Sleigh Ride
Encyclopedia
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
l piece composed by Leroy Anderson
Leroy Anderson
Leroy Anderson was an American composer of short, light concert pieces, many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler...
. The composer had the original idea for the piece during a heat wave in July 1946; he finished the work in February 1948. Lyrics, about a person who would like to ride in a sleigh
Sled
A sled, sledge, or sleigh is a land vehicle with a smooth underside or possessing a separate body supported by two or more smooth, relatively narrow, longitudinal runners that travels by sliding across a surface. Most sleds are used on surfaces with low friction, such as snow or ice. In some cases,...
on a winter's day with another person, were written by Mitchell Parish
Mitchell Parish
Mitchell Parish was an American lyricist.-Early life:Parish was born Michael Hyman Pashelinsky to a Jewish family in Lithuania. His family emigrated to the United States, arriving on February 3, 1901 on the SS Dresden when he was less than a year old...
in 1950. The orchestral version was first recorded in 1949 by Arthur Fiedler
Arthur Fiedler
Arthur Fiedler was a long-time conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra, a symphony orchestra that specializes in popular and light classical music. With a combination of musicianship and showmanship, he made the Boston Pops one of the best-known orchestras in the country...
and The Boston Pops Orchestra
Boston Pops Orchestra
The Boston Pops Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, that specializes in playing light classical and popular music....
. The song was a hit record on RCA Victor Red Seal
RCA Red Seal Records
RCA Red Seal Records is a classical music label and is now part of Sony Masterworks.The Red Seal label was begun in 1902 by the Gramophone Company in the United Kingdom and was quickly picked up by its United States affiliate, the Victor Talking Machine Company, and its president, Eldridge R. Johnson...
49-0515 (45 rpm
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
) / 10-1484 (78 rpm), and has become the equivalent of a signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
for the orchestra. The 45 rpm version was originally issued on red vinyl. This original mono
Monaural
Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path...
version has never been available on CD, although the later 1959 re-recording is available in stereo
Stereophonic sound
The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
. The orchestra has also recorded the song with John Williams
John Williams
John Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning almost six decades, he has composed some of the most recognizable film scores in the history of motion pictures, including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T...
, their conductor from 1979 to 1995, and Keith Lockhart
Keith Lockhart
For the baseball player, see Keith Lockhart Keith Lockhart , to Newton Frederick and Marilyn Jean Woodyard Lockhart, is an American orchestral conductor....
, their current conductor.
Leroy Anderson recorded his own version of "Sleigh Ride" in 1950 on Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
9-16000 (45 rpm) / 16000 (78 rpm). This monaural version is available on CD as well as his 1959 stereo re-recording. This recording hit the Cashbox magazine best sellers chart when re-released in 1952.
Although "Sleigh Ride" is often associated with Christmas
Christmas music
Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music normally performed or heard around the Christmas season, which tends to begin in the months leading up the actual holiday and end in the weeks shortly thereafter.-Early:...
, and often appears on Christmas compilation albums, the song's lyrics never specifically mention any holiday or religion (apart from certain recordings, such as those by the Carpenters
The Carpenters
Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of sister Karen and brother Richard Carpenter. The Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and...
, Walter Schumann
Walter Schumann
Walter Schumann was an American composer for film, television, and the theater. His notable works include the score for The Night of the Hunter and the Dragnet Theme...
and Air Supply
Air Supply
Air Supply is an Australian soft rock duo, consisting of Graham Russell as guitarist and singer-songwriter and Russell Hitchcock as lead vocalist. They had a succession of hits worldwide, including eight Top Ten hits in the United States, in the early 1980s...
, that substitute "Christmas party" for "birthday party" in the song's bridge). In fact, the mention of "pumpkin pie" in the last verse might suggest an association with Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
rather than Christmas.
According to the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers [ASCAP] review of Christmas music, "Sleigh Ride" consistently ranks in the top 10 list of most performed songs written by ASCAP members during the Christmas season worldwide.:
ASCAP named "Sleigh Ride" the most popular piece of Christmas music in the USA in 2010 based on performance data tracked by airplay monitoring service, Mediaguide, from over 2,500 radio stations nationwide.:
According to author Steve Metcalf in the book Leroy Anderson: A Bio-Bibliography [Praeger 2004], "'Sleigh Ride' ... has been performed and recorded by a wider array of musical artists than any other piece in the history of Western music."
Recording history
- 1949 – Arthur FiedlerArthur FiedlerArthur Fiedler was a long-time conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra, a symphony orchestra that specializes in popular and light classical music. With a combination of musicianship and showmanship, he made the Boston Pops one of the best-known orchestras in the country...
and the Boston PopsBoston Pops OrchestraThe Boston Pops Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, that specializes in playing light classical and popular music....
