"The Christmas Song" (commonly subtitled "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" or, as it was originally subtitled, "Merry Christmas to You") is a classic Christmas song written in 1945 by Bob Wells and Mel Tormé.
According to Tormé, the song was written during a blistering hot summer. In an effort to "stay cool by thinking cool", the most-performed (according to BMI) Christmas song was born. "I saw a spiral pad on his (Wells') piano with four lines written in pencil", Tormé recalled. "They started, 'Chestnuts roasting..., Jack Frost nipping..., Yuletide carols..., Folks dressed up like Eskimos.' Bob didn't think he was writing a song lyric. He said he thought if he could immerse himself in winter he could cool off. Forty minutes later that song was written. I wrote all the music and some of the lyrics."
The Nat King Cole Trio first recorded the song early in 1946. At Cole's behest – and over the objections of his label, Capitol Records – a second recording was made later the same year utilizing a small string section, this version becoming a massive hit on both the pop and R&B charts. Cole again recorded the song in 1953, using the same arrangement with a full orchestra arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle, and once more in 1961, in a stereophonic version with orchestra conducted by Ralph Carmichael. Cole's 1961 version is generally regarded as definitive, and in 2004 was the most-loved seasonal song with women aged 30–49, while the original 1946 recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1974.
First recording: Recorded at WMCA Radio Studios, New York City, June 14, 1946. Label credit: The King Cole Trio (Nat King Cole, vocal-pianist; Oscar Moore, guitarist; Johnny Miller, bassist). Not issued until 1989, when it was (accidentally) included on the various-artists compilation Billboard Greatest Christmas Hits (1935–1954) Rhino R1 70637(LP) / R2 70637(CD).
Second recording: Recorded at WMCA Radio Studios, New York City, August 19, 1946. First record issue. Label credit: The King Cole Trio with String Choir (Nat King Cole, vocal-pianist, Oscar Moore, guitarist; Johnny Miller, bassist; Charlie Grean, conductor of 4 string players, a harpist and a drummer). Lacquer disc master #981. Issued November 1946 as Capitol 311 (78rpm). This recording is available on the 2000 Cole compilation CD Christmas for Kids: From One to Ninety-Two, as well as on a CD called The Holiday Album, which has 1940s Christmas songs recorded by Cole and Bing Crosby.
Third recording: Recorded at Capitol Studios, Hollywood, August 24, 1953. This was the song's first magnetic tape recording. Label credit: The King Cole Trio with String Choir (Actual artists: Nat King Cole, vocal; Buddy Cole, pianist; John Collins, guitarist; Charlie Harris, bassist; Nelson Riddle, orchestra conductor). Master #11726, take 11. Issued November 1953 as the "new" Capitol 90036(78rpm) / F90036(45rpm) (Capitol first issued 90036 in 1950 with the second recording). Correct label credit issued on October 18, 1954 as Capitol 2955(78rpm) / F2955(45rpm). Label credit: Nat "King" Cole with Orchestra Conducted by Nelson Riddle. This recording is available on the 1990 Cole compilation CD Cole, Christmas, & Kids, as well as on the various-artists CD Casey Kasem Presents All Time Christmas Favorites. It was also included, along with both 1946 recordings, on the 1991 Mosaic Records box set The Complete Capitol Recordings of the Nat King Cole Trio. This version is sometimes (though quite rarely) played on the radio during the Christmas season and is nearly identical to the popular 1961 recording. It is easy to tell apart from the 1961 version in that the final notes (the Jingle Bells guitar bit) sounds faster and more rushed.
Fourth recording: Recorded at Capitol Studios, New York City, March 30, 1961. This rendition, the first recorded in stereo, is widely played on radio stations during the Christmas season, and is the most popular/familiar version of this song. Label credit: Nat King Cole (Nat King Cole, vocal; Charles Grean and Pete Rugolo, orchestration; Ralph Carmichael, orchestra conductor). The instrumental arrangement is nearly identical to the 1953 version, but the vocals are much deeper and more focused. Originally done for The Nat King Cole Story (a 1961 LP devoted to stereo re-recordings of Cole's earlier hits), this recording was later included in a reissue of Cole's 1960 holiday album The Magic of Christmas replacing "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". Retitled The Christmas Song, the album was issued in 1963 as Capitol W-1967(mono) / SW-1967(stereo) and today is in print on compact disc. This recording of "The Christmas Song" is also available on numerous compilation albums. Some are Capitol pop standards Christmas compilations while others are broader-based. For example, it is available on WCBS-FM's Ultimate Christmas Album Volume 3. An alternate take of the 1961 recording, featuring a different vocal and missing the solo piano on the instrumental bridge, appears on the Deluxe Edition of the 2014 compilation The Extraordinary Nat King Cole.
There were several covers of Nat Cole's original record in the 1940s. The first of these was said to be by Dick Haymes on the Decca label, but his was released first – not recorded first. The first cover of "The Christmas Song" was performed by pop tenor and bandleader Eddy Howard on Majestic. Howard was a big Cole fan, and also covered Nat's versions of "I Want to Thank Your Folks" and "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons", among others.
Mel Tormé himself made several recordings of the song, including versions released in 1954 (on his live Coral Records album At the Crescendo), 1961 (on his Verve Records album My Kind of Music), 1970 (on a Columbia Records Christmas single), 1990 (in a medley with "Autumn Leaves", on his live Concord Records album Mel Tormé Live at the Fujitsu–Concord Festival 1990), and 1992 (on his Telarc Records album Christmas Songs).
Tormé's 1970 version of the song adds an opening verse. Tormé wrote this opening in 1963 while writing for the Judy Garland Show. He first performed and introduced the opening verse as a guest for the series' Christmas Special which aired on December 22, 1963.
Additionally, his recordings typically include a coda adapted from "Here We Come A-wassailing":
Deana Martin recorded "The Christmas Song" on her 2011 album, White Christmas, released by Big Fish Records.
"The Christmas Song" has been covered by numerous artists from a wide variety of genres, including:
1954: Rosemary Clooney on the album Irving Berlin's White Christmas
1956: Joni James on the album Merry Christmas from Joni
1957: Frank Sinatra on the album A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra
1957: Polly Bergen on the December 14 airing of her variety show, The Polly Bergen Show
1958: Bing Crosby on the album That Christmas Feeling
1958: Johnny Mathis on his album Merry Christmas (also a duet with Billy Joel on Mathis' 2013 album Sending You a Little Christmas)
1959: Connie Francis on the album Christmas in My Heart
1960: Ella Fitzgerald on the album Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas
1960: Peggy Lee on the album Christmas Carousel
1963: Andy Williams on the album The Andy Williams Christmas Album
1963: Judy Garland in a duet with Mel Tormé on an episode of The Judy Garland Show
1963: Robert Goulet on the album This Christmas I Spend with You
1963: The Miracles on the album Christmas with The Miracles
1964: Doris Day on the album The Doris Day Christmas Album
1964: John Gary on the album The John Gary Christmas Album
1964: Ricky Nelson on the episode of TV's The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet titled "A Busy Christmas"
1964: Sammy Davis Jr. on the album California Suite
1965: Hollyridge Strings on the album Christmas Favorites
1965: The Supremes on the album Merry Christmas
1965: Vince Guaraldi Trio on the album A Charlie Brown Christmas
1966: Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons on the album The 4 Seasons' Christmas Album
1966: Kenny Burrell on the album Have Yourself a Soulful Little Christmas
1966: The Lettermen on the album For Christmas This Year
1967: Barbra Streisand on her album A Christmas Album
1967: Stevie Wonder on the album Someday at Christmas
1968: Glen Campbell on the album That Christmas Feeling
1968: Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass on the album Christmas Album
1968: Tony Bennett on the album Snowfall: The Tony Bennett Christmas Album
1970: Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass on the album Christmas with Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass
1970: The Jackson 5 on the album Jackson 5 Christmas Album
1970: The Temptations on the album 'The Temptations Christmas Card
1971: The Partridge Family on the album A Partridge Family Christmas Card
1972: Nora Aunor on the album Christmas Songs
1975: John Denver on the album Rocky Mountain Christmas
1978: The Carpenters on the album Christmas Portrait
1983: Amy Grant on the album A Christmas Album
1985: The Canadian Brass on the album A Canadian Brass Christmas
1987: Big Bird and The Swedish Chef on the TV special A Muppet Family Christmas
1987: Reba McEntire on the album Merry Christmas to You
1987: Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66 on the album Wonderland: Yulesville
1988: Alexander O'Neal on the album My Gift to You
1988: James Brown on the album Santa's Got a Brand New Bag
1988: Ramon "RJ" Jacinto on his Christmas album Pasko Na Naman
1989: New Kids on the Block on the album Merry, Merry Christmas
1989: Randy Travis on the album An Old Time Christmas
1990: Barry Manilow on the album Because It's Christmas
1992: Luther Vandross on the album A Very Special Christmas, Vol. 2
1992: The Manhattan Transfer on the album The Christmas Album
1993: Aaron Neville on the album Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas
1993: Gloria Estefan on the album Christmas Through Your Eyes
1993: Toni Braxton on the album A LaFace Family Christmas
1994: Natalie Cole on the album Holly & Ivy (also a duet with Nat King Cole on The Magic of Christmas [1999])
1994: Tony Mottola on the album Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas'
1995: Les Paul on the album Reindeer Rock
1996: CeCe Peniston on the album Merry Arizona II: Desert Stars Shine at Christmas
1996: Michael Bolton on the album This Is the Time: The Christmas Album
1997: Dwight Yoakam on the album Come on Christmas
1997: Hootie & the Blowfish on the album A Very Special Christmas 3
1997: Roomful of Blues on the album Roomful of Christmas
1997: SWV on the album A Special Christmas
1998: Babyface on the album Christmas with Babyface
1998: Celine Dion on the album These Are Special Times
1998: Chicago on the album Chicago 25: The Christmas Album
1998: Des O'Connor on the album Christmas with Des O'Connor
1998: Etta James on her album 12 Songs of Christmas
1998: Kenny Rogers on the album Christmas from the Heart
1998: Martina McBride on the album White Christmas
1998: *NSYNC on the album Home for Christmas
1999: Garth Brooks on the album Garth Brooks & the Magic of Christmas
1999: George Strait on the album Merry Christmas Wherever You Are
1999: Take 6 on the album We Wish You a Merry Christmas
2000: Charlotte Church on the album Dream a Dream
2000: Christina Aguilera on the album My Kind of Christmas (No. 18 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart; No. 22 on the Canadian RPM Top 100 Singles chart)
2000: June Christy with the Johnny Guarnieri Quintet on the album A Friendly Session, Vol. 1
2000: Linda Ronstadt on the album A Merry Little Christmas
2002: India.Arie and Stevie Wonder on the album Voyage to India (winner of the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals)
2003: Christy Darlington on the album All the wrong moves
2003: Michael Bublé (#6 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart) on the album Chris Isaak Christmas
2003: Royce Campbell on the album Jazz Guitar Christmas
2003: Whitney Houston on the album One Wish: The Holiday Album
2004: Clay Aiken on the album Merry Christmas with Love
2004: Eddie Higgins on the album Christmas Night
2004: James Taylor on the album A Christmas Album
2004: Jessica Simpson on the album Rejoyce: The Christmas Album
2004: LeAnn Rimes on her album What a Wonderful World
2004: Denethor on the album Bob Story
2006: Aimee Mann on the album One More Drifter in the Snow
2006: Aretha Franklin on the album Joy to the World
2006: Celtic Woman on the album A Christmas Celebration
2006: Twisted Sister on the album A Twisted Christmas
2006: Wynonna Judd on the album A Classic Christmas
2007: Alan Jackson on the album Let It Be Christmas
2007: Damien Leith on a limited Christmas edition of his album Where We Land
2007: Jed Madela on the album The Voice of Christmas
2007: Josh Groban on the album Noël
2007: Toby Keith on the album A Classic Christmas
2008: Al Jarreau on the album Christmas
2008: Brian McKnight on the album I'll Be Home for Christmas
2008: Gavin DeGraw on the album Four Christmases: Music from the Motion Picture
2008: Howard Hewett with Stevie Wonder on the album Howard Hewett Christmas
2008: Neil Sedaka on the album The Miracle of Christmas
2008: Sheryl Crow on the album Home for Christmas
2009: Andrea Bocelli and Natalie Cole on Bocelli's album My Christmas
2009: Bob Dylan on the album Christmas in the Heart
2009: Lotta Engberg on the album Jul hos mig
2009: Hayley Westenra on the album Winter Magic
2010: Christian Bautista on the album A Wonderful Christmas
2010: Joe on the album Home Is the Essence of Christmas
2010: Olivia Olson on the album Phineas and Ferb: Holiday Favourites
2011: Deana Martin on her album White Christmas
2011: Justin Bieber and Usher on Bieber's album Under the Mistletoe
2011: She & Him on the album A Very She & Him Christmas
2011: Smith and Burrows (Tom Smith and Agnes Obel) on the album Funny Looking Angels
2012: Cascada on the album It's Christmas Time
2012: Cee Lo Green on his Christmas album Cee Lo's Magic Moment
2012: Colbie Caillat on the album Christmas In The Sand
2012: Francesca Battistelli on the album Christmas
2012: Kris Allen on his EP Waiting for Christmas
2012: Lisa Matassa on her EP Somebody's Baby
2012: Paul McCartney on the album Kisses on the Bottom – Complete Kisses
2012: Richard Marx on the album Christmas Spirit
2012: Rod Stewart on the deluxe edition of his album Merry Christmas, Baby
2012: Thomas Anders on the album Christmas for You
2014: Idina Menzel on her album Holiday Wishes
2014: Seth MacFarlane on his album Holiday for Swing
2014: Pentatonix on their album PTXmas
2016: Sarah McLachlan on her album Wonderland
1958: Stan Freberg's "Green Chri$tma$" includes several snippets of holiday songs, with a segment that begins with a sincere-sounding "Chestnuts roasting..." and quickly segués into a mock 1950s radio or TV ad, for a brand of chestnuts
1989: The Simpsons' first Christmas episode is titled "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"
2000: Bob Rivers with his album's title track, "Chipmunks Roasting On an Open Fire"
2004: Christy Darlington with a "punk rock" style arrangement on his album All the Wrong Moves
