Christmas in Hollis
Encyclopedia
"Christmas in Hollis" is a single by Run-D.M.C.
that was included on two 1987 Christmas compilation albums featuring various artists: A Very Special Christmas
(A&M 3911) and Christmas Rap (Profile 1247). A&M Records
originally released the song as a single in 1987 off of the A Very Special Christmas album. The track was produced by the group along with Rick Rubin
, and has become very popular during the holiday season. It reached number 78 on the Billboard
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
chart in 2000, 13 years after it was first released.
The track samples Clarence Carter
's 1968 holiday song "Back Door Santa
", "Frosty the Snowman
", "Jingle Bells
", and "Joy to the World
".
"Christmas in Hollis" has also been featured in a few Hollywood films and TV shows since its 1987 release. It was featured near the beginning of the 1988 action film Die Hard
, the 1987 drama Less Than Zero
, as well as in the 1996 comedy film Jingle All The Way
. It was also used during the 2007 episode titled "Chuck Versus the Crown Vic
" of the TV series Chuck
. During season 2 of the U.S. TV sitcom The Office, the song was played near the end of the episode "Christmas Party" when series characters Kevin and Darryl were DJing the music. "Christmas in Hollis" was also played on a Christmas episode of The Simpsons
' twenty-second season
, titled "The Fight Before Christmas". The song was also played during an episode titled "The Other Side of the Mall" of the TV series Human Target.
Run-D.M.C.
Run–D.M.C. was an American hip hop group from Hollis, in the Queens borough of New York City. Founded by Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell, the group is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture.Run–D.M.C...
that was included on two 1987 Christmas compilation albums featuring various artists: A Very Special Christmas
A Very Special Christmas (album)
A Very Special Christmas is the first in a series of Christmas-themed compilation albums produced to benefit Special Olympics. The album was released in 1987, and production was overseen by Jimmy Iovine for A&M Records...
(A&M 3911) and Christmas Rap (Profile 1247). A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
originally released the song as a single in 1987 off of the A Very Special Christmas album. The track was produced by the group along with Rick Rubin
Rick Rubin
Frederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...
, and has become very popular during the holiday season. It reached number 78 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart in 2000, 13 years after it was first released.
The track samples Clarence Carter
Clarence Carter
Clarence Carter is a blind American soul singer and musician.-Life and career:Born in Montgomery, Alabama on 14 January 1936, Carter attended the Alabama School for the Blind in Talladega, Alabama, and Alabama State College in Montgomery, graduating in August 1960 with a Bachelor of Science degree...
's 1968 holiday song "Back Door Santa
Back Door Santa
"Back Door Santa" is a song written by Clarence Carter in collaboration with Marcus Daniel, and originally performed by Carter. It was released on a compilation album Soul Christmas in 1968. The track is in a 12-bar blues format....
", "Frosty the Snowman
Frosty the Snowman
"Frosty the Snowman" is a popular song written by Walter "Jack" Rollins and Steve Nelson, and first recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950. It was written after the success of Autry's recording of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" the previous year; Rollins and Nelson shipped the...
", "Jingle Bells
Jingle Bells
"Jingle Bells" is one of the best-known and commonly sung winter songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont and published under the title "One Horse Open Sleigh" in the autumn of 1857...
", and "Joy to the World
Joy to the World
"Joy to the World" is a Christian Christmas carol.The words are by English hymn writer Isaac Watts, based on Psalm 98 in the Bible. The song was first published in 1719 in Watts' collection; The Psalms of David: Imitated in the language of the New Testament, and applied to the Christian state and...
".
"Christmas in Hollis" has also been featured in a few Hollywood films and TV shows since its 1987 release. It was featured near the beginning of the 1988 action film Die Hard
Die Hard
Die Hard is a 1988 American action film and the first in the Die Hard film series. The film was directed by John McTiernan and written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza. It is based on a 1979 novel by Roderick Thorp titled Nothing Lasts Forever, itself a sequel to the book The Detective, which...
, the 1987 drama Less Than Zero
Less Than Zero
Less Than Zero is a novel by Bret Easton Ellis, published in 1985. It was his first published effort, released while he was 21 and still in college.-Plot summary:...
, as well as in the 1996 comedy film Jingle All The Way
Jingle All the Way
Jingle All the Way is a 1996 American family comedy film directed by Brian Levant and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad, Phil Hartman, Rita Wilson, Jake Lloyd, James Belushi and Robert Conrad...
. It was also used during the 2007 episode titled "Chuck Versus the Crown Vic
Chuck Versus the Crown Vic
"Chuck Versus the Crown Vic" is the 11th episode of the first season of Chuck, airing on December 3, 2007. Chuck must deal with the aftermath of Bryce Larkin's departure as he goes undercover with Sarah to investigate a billionaire philanthropist...
" of the TV series Chuck
Chuck (TV series)
Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central...
. During season 2 of the U.S. TV sitcom The Office, the song was played near the end of the episode "Christmas Party" when series characters Kevin and Darryl were DJing the music. "Christmas in Hollis" was also played on a Christmas episode of The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
The Simpsons (season 22)
The Simpsons twenty-second season began airing on Fox on September 26, 2010 and ended on May 22, 2011. The Simpsons was renewed for at least two additional seasons during the twentieth season leading up to this season. The cast is currently signed through the 25th season. On November 11, 2010, the...
, titled "The Fight Before Christmas". The song was also played during an episode titled "The Other Side of the Mall" of the TV series Human Target.