. The original hit recording. Other Pops recordings have been made under conductors Fiedler (1959 and 1970), John WilliamsJohn WilliamsJohn Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning almost six decades, he has composed some of the most recognizable film scores in the history of motion pictures, including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T...
(1991), and Keith LockhartKeith LockhartFor the baseball player, see Keith Lockhart Keith Lockhart , to Newton Frederick and Marilyn Jean Woodyard Lockhart, is an American orchestral conductor....
(1998 and 2003). - 1950 – Leroy AndersonLeroy AndersonLeroy Anderson was an American composer of short, light concert pieces, many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler...
. The Decca Gold Label Series singles (#16000), both 45 and 78 rpm, referenced above were not issued as individual records. They were part of the four-disc set Leroy Anderson Conducts His Own Compositions. Anderson would re-record "Sleigh Ride" in stereo for the 1959 Decca LP Leroy Anderson Conducts Leroy Anderson. - 1950 – The Andrews SistersThe Andrews SistersThe Andrews Sisters were a highly successful close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews , soprano Maxene Angelyn Andrews , and mezzo-soprano Patricia Marie "Patty" Andrews...
– notable as the first known vocal recording of the tune. - 1950 – Merv GriffinMerv GriffinMervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. was an American television host, musician, actor, and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer who went on to appear in movies and on Broadway. From 1965 to 1986 Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show on Group W Broadcasting...
with the Freddy MartinFreddy MartinFrederick Alfred Martin was an American bandleader and tenor saxophonist.-Early life:Martin was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Raised largely in an orphanage and with various relatives, Martin started out playing drums, then switched to C-melody saxophone and later tenor saxophone, the latter the one...
Orchestra - 1950 – The Three SunsThe Three SunsThe Three Suns was an American instrumental pop group, popular in the 1940s and 1950s.The group was formed in 1939 by Al Nevins and Morty Nevins and Artie Dunn , . Their first hit record was "Twilight Time", which was written by the band along with Buck Ram. "Twilight Time" sold over four million...
- Instrumental version (HMV B 10000). - 1954 – Bing CrosbyBing CrosbyHarry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
with vocal backing by Jud Conlon's Rhythmaires and the John Scott Trotter Orchestra (Decca 28463); Crosby recorded the song again in 1977 for his final album, SeasonsSeasons (Bing Crosby album)Seasons is a 1977 album by Bing Crosby. The album is particularly significant in that it was the final studio album completed before Crosby's death on October 14, 1977; it was released posthumously, and was marketed with the tagline "The Closing Chapter"...
. - 1954 – George MelachrinoGeorge MelachrinoGeorge Melachrino was a musician, movie composer, and musical director who was English born of Greek and Italian descent. He was an accomplished player of the violin, viola, oboe, clarinet and saxophone....
– Christmas in High Fidelity. The arrangement is more string-heavy; even the horse's whinny is done by the violins. Melachrino would re-record the piece in 1959 for the stereo LP Christmas Joy. - 1955 – Walter SchumannWalter SchumannWalter Schumann was an American composer for film, television, and the theater. His notable works include the score for The Night of the Hunter and the Dragnet Theme...
– The Voices of Christmas (says "Christmas Party" instead of the usual "Birthday Party" within the bridge) - 1956 – Jo StaffordJo StaffordJo Elizabeth Stafford was an American singer of traditional pop music and jazz standards and occasional actress whose career ran from the late 1930s to the early 1960s...
with Paul WestonPaul WestonPaul Weston was an American pianist, arranger, composer and conductor. Weston was born Paul Wetstein in Springfield, Massachusetts...
and the Starlighters – Ski TrailsSki TrailsSki Trails is a 1956 album by Jo Stafford. Most of its songs have a winter theme.- Track listing :# "Baby, It's Cold Outside" # "Moonlight in Vermont"# "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" # "By the Fireside"... - 1956 – Spike JonesSpike JonesMel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny and other Warner Brothers cartoon characters, performed a drunken, hiccuping verse for 1942's "Clink! Clink! Another Drink"...
– A Xmas Spectacular - 1956 – Frederick FennellFrederick FennellFrederick Fennell was an internationally recognized conductor, and one of the primary figures in promoting the wind ensemble as a performing group. He was also influential as a band pedagogue, and greatly affected the field of music education in the USA and abroad...
– The Music of Leroy Anderson - 1956 – Ferrante & TeicherFerrante & TeicherFerrante & Teicher were a duo of American piano players, known for their light arrangements of familiar classical pieces, movie soundtracks, and show tunes.-Career:...
– Adventures in Carols (Westminster LP) - 1958 – Johnny MathisJohnny MathisJohn Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
– Merry ChristmasMerry Christmas (Johnny Mathis album)Merry Christmas is the seventh album and first Christmas album by singer Johnny Mathis. Released in 1958 by Columbia Records , it was also the sixth original studio album by the singer.... - 1958 – Domenico SavinoDomenico SavinoDomenico Savino was born into an artistic family in Taranto, Italy at the end of the 19th Century, and migrated to the United States in the early years of the 20th Century....
– Hi-Fi Christmas Party - 1959 – Ray ConniffRay ConniffJoseph Raymond Conniff was an American bandleader and arranger best known for his Ray Conniff Singers during the 1960s.-Biography:...
– Christmas with Conniff - 1959 – Jan GarberJan GarberJan Garber was an American jazz bandleader.-Biography:Garber was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He had his own band by the time he was 21 . He became known as "The Idol of the Airwaves" in his heyday of the 1920s and 1930s, playing jazz in the vein of contemporaries such as Paul Whiteman and Guy...
– Christmas Dance Party - 1959 – Lester LaninLester LaninLester Lanin was an American jazz and pop music bandleader....
– Christmas Dance Party - 1959 – The Three SunsThe Three SunsThe Three Suns was an American instrumental pop group, popular in the 1940s and 1950s.The group was formed in 1939 by Al Nevins and Morty Nevins and Artie Dunn , . Their first hit record was "Twilight Time", which was written by the band along with Buck Ram. "Twilight Time" sold over four million...
– A Ding Dong Dandy Christmas - 1959 – Hugo WinterhalterHugo WinterhalterHugo Winterhalter was an American musician.An easy listening arranger and composer, Winterhalter was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Mount St. Mary's near Emmitsburg, Maryland in 1931, where he played saxophone for the orchestra and sang in two of the choirs...
– Wish You Were Here - 1960 – Ella FitzgeraldElla FitzgeraldElla Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
– Ella Wishes You a Swinging ChristmasElla Wishes You a Swinging ChristmasElla Wishes You a Swinging Christmas is a 1960 album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, recorded in the summer of 1960, with a studio orchestra arranged and conducted by Frank DeVol.... - 1960 – Sammy KayeSammy KayeSammy Kaye , born Samuel Zarnocay, Jr., was an American bandleader and songwriter, whose tag line, "Swing and sway with Sammy Kaye", became one of the most famous of the Big Band Era.-Biography:...
– Christmas Day with Sammy Kaye - 1960 – Andre KostelanetzAndre KostelanetzAndré Kostelanetz was a popular orchestral music conductor and arranger, one of the pioneers of easy listening music.-Biography:...
– Joy to the World: Music for Christmas. A similar arrangement to the Boston Pops version, but moderately faster in speed and featuring a whistle in portions of the song. - 1960 – The Randy Van Horne Singers – Sleighride
- 1961 – Lenny DeeLenny DeeLeonard George DeStoppelaire , better known as Lenny Dee, was a virtuoso organist who played many styles of music. His record albums were among the most popular of easy listening and space age pop organists of the 1950s through the early 1970s. His signature hit, Plantation Boogie, charted as a...
– Happy Holi-Dee - 1961 – Big Tiny LittleBig Tiny LittleDudley "Tiny" Little, Jr. was an American musician who appeared on The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1959. His primary instrument was the piano.-Biography:...
– Christmas with "Big" Tiny Little - 1961 – Mitch MillerMitch MillerMitchell William "Mitch" Miller was an American musician, singer, conductor, record producer, A&R man and record company executive...
– Holiday Sing-Along with Mitch - 1962 – Ferrante & TeicherFerrante & TeicherFerrante & Teicher were a duo of American piano players, known for their light arrangements of familiar classical pieces, movie soundtracks, and show tunes.-Career:...
– Snowbound - 1962 – Skitch HendersonSkitch HendersonLyle Russell Cedric “Skitch” Henderson was a pianist, conductor, and composer. His nickname reportedly derived from his ability to quickly "re-sketch" a song in a different key.- Biography :...
– Winter Holiday - 1963 – The RonettesThe RonettesThe Ronettes were a 1960s girl group from New York City, best known for their work with producer Phil Spector. The group consisted of lead singer Veronica Bennett ; her older sister, Estelle Bennett; and their cousin Nedra Talley...
- A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records. An altered version with background vocals singing "Ring-a-ling-a-ling Ding-dong-ding" and excluding the lyrics "giddy up giddy up let's go" and "The birthday [or] Christmas party at the home of farmer Gray." - 1963 – Bert KaempfertBert KaempfertBert Kaempfert was a German orchestra leader and songwriter. He made easy listening and jazz-oriented records, and wrote the music for a number of well-known songs, such as "Strangers in the Night" and "Spanish Eyes".-Biography:He was born in Hamburg, Germany - where he received his lifelong...
– Christmas WonderlandChristmas WonderlandChristmas Wonderland is an instrumental Christmas album by Bert Kaempfert and his orchestra from 1963. Originally released as Christmastide with Kaempfert, it is his only album of Christmas music.-Track listing:... - 1964 – Jack JonesJack Jones (singer)John Allan "Jack" Jones is an American jazz and pop singer. He was one of the most popular vocalists of the 1960s.-Overview:...
– Christmas Album - 1964 – Steve LawrenceSteve LawrenceSteve Lawrence is an American singer and actor, perhaps best known as a member of a duo with his wife Eydie Gormé, billed as "Steve and Eydie"...
and Eydie GormeEydie GorméEydie Gormé is an American singer, specializing, with her husband, Steve Lawrence, in traditional pop music, in the form of ballads and breezy swing. She has earned numerous awards, including the Grammy and the Emmy...
– That Holiday Feeling - 1964 – The Ramsey Lewis TrioRamsey LewisRamsey Emmanuel Lewis, Jr. is an American jazz composer, pianist and radio personality. Ramsey Lewis has recorded over 80 albums and has received seven gold records and three Grammy Awards so far in his career.-Biography:...
– More Sounds of Christmas - 1965 – Al HirtAl HirtAl Hirt was an American trumpeter and bandleader. He is best remembered for his million selling recordings of "Java", and the accompanying album, Honey in the Horn . His nicknames included 'Jumbo' and 'The Round Mound of Sound'...
– The Sound of Christmas - 1965 – The VenturesThe VenturesThe Ventures is an American instrumental rock band formed in 1958 in Tacoma, Washington. Founded by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle, the group in its various incarnations has had an enduring impact on the development of music worldwide. With over 100 million records sold, the group is the best-selling...
– Christmas Album. A surf-style instrumental, similar in beat and arrangement to their biggest hit, "Walk Don't RunWalk Don't RunWalk, Don't Run is a 1966 comedy film set in Tokyo during the Olympic Games in 1964. The movie marked the last appearance by Cary Grant in a feature film, and is a remake of the 1943 film The More the Merrier.-Plot:...
". Omits the "Farmer Gray" portion of the song. - 1965 – Andy WilliamsAndy WilliamsHoward Andrew "Andy" Williams is an American singer who has recorded 18 Gold- and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri,...
– Merry Christmas - 1966 – Henry ManciniHenry ManciniHenry Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards , plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995...
– A Merry Mancini Christmas. Part of a medley with "Jingle BellsJingle 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...
". - 1966 – The New Christy Minstrels – Christmas with the Christies
- 1967 – Maurice AbravanelMaurice AbravanelMaurice Abravanel was aSwiss-American Jewish conductor of classical music. He is remembered as the conductor of the Utah Symphony Orchestra for over 30 years.-Life:...
– Fiddle Faddle and 14 Other Leroy Anderson Favorites - 1967 – Ron GoodwinRon GoodwinRonald Alfred Goodwin was a British composer and conductor known for his film music. He scored over 70 films in a career lasting over fifty years....
– Christmas Wonderland - 1968 – Herb AlpertHerb AlpertHerbert "Herb" Alpert is an American musician most associated with the group variously known as Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, or TJB. He is also a recording industry executive — he is the "A" of A&M Records...
– Christmas AlbumChristmas Album (TJB)Christmas Album is a late-1968 album by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass. It was the group's eleventh release. Although the Brass' albums were out of print for a good many years, the Christmas Album was released on CD in the 1980s, with annual reappearances in record stores at Christmastime; and... - 1968 – Robert GouletRobert GouletRobert Gerard Goulet was a Canadian American entertainer as a singer and actor. He played the role of Lancelot in the Broadway musical Camelot of 1960.-Early life:...
– Wonderful World of Christmas - 1969 – Boots RandolphBoots RandolphHomer Louis "Boots" Randolph III was an American musician best known for his 1963 saxophone hit, "Yakety Sax"...
– Boots and Stockings - 1970 – Lawrence WelkLawrence WelkLawrence Welk was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1982...
– Merry Christmas - 1971 – The Partridge FamilyThe Partridge FamilyThe Partridge Family is an American television sitcom about a widowed mother and her five children who embark on a music career. The series originally ran from September 25, 1970 until August 31, 1974, the last new episode airing on March 23, 1974, on the ABC network, as part of a Friday-night lineup...
– A Partridge Family Christmas Card - 1972 – Eugene OrmandyEugene OrmandyEugene Ormandy was a Hungarian-born conductor and violinist.-Early life:Born Jenő Blau in Budapest, Hungary, Ormandy began studying violin at the Royal National Hungarian Academy of Music at the age of five...
– A Christmas Spectacular - 1976 – Vera LynnVera LynnDame Vera Lynn, DBE is an English singer-songwriter and actress whose musical recordings and performances were enormously popular during World War II. During the war she toured Egypt, India and Burma, giving outdoor concerts for the troops...
