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"Up on the Housetop" is a Christmas song written by
Benjamin Hanby Benjamin Russell Hanby (July 22, 1833 – March 16, 1867), also given as Benjamin Russel Hanby, was an American composer, educator, pastor, and abolitionist who wrote approximately 80 songs. The most famous are "Darling Nelly Gray" and the ...
in 1864.Bronson, Fre
"Signs Of The Season"
Billboard Magazine; December 6, 2007.
It has been recorded by a multitude of singers, most notably
Gene Autry Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), nicknamed the Singing Cowboy, was an American singer, songwriter, actor, musician, rodeo performer, and baseball owner who gained fame largely by singing in a crooning s ...
in 1953.


Fresh Beat Band Version

Verse 1: Up on the (housetop/rooftop) reindeer pause, Out jumps good old Santa Claus. Down through the chimney, with lots of toys, All for the little ones' Christmas joys. Chorus: Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn't go. Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn't go, Up on the housetop, click, click, click; Down through the chimney with good Saint Nick. Verse 2: First comes the stocking of little Shout; Oh, dear Santa fill it well! Give him cherries to snack on; Shout loves his guitar so he can play the blues. Repeat chorus Verse 3: (Look in / Next comes) the stocking of little Twist; Oh just see what a glorious fill! Here is a lemon and lots of limes; That's so nasty and he loves them Repeat chorus (Note: It is often customary to snap the fingers along with, or instead of, "click, click, click".)


Original lyrics

Verse 1 Up on the house, no delay, no pause Clatter the steed of Santa Claus. Down thro' the chimney with loads of toys Ho for the little ones, Christmas joys.


History

According to William Studwell in ''The Christmas Carol Reader'', "Up on the Housetop" was the second-oldest secular Christmas song, outdone only by "
Jingle Bells "Jingle Bells" is one of the best-known and most commonly sung American songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont (1822–1893) and published under the title "The One Horse Open Sleigh" in September 1857. It has been claimed t ...
", which was written in 1857. It is also considered the first Yuletide song to focus primarily on
Santa Claus Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a Legend, legendary figure originating in Western Christianity, Western Christian culture who is said to Christmas gift-bringer, bring ...
. It was originally published in the magazine ''Our Song Birds'' by Root & Cady. According to ''Reader's Digest Merry Christmas Song Book'', Hanby probably owes the idea that Santa and his sleigh land on the roofs of homes to Clement C. Moore's 1822 poem, "
A Visit from St. Nicholas ''A Visit from St. Nicholas'', more commonly known as ''The Night Before Christmas'' and ''Twas the Night Before Christmas'' from its first line, is a poem first published anonymously under the title ''Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas'' i ...
" (also commonly known as "The Night Before Christmas"). Benjamin Russell Hanby was born in 1833 near
Rushville, Ohio Rushville is a village in Fairfield County, Ohio, United States. The population was 302 at the 2010 census. Much of the village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Rushville Historic District. Rushville takes its name f ...
, the son of a minister involved with the
Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. T ...
. He wrote Up on the Housetop while living in New Paris, Ohio. During his short life, he wrote some 80 songs before dying of tuberculosis in 1867. Other than "Up on the Housetop", his best-known song is " Darling Nelly Gray".


On television

In 1992, a syndicated
television special A television special (often TV special, or rarely television spectacular) is a standalone television show which may also temporarily interrupt episodic programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Some specials provide a full range of ent ...
of the same name, produced by Perennial Pictures Film Corporation in
Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...
, was released. Co-writer/co-producer/co-director G. Brian Reynolds also was the voice of Curtis Calhoun, and also composed the musical score. His creative partner, Russ Harris, co-wrote, co-produced, co-directed and also did voiceover work in this special. The special is the story of Curtis Calhoun, a miserable man who wishes that there were no Santa Claus. But then on Christmas Eve, someone is on top of the Calhouns' roof, and Curtis does not know whether he is Saint Nick or a cat burglar. In 2013, ''
Dove Cameron Dove Olivia Cameron (born Chloe Celeste Hosterman; January 15, 1996) is an American singer and actress. She became famous for her double role of the eponymous characters in the Disney Channel comedy series ''Liv and Maddie'', for which she won ...
'' and Ella Anderson performed a duet version of the song in their respective ''
Liv and Maddie ''Liv and Maddie'', also known as ''Liv and Maddie: Cali Style'' for the fourth season, is an American comedy television series created by John D. Beck and Ron Hart that aired on Disney Channel from July 19, 2013 to March 24, 2017. The series ...
'' characters in the episode "Fa La La La-A-Rooney"..


Cover versions


Kimberley Locke version

In 2005, the song was repopularized with a new recording by
Kimberley Locke Kimberley Dawn Locke (born January 3, 1978) is an American singer-songwriter and television personality. She has recorded in the dance and pop genres, and has targeted the adult contemporary radio format. She was the cohost of the daytime talk ...
. The recording broke a ''
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 ...
'' record when it made the largest leap into the Top 5 in the AC chart's history, moving from 32 to 5 in only a week. It was also the second longest ''Billboard'' holiday AC chart topper in the chart's history, sitting at #1 for 4 consecutive weeks.


Year-end charts


Other notable versions

*
Gene Autry Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), nicknamed the Singing Cowboy, was an American singer, songwriter, actor, musician, rodeo performer, and baseball owner who gained fame largely by singing in a crooning s ...
– ''Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer And Other Christmas Classics'' (1953) *
Lawrence Welk Lawrence Welk (March 11, 1903 – May 17, 1992) was an American accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted the ''The Lawrence Welk Show'' from 1951 to 1982. His style came to be known as "champagne music" to his radio, tele ...
with
Larry Hooper Lawrence "Bullfrog" Hooper (July 22, 1917 in Independence, Missouri – June 10, 1983 in Los Angeles, California) was an American musician and vocalist. He was best known to television audiences as part of ''The Lawrence Welk Show'' as a featured ...
, as "High On The House Top", the same melody with significantly altered lyrics. (1956) *
The King Sisters The King Sisters were an American big band-era vocal group consisting of six sisters: Alyce, Donna, Luise, Marilyn, Maxine, and Yvonne King. History Born and raised in Pleasant Grove, Utah, the King sisters were part of the Driggs family of e ...
*
Alvin and the Chipmunks Alvin and the Chipmunks, