"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!", also known as simply "Let It Snow", is a song written by lyricist
Sammy Cahn and composer
Jule Styne
Jule Styne (; born Julius Kerwin Stein; December 31, 1905 – September 20, 1994) was an English-American songwriter and composer best known for a series of Broadway musicals, including several famous frequently-revived shows that also became s ...
in July 1945 in
Hollywood, California
Hollywood is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a shorthand reference for the U.S. film industry and the people associated with it. Many notable film studios, such as Columbia Pictures, ...
, during a heat wave as Cahn and Styne imagined cooler conditions.
The song was first recorded that fall by
Vaughn Monroe, was released just after
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden and ...
, and became a hit by
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
.
[
Despite the lyrics making no mention of any holiday, the song has come to be regarded as a ]Christmas song
Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music regularly performed or heard around the Christmas season. Music associated with Christmas may be purely instrumental, or, in the case of carols or songs, may employ lyrics whose subject ma ...
worldwide due to its winter theme, being played on radio stations during the Christmas and holiday season, and having often been covered by various artists on Christmas-themed albums. In the Southern Hemisphere, it can be played during the winter months of June, July, and August; and in New Zealand, some play it at Matariki.
Frank Sinatra version
American singer Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
released a version as a single in 1950 that featured The B. Swanson Quartet.
Certifications
Dean Martin version
American singer Dean Martin
Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...
released a version of the song in 1959, as part of his album ''A Winter Romance
''A Winter Romance'' is a 1959 long playing album by Dean Martin, accompanied by an orchestra arranged and conducted by Gus Levene. While not exclusively a Christmas album, it features several songs associated with Christmas as part of its larger ...
'', and a re-recorded version in 1966, as part of '' The Dean Martin Christmas Album''. The song entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for the first time in 2018.
Certifications
Jessica Simpson version
American singer Jessica Simpson
Jessica Ann Simpson (born July 10, 1980) is an American singer, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist. After performing in church choirs as a child, Simpson signed with Columbia Records in 1997, aged seventeen. Her debut studio album, '' Swe ...
released a version of the song in 2004, as part of her album '' Rejoyce: The Christmas Album''. Her version was produced by Billy Mann. The song has a music video. Simpson's version reached No. 20 on the ''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary chart.
Other charting recordings
Glee Cast version
Michael Bublé version
Other notable versions
Widely heard recordings of the song include:
* 1945 (first recording) – Vaughn Monroe for RCA Victor
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also Aris ...
, which became a popular hit, reaching No. 1 on the ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' "Best Sellers" music chart for five weeks from late December into early 1946.Woody Herman
Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his dea ...
for Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
, which eached No. 8 on the ''Billboard'' chart. Other 1946 versions were recorded by Connee Boswell for Decca Records
Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American ...
and Bob Crosby for ARA Records
The Bihari brothers, Lester, Jules, Saul and Joe, were American businessmen of Hungarian Jewish origins. They were the founders of Modern Records in Los Angeles and its subsidiaries, such as Meteor Records, based in Memphis. The Bihari brothers wer ...
.
* 1962 – Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...
, on his album ''I Wish You a Merry Christmas
''I Wish You a Merry Christmas'' was a long-playing vinyl album of Christmas themed songs recorded by Bing Crosby for his own company, Project Records, and issued by Warner Bros. (W-1484) in 1962.
The tracks were arranged by Bob Thompson, Peter ...
''.
* 2005 – Carly Simon
Carly Elisabeth Simon (born June 25, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, memoirist, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records; her 13 Top 40 U.S. hits include "Anticipation" (No. 13), " The Right Thin ...
, on a CD single. Her version is unusual in being sung from the point of view of the host instead of the guest. It peaked at No. 6 on the ''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary chart
The Adult Contemporary chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on airplay data submitted to ''Billboard'' by sta ...
.Rod Stewart
Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British rock and pop singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, he is of Scottish and English ancestry. With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the best-selling ...
, on his album ''Merry Christmas, Baby
"Merry Christmas Baby" is an R&B Christmas standard credited to Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore. In 1947, Johnny Moore's Three Blazers recorded the tune, featuring vocals and piano by Charles Brown. Subsequently, many performers have recorded rend ...
''. Stewart's version reached No. 1 on ''Billboard''s Adult Contemporary chart in December 2012 and remained there for a total of five weeks, tying it for the longest leading rendition of a holiday title in the history of the chart.
See also
* List of ''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary number ones of 2012
* List of ''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary number ones of 2021
References
{{authority control
1945 songs
1946 singles
1993 singles
2004 singles
American Christmas songs
Pop standards
Songs about weather
Songs with lyrics by Sammy Cahn
Songs with music by Jule Styne
Chicago (band) songs
Vaughn Monroe songs
Dean Martin songs
Rod Stewart songs
Winter in culture
Bing Crosby songs
Frank Sinatra songs
Carly Simon songs
Margaret (singer) songs
Columbia Records singles
Capitol Records singles