– Christmas with Vera Lynn - 1977 – Burl IvesBurl IvesBurl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an American actor, writer and folk music singer. As an actor, Ives's work included comedies, dramas, and voice work in theater, television, and motion pictures. Music critic John Rockwell said, "Ives's voice .....
– Christmas by the BayChristmas by the BayChristmas by the Bay, recorded at the Sail Loft in the Washington Navy Yard, is Burl Ives's last original Christmas album. It includes only one new Christmas song by Ives: "The Sense of Christmas." The other songs are new performances of previously recorded songs: "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer";... - 1977 – The Mormon Tabernacle ChoirMormon Tabernacle ChoirThe Mormon Tabernacle Choir, sometimes colloquially referred to as MoTab, is a Grammy and Emmy Award winning, 360-member, all-volunteer choir. The choir is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . However, the choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to...
(and again in 1982, 1987, 2005, and 2006) - 1978 – The CarpentersThe CarpentersCarpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of sister Karen and brother Richard Carpenter. The Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and...
– Christmas PortraitChristmas PortraitChristmas Portrait is the first Christmas album recorded by The Carpenters , originally released on October 13, 1978 ....
(this version mentions "Christmas Party" instead of the usual "Birthday Party" in the bridge) - 1980 – Larry GroceLarry GroceLarry Groce is an American singer-songwriter and radio host. Since 1983, Groce has served as the host and artistic director of Mountain Stage, a two-hour live music program produced by West Virginia Public Radio and distributed by NPR. He first entered the national spotlight in 1976 when his...
/ Mickey MouseMickey MouseMickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
/ Donald DuckDonald DuckDonald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
/ GoofyGoofyGoofy is a cartoon character created in 1932 at Walt Disney Productions. Goofy is a tall, anthropomorphic dog, and typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled fedora. Goofy is a close friend of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck...
/ Disneyland Children's Sing-Along Chorus – Disney's Merry Christmas Carols (this version also appears on The Disney Family Christmas Album in 1981) - 1983 – Amy GrantAmy GrantAmy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"...
– A Christmas AlbumA Christmas Album (Amy Grant album)A Christmas Album is the seventh album by Christian music singer Amy Grant, released in 1983. The release was Grant's first of many Christmas albums.A Christmas Album was issued on the heels of Grant's immensely successful 1982 LP Age to Age... - 1987 – Air SupplyAir SupplyAir Supply is an Australian soft rock duo, consisting of Graham Russell as guitarist and singer-songwriter and Russell Hitchcock as lead vocalist. They had a succession of hits worldwide, including eight Top Ten hits in the United States, in the early 1980s...
– The Christmas Album (this version also mentions "Christmas Party" rather than the usual "Birthday Party" melody line for "Sleigh Ride") - 1987 – The MuppetsThe MuppetsThe Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
– in the television special A Muppet Family ChristmasA Muppet Family ChristmasA Muppet Family Christmas is a 1987 Christmas television special starring Jim Henson's Muppets.This is one of the very few Muppet productions to feature Muppets associated with all four of the major Muppet franchises: The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock and Muppet Babies... - 1988 – MC EinarMC EinarMC Einar was a Danish pioneer rap music group from 1987 to 1990, who released the first Danish language rap album in 1988. They described the Copenhagen youth culture with humorous texts, and attained mainstraim popularity with Jul, Det' Cool and Arh, Dér!...
's "Jul, Det' Cool" – a popular Danish Christmas song is based on this track. - 1989 – The Hampton String QuartetHampton String QuartetThe Hampton String Quartet considered by many to be one of the founders of the "alternative music" genré of chamber music is a string quartet specializing in rock music and other popular styles, playing serious chamber music arrangements of songs using classical composer influences and frequently...
– What if Mozart Wrote "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"? - 1990 – Erich KunzelErich KunzelErich Kunzel, Jr. was an American orchestra conductor. Called the "Prince of Pops" by the Chicago Tribune, he performed with a number of leading pops and symphony orchestras, especially the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra , which he led for over 44 years.-Early life and career:Kunzel was born to...
– Christmas with the Pops - 1992 – Glen CampbellGlen CampbellGlen Travis Campbell is an American country music singer, guitarist, television host and occasional actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television.During his 50 years in show...
– Christmas with Glen Campbell - 1992 – Debbie Gibson – A Very Special Christmas 2A Very Special Christmas 2A Very Special Christmas 2 is the second in a series of Christmas-themed compilation albums produced to benefit Special Olympics. The album was released on 20 October 1992, and production was overseen by Jimmy Iovine, Vicki Iovine and Robert Sargent Shriver for A&M Records.-Track listing:#...
