Got Questions?. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  10. ↑ "Scan of published sheet music". Photos1.blogger.com. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The Little Drummer Boy by The Harry Simeone Chorale Songfacts". Songfacts.com. Archived from the original on 25 November 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Estrella, Espie. "How the "Little Drummer Boy" Christmas Carol Came to Be". LiveAbout.com. Archived from the original on 23 November 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  13. ↑ Dot Records (1957). Christmas Is A-Comin' (record sleeve). Hollywood, CA: Dot Records. DLP-3076.
  14. 1 2 3 Leigh, Spencer (5 March 2005). "Harry Simeone Populariser of 'The Little Drummer Boy'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 27 November 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  15. ↑ Maggi Van Dorn (2 December 2024). "The Little Drummer Boy". Hark! The stories behind our favorite Christmas carols (Podcast). Lisa Graham. America Media. Event occurs at 6:47. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
  16. ↑ "Reviews and Ratings of New Popular Albums > Christmas *** > Sing We Now of Christmas – The Harry Simeone Chorale" (PDF). Billboard. 24 November 1958. p. 46. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  17. ↑ Dot Records (1959). The Little Drummer Boy (record sleeve). The Jack Halloran Singers. Hollywood, CA: Dot Records. DLP-25233.
  18. ↑ Kapp Records (1965). O Bambino – The Little Drummer Boy (record sleeve). Harry Simeone Chorale. New York: Kapp Records. KL-1450.
  19. ↑ Holiday Records (1981). The Little Drummer Boy (record sleeve). Harry Simeone Chorale. New York: Holiday Records. HDY-1925.
  20. ↑ Ankeny, Jason. Harry Simeone Chorale Biography at AllMusic
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Whitburn 2004, p. 58
  22. ↑ Maggi Van Dorn (2 December 2024). "The Little Drummer Boy". Hark! The stories behind our favorite Christmas carols (Podcast). Lisa Graham. America Media. Event occurs at 12:20. Retrieved 26 January 2026. So people started calling and telling Kay Davis, as she was known, that this was happening, and she decided, "I better take authorship of this." So she started with the publishing company, and it actually turned out to be a bit of a battle to reclaim authorship of the piece. The publishers themselves were saying that it was a Czech carol.
  23. ↑ Maggi Van Dorn (2 December 2024). "The Little Drummer Boy". Hark! The stories behind our favorite Christmas carols (Podcast). Lisa Graham. America Media. Event occurs at 12:20. Retrieved 26 January 2026. The lore goes that the lawyers were sent over to, sort of, investigate, to find somebody who heard it on their, you know, grandmother's knee or something, but no such person was produced.
  24. ↑ Maggi Van Dorn (2 December 2024). "The Little Drummer Boy". Hark! The stories behind our favorite Christmas carols (Podcast). Lisa Graham. America Media. Event occurs at 12:57. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
  25. ↑ Maggi Van Dorn (2 December 2024). "The Little Drummer Boy". Hark! The stories behind our favorite Christmas carols (Podcast). Lisa Graham. America Media. Event occurs at 13:05. Retrieved 26 January 2026. And she thought it was fair, actually, because they had done all this work with the recording and, of course, producing and popularizing it, so that was the arrangement. But she did call them pirates. It's pretty great. In all her communications in typed form, you know, pirates always is in, like, all caps. [paraphrasing] "I will hereon refer to them as PIRATES because that's what this is—piracy."
  26. ↑ Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 394. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
  27. ↑ Thompson, Louis W. (23 December 2009). "The Finest Gifts It Brings". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  28. ↑ Maggi Van Dorn (2 December 2024). "The Little Drummer Boy". Hark! The stories behind our favorite Christmas carols (Podcast). Lisa Graham. America Media. Event occurs at 13:38. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
  29. ↑ Zaleski, Annie (30 November 2017). "When David Bowie and Bing Crosby Rang in the Holidays". Ultimate Classic Rock. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  30. ↑ "Terry and Aled drumming up support for BBC Children in Need". BBC. 25 November 2008. Archived from the original on 17 January 2026. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  31. ↑ "Bandaged | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  32. ↑ "Justin Bieber Chart History (Hot 100)". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  33. ↑ "Justin Bieber Chart History (Hot 100)". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  34. ↑ "Harry Simeone Chorale Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  35. ↑ "Beverley Sisters Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  36. 1 2 Whitburn 2004, p. 26
  37. ↑ "Michael Flanders Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  38. ↑ Whitburn 2004, p. 39
  39. ↑ Whitburn 2004, p. 48
  40. ↑ Whitburn 2004, p. 20
  41. ↑ Whitburn 2004, p. 25
  42. 1 2 Whitburn 2004, p. 55
  43. ↑ "Pipes and Drums and the Military Band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guard Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  44. ↑ "Top 100 Single-Charts". GfK Entertainment Charts. 4 January 1982. Archived from the original on 18 January 2026. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  45. ↑ Whitburn 2004, p. 56
  46. ↑ Whitburn 2004, p. 46
  47. ↑ "Wilson Phillips Chart History – Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
  48. ↑ "Richard Marx Chart History – Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
  49. ↑ "Pentatonix – Little Drummer Boy" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
  50. ↑ "Pentatonix Chart History (Billboard Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
  51. ↑ "Pentatonix discography". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
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  53. ↑ "Pentatonix Chart History – Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
  54. ↑ Judkis, Maura (22 December 2015). "Jingle bell rock: Why lots of radio stations go all-Christmas in December". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  55. ↑ "Andy Williams Hits New High, The Ronettes 'Ride' Back After 52 Years & More Hot 100 Chart Moves". billboard.com. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  56. ↑ "Carey Brings Back 'Christmas'". Billboard. 14 December 2013. p. 115.
  57. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of December 10, 2011". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 28 December 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  58. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of December 22, 2012". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 28 December 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  59. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of December 14, 2013". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  60. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of December 21, 2013". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 30 May 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  61. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of December 13, 2014". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 25 February 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  62. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of December 20, 2014". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  63. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of December 12, 2015". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  64. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of December 26, 2015". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  65. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of December 17, 2016". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  66. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of December 31, 2016". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  67. 1 2 "Holiday 100: The week of December 23, 2017". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
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  69. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of December 29, 2018". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 20 August 2025. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  70. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of January 4, 2020". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 31 August 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  71. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of December 14, 2019". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  72. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of December, 2019". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  73. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of January 4, 2020". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 31 August 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  74. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of December 26, 2020". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  75. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of January 2, 2021". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  76. 1 2 "Holiday 100: The week of January 1, 2022". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  77. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of December 17, 2022". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 13 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  78. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of January 7, 2023". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 4 January 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  79. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of December 23, 2023". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  80. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of January 6, 2024". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  81. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of December 28, 2024". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 27 November 2025. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
  82. ↑ "Holiday 100: The week of January 3, 2026". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 17 January 2026. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  83. ↑ Swihart, Stanton. "We Wish You a Merry Christmas – Ray Conniff". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 4 February 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  84. ↑ "Robert Christgau: Consumer Guide Feb. 15, 1982". RobertChristgau.com. Archived from the original on 4 February 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  85. ↑ "Ringo Starr I Wanna Be Santa Claus (Mercury)". AustinChronicle.com. 24 December 1999. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  86. ↑ "The 50 greatest Christmas songs – ranked!". The Guardian. 5 December 2019.
  87. ↑ "A Drummer Boy Christmas by For King & Country". New Release Today. NRT Media, Inc. 29 October 2020. Archived from the original on 31 January 2026. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
  88. ↑ "Reviews of New Pop Records > Christmas > Stella Stevens and the Golden Orchestra" (PDF). Billboard. 7 November 1960. p. 53. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  89. ↑ "Spotlight Albums of the Week > It Came Upon a Midnight Clear – Roger Wagner Chorale" (PDF). Billboard. 13 October 1962. p. 38. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  90. ↑ "Ready-to-Go Programming > Best Tracks from the New Spotlight LP's > Christmas > The Andy Williams Christmas Album" (PDF). Billboard. 2 November 1963. p. 35. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  91. ↑ "Singles Reviews > Christmas > Bert Kaempfert and His Ork" (PDF). Billboard. 9 November 1963. p. 45. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  92. ↑ "Album Reviews > Christmas Spotlight > Mary Christmas – Eddie Fisher" (PDF). Billboard. 20 November 1965. p. 68. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  93. ↑ "Album Reviews > Christmas Spotlight > Christmas Is … Percy Faith" (PDF). Billboard. 29 October 1966. p. 64. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  94. ↑ "Album Reviews > Christmas Spotlight > My Christmas Dream – Sonny James" (PDF). Billboard. 29 October 1966. p. 64. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  95. ↑ "Album Reviews > Christmas Spotlight > The 4 Seasons' Christmas Album" (PDF). Billboard. 19 November 1966. p. 116. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  96. ↑ "Album Reviews > Christmas Spotlight > Merry from Lena – Lena Horne" (PDF). Billboard. 12 November 1966. p. 80. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  97. ↑ "Album Reviews > Christmas > Someday at Christmas – Stevie Wonder" (PDF). Billboard. 23 December 1967. p. 64. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  98. ↑ "Album Reviews > Christmas Spotlight > Christmas Rhapsodies for Young Lovers – Midnight String Quartet". Billboard. 4 November 1967. p. 88. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  99. ↑ "Album Reviews > Christmas >The David Rose Christmas Album" (PDF). Billboard. 16 November 1968. p. 59. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  100. ↑ "Album Reviews > White Christmas – Living Strings & Living Voices" (PDF). Billboard. 2 November 1968. p. 128. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  101. ↑ "Billboard Album Reviews > Christmas > Jose Feliciano" (PDF). Billboard. 7 November 1970. p. 36. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  102. ↑ "Billboard Album Reviews > Christmas > Charley Pride – Christmas in My Home Town" (PDF). Billboard. 7 November 1970. p. 36. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  103. ↑ "Album Reviews > Christmas > Jackson 5 – Christmas Album" (PDF). Billboard. 5 December 1970. p. 63. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  104. ↑ "Cash Box Album Reviews >" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. 9 November 1963. p. 26. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  105. ↑ "Cash Box Record Reviews > Bert Kaempfert Orch. > Little Drummer Boy" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. 9 November 1963. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  106. ↑ "Cash Box Album Reviews > Christmas Best Bets > We Sing You a Merry Christmas – The Osmond Brothers" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. 30 November 1963. p. 26. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  107. ↑ "Cash Box Album Reviews > Christmas Picks > 12 Songs of Christmas – Sinatra/Crosby/Waring" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. 24 October 1964. p. 26. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  108. ↑ "Cash Box Album Reviews > Christmas Picks > A Merry Christmas – Al Martino" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. 24 October 1964. p. 26. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  109. ↑ "Cash Box Album Reviews > Christmas Picks > The Best Loved Christmas Piano Concertos – George Greeley" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. 31 October 1964. p. 26. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  110. ↑ "Cash Box Album Reviews > Christmas Picks > More Sounds of Christmas – Ramsey Lewis Trio" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. 12 December 1964. p. 28. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  111. ↑ "Cash Box Record Reviews > Christmas Best Bets > Tennessee Ernie Ford – The Little Drummer Boy" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. 4 December 1965. p. 14. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  112. ↑ "Cash Box Record Reviews > Christmas Best Bets > The Crusaders – The Little Drummer Boy" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. 19 November 1966. p. 26. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  113. ↑ "Cash Box Album Reviews > Christmas Picks > Christmas Is – Percy Faith" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. 26 November 1966. p. 54. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  114. ↑ "Cash Box Christmas Album Reviews > Christmas Carols & Good Gospel – Rev. Cleophus Robinson" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. 16 December 1967. p. 44. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  115. ↑ "Cash Box Album Reviews > Christmas Picks > The Many Moods of Christmas with Perry Como" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. 9 November 1968. p. 42. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  116. ↑ "Cash Box Album Reviews > Christmas Picks > The Magic of Christmas – Soulful Strings" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. 21 December 1968. p. 38. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  117. ↑ "Cash Box Album Reviews > Christmas Picks > Give Me Your Love for Christmas – Johnny Mathis" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. 13 December 1969. p. 32. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  118. ↑ "Cash Box Album Reviews > Christmas Picks > Merry Ole Soul – Duke Pearson" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. 20 December 1969. p. 42. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  119. ↑ "Cash Box Album Reviews > Christmas Picks > The Temptations' Christmas Card" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. 19 December 1970. p. 80. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  120. ↑ "Cash Box Album Reviews > Seasonal Picks > Hark, The Herald Angels Swing – The World's Greatest Jazzband of Yank Lawson & Bob Haggart" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. 9 December 1972. p. 36. Retrieved 4 February 2026.

Bibliography

edit
  • Whitburn, Joel (2004), Christmas in the Charts (1920-2004), Record Research Inc., ISBN 0-89820-161-6
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