- 1992 – TLCTLC (band)TLC is an American musical trio whose repertoire spanned R&B, hip-hop, soul, funk, and new jack swing. Originally consisting of singer Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, rapper-singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and singer Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas it found success in the 1990s while also enduring a series of spats...
– Home Alone 2: Lost in New YorkHome Alone 2: Lost in New YorkHome Alone 2: Lost in New York is a 1992 American Christmas comedy film written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus. It is the second film in the Home Alone series and the direct sequel to Home Alone. The film stars Macaulay Culkin in the lead role as Kevin McCallister, while... - 1992 – Mel TorméMel TorméMelvin Howard Tormé , nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books...
– Christmas SongsChristmas Songs (Mel Tormé album)Christmas Songs is a 1992 studio album by the American jazz singer Mel Tormé.- Track listing :# Christmas Medley: "Jingle Bells"/"Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" Christmas Songs is a 1992 studio album by the American jazz singer Mel Tormé.- Track listing :# Christmas Medley: "Jingle Bells"/"Santa... - 1993 – Harry Connick, Jr – When My Heart Finds ChristmasWhen My Heart Finds ChristmasWhen My Heart Finds Christmas is American artist Harry Connick, Jr.'s first Christmas album. Released in 1993, it is among the most popular holiday collections of the past two decades in the United States. Connick Jr composed four songs for the album: "When My Heart Finds Christmas", " Santa...
- 1993 – Amy GrantAmy GrantAmy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"...
– A Christmas Collection - 1993 – Lou RawlsLou RawlsLouis Allen "Lou" Rawls was an American soul, jazz, and blues singer. He was known for his smooth vocal style: Frank Sinatra once said that Rawls had "the classiest singing and silkiest chops in the singing game"...
– Christmas Is the Time - 1994 – Neil DiamondNeil DiamondNeil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present....
– The Christmas Album, Volume II - 1994 – Lorrie MorganLorrie MorganIn 1996 Morgan married Jon Randall, a singer/songwriter now credited with writing the 2004 Brad Paisley/Alison Krauss hit "Whiskey Lullaby"; they divorced three years later in 1999....
– Merry Christmas from LondonMerry Christmas from LondonMerry Christmas from London is an album of Christmas music, released in 1993 by country music artist Lorrie Morgan. It features duets with guest stars Andy Williams , Johnny Mathis , and Tammy Wynette... - 1994 – El VezEl VezEl Vez is the stage name of Robert Lopez, a Mexican-American rock and roll artist, who performs and records original material and covers classic rock songs...
– Merry Me X-Mas - 1996 – Brian SetzerBrian SetzerBrian Setzer is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He first found widespread success in the early 1980s with the 1950s-style rockabilly revival group The Stray Cats, and revitalized his career in the late 1990s with a jazz-oriented big band.-Career:Setzer was born in Massapequa, New York...
– from the movie Jingle All The WayJingle All the WayJingle 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... - 1996 – Spice GirlsSpice GirlsThe Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30...
– B Side of "2 Become 12 Become 1"2 Become 1" is a song by the British pop group Spice Girls. Written by the group members, Matt Rowe and Richard Stannard during the group's first professional songwriting session, it was produced by Rowe and Stannard for the group's debut album Spice, released in November 1996...
" (similar to the Ronettes' version) - 1997 – André RieuAndré RieuAndré Léon Marie Nicolas Rieu is a Dutch violinist, conductor, and composer best known for creating the waltz-playing Johann Strauss Orchestra.- Early life and studies :...
& His Johann Strauss Orchestra - 1998 – Squirrel Nut ZippersSquirrel Nut ZippersThe Squirrel Nut Zippers are a band formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina by James "Jimbo" Mathus , Katharine Whalen , Chris Phillips on drums, Don Raleigh on bass and sideman Ken Mosher....
– Christmas CaravanChristmas CaravanChristmas Caravan is a Christmas album by jazz band Squirrel Nut Zippers. It was released in 1998 through Mammoth Records and contains a version of the song "Sleigh Ride".-Track listing:#"Winter Weather" – 2:24... - 1999 – Garth BrooksGarth BrooksTroyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
– Garth Brooks and the Magic of ChristmasGarth Brooks and the Magic of ChristmasGarth Brooks and the Magic of Christmas is the twelfth studio album, and second holiday album, by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released on November 23, 1999, peaked at #7 on the Billboard 200 chart , and #1 on the Top Country Albums chart... - 1999 – Natalie ColeNatalie ColeNatalie Maria Cole , is an American singer, songwriter and performer. The daughter of jazz legend Nat King Cole, Cole rode to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B artist with the hits "This Will Be ", "Inseparable" and "Our Love"...
– The Magic of Christmas - 1999 – Kenny GKenny GKenneth Bruce Gorelick , better known by his stage name Kenny G, is an American, adult contemporary and smooth jazz saxophonist. His fourth album, Duotones, brought him breakthrough success in 1986...
– Faith - 2000 – The Three TenorsThe Three TenorsThe Three Tenors is a name given to the Spanish singers Plácido Domingo and José Carreras and the Italian singer Luciano Pavarotti who sang in concert under this banner during the 1990s and early 2000s. The trio began their collaboration with a performance at the ancient Baths of Caracalla, in...
– The Three Tenors Christmas - 2000 – Vanessa L. WilliamsVanessa L. WilliamsVanessa Lynn Williams is an American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal generated by her having posed for nude photographs published in Penthouse magazine...
– from the movie A Diva's Christmas Carol - 2000 – Billy GilmanBilly GilmanWilliam Wendell "Billy" Gilman III is an American country music artist. In 2000, at the age of 12, he debuted with the single "One Voice," a Top 20 hit on the Billboard country music charts and became the youngest singer to a Top 40 hit on the country music charts...
– From the Christmas Album Classic Christmas - 2001 – Garth BrooksGarth BrooksTroyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
– Call Me ClausSongs from Call Me ClausSongs from Call Me Claus is a reissue of Garth Brooks and the Magic of Christmas, second Christmas album by American country music artist Garth Brooks, and was released on September 25, 2001... - 2001 – TLCTLC (band)TLC is an American musical trio whose repertoire spanned R&B, hip-hop, soul, funk, and new jack swing. Originally consisting of singer Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, rapper-singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and singer Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas it found success in the 1990s while also enduring a series of spats...
– MTV TRL Christmas - 2002 – Hilary DuffHilary DuffHilary Erhard Duff is an American actress, singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, and author. After working in local theater plays and television commercials in her childhood, she achieved fame playing the title role in the Disney Channel television series Lizzie McGuire. She also reprised her role in...
– Santa Claus Lane - 2002 – Jump5Jump5- History :Siblings Brandon and Brittany Hargest had competed on the same dance team as Lesley Moore, and were familiar with Chris Fedun and Libby Hodges through the competitive dance circuit. The mother of Hodges held an open casting call to find additional members to form a new pop group with her...
– All the Joy in the World - 2002 – S Club 8S Club 8S Club 8, previously known as S Club Juniors, was a spin-off of the UK pop group S Club 7. The group's members, Jay Asforis, Daisy Evans, Calvin Goldspink, Stacey McClean, Aaron Renfree, Hannah Richings, Rochelle Wiseman and Frankie Sandford, were all in their early teens or younger when they were...
– Puppy Love/Sleigh Ride - 2003 – Art Paul SchlosserArt Paul SchlosserArt Paul Schlosser is a street musician in Madison, Wisconsin, who plays humorous novelty songs.- Childhood :Art Paul Schlosser was born born in Chicago, January 4, 1960. He grew up listening to novelty music like Allen Sherman and Tiny Tim as well as funny songs by The Beatles and The Monkees...
– Words of Cheese and Other Parrot Trees - 2003 – ChicagoChicago (band)Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
– What's It Gonna Be, Santa? - 2004 – Clay AikenClay AikenClayton Holmes "Clay" Aiken is an American singer, songwriter, actor, producer and author who began his rise to fame on the second season of the television program American Idol in 2003. RCA Records offered him a recording contract, and his multi-platinum debut album Measure of a Man was released...
– Merry Christmas with LoveMerry Christmas with LoveMerry Christmas with Love is Clay Aiken's first Christmas album, released by RCA Records on November 16, 2004. It was certified platinum and was recognized by Billboard as the best-selling Christmas/holiday album of 2004 and the best-selling Christian album of 2005.The album was re-released on... - 2004 – Play – Play Around the Christmas TreePlay Around the Christmas TreePlay Around the Christmas Tree is the fourth album and the first Christmas album by Play. It was the last studio album by Play before its 2005 break-up and until 2010.-Track listing:#"Sleigh Ride" – 3:24#"Winter Wonderland" – 2:03#"O Holy Night" – 3:38...
- 2005 – JoJo – Performed a live version for President Bush at "Christmas in Washington"
- 2005 – Paul CarrackPaul CarrackPaul Carrack is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Carrack has been a member of several bands including Ace, Squeeze, Mike + The Mechanics, and Roxy Music, been a session and touring musician for several others including Nick Lowe, and has enjoyed success as a solo artist as well...
& The SWR Big Band – Winter Wonderland - 2007 – KT TunstallKT TunstallKate Victoria "KT" Tunstall is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist from St Andrews, Scotland. She broke into the public eye with a 2004 live solo performance of her song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" on Later... with Jools Holland...
– A target exclusive CD - 2007 – Relient KRelient KRelient K is an American rock band formed in 1998 in Canton, Ohio by Matt Thiessen, Brian Pittman, and Matt Hoopes during the band's junior year in high school and their time at Malone University...
– Let it Snow, Baby... Let it ReindeerLet it Snow, Baby... Let it Reindeer-Credits:* Matt Thiessen – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano* Matt Hoopes – lead guitar, backing vocals* Brian Pittman – bass * Dave Douglas – drums, backing vocals * John Warne - bass, backing vocals... - 2008 – Béla Fleck and the FlecktonesBéla Fleck and the FlecktonesBéla Fleck and the Flecktones is a primarily instrumental group from the United States, that draws equally on bluegrass, fusion and jazz, sometimes dubbed "blu-bop". The band formed in 1988, initially to perform once on the PBS series Lonesome Pine Specials. The Flecktones have toured extensively...
– From the album Jingle All the Way, this rendition was nominated for the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental PerformanceGrammy Award for Best Country Instrumental PerformanceThe Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance was awarded from 1970 to 2011. Between 1986 and 1989 the award was presented as the Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance .... - 2008 – Brian Stokes MitchellBrian Stokes MitchellBrian Stokes Mitchell is an American stage, film and television actor. A powerful baritone, he has been one of the central leading men of the Broadway theatre since the early 1990s...
with the Mormon Tabernacle ChoirMormon Tabernacle ChoirThe Mormon Tabernacle Choir, sometimes colloquially referred to as MoTab, is a Grammy and Emmy Award winning, 360-member, all-volunteer choir. The choir is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . However, the choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to...
– Ring Christmas Bells - 2009 – Hayley WestenraHayley WestenraHayley Dee Westenra is a New Zealand soprano, classical crossover artist, songwriter and UNICEF Ambassador. Her first internationally released album, Pure, reached No. 1 on the UK classical charts in 2003 and has sold more than two million copies worldwide...
- PurePure (Hayley Westenra album)Pure is the first internationally published Album by Christchurch, New Zealand soprano Hayley Westenra. Her previous albums were released only in New Zealand and nearby Australia. This album also received professional consultation from the legendary Sir George Martin who helped to create its... - 2010 − Take 6Take 6Take 6 is an American a cappella gospel music sextet formed in 1980 on the campus of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. The group sings in a contemporary style, integrating R&B and jazz influences into their devotional songs and has 10 Grammy wins, 10 Dove Awards, one Soul Train Award and two...
- The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Explanations
- Currier & Ives was a popular printing company in the 19th century. The company closed in 1907, 39 years before the song was composed.
- The horse whinny five bars from the end is made by a trumpet half-valve glissando.
- The whip cracks are made by a percussionist, preferably with a slapstickWhip (instrument)In music, a whip or slapstick is a percussion instrument consisting of two wooden boards joined by a hinge at one end. When the boards are brought together rapidly, the sound is reminiscent of the crack of a whip. It is often used in modern orchestras, bands, and percussion ensembles.There are...
, although rimshotRimshotA rimshot is the sound produced by hitting the rim and the head of a drum simultaneously, with a drum stick. Rimshots are usually played to produce a more accented note, and are typically played loudly. However, soft rim shots are possible....
s are also acceptable.
Classical "Sleigh Ride" pieces
Die Schlittenfahrt (Sleigh Ride) is also the popular name given to one of the Three German DancesThree German Dances (Mozart)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Three German Dances , K. 605, are a set of three dance pieces composed by Mozart in 1791.-History and the other German Dances:...
composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
. The composition is sometimes mistakenly attributed to Wolfgang's father, Leopold Mozart
Leopold Mozart
Johann Georg Leopold Mozart was a German composer, conductor, teacher, and violinist. Mozart is best known today as the father and teacher of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and for his violin textbook Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule.-Childhood and student years:He was born in Augsburg, son of...
(whose own Divertimento in F major is popularly known as Musical Sleigh Ride).
The "Winter Night" segment of Frederick Delius
Frederick Delius
Frederick Theodore Albert Delius, CH was an English composer. Born in the north of England to a prosperous mercantile family of German extraction, he resisted attempts to recruit him to commerce...
' Three Small Tonepoems is also commonly known as "Sleigh Ride".
The "Troika
Troika (driving)
A troika is a traditional Russian harness driving combination, using three horses abreast, usually pulling a sleigh. It differs from most other three-horse combinations in that the horses are harnessed abreast. The middle horse is usually harnessed in a horse collar and shaft bow; the side horses...
" from Lieutenant Kijé
Lieutenant Kijé (Prokofiev)
Lieutenant Kijé is the score composed by Sergei Prokofiev for the 1934 Soviet film Lieutenant Kijé directed by Aleksandr Faintsimmer based on the novel of the same title by Yury Tynyanov.-Suite from Lieutenant Kijé:...
by Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century...
is also a musical sleigh ride, referring to a three-horse team drawing a carriage (troika means "group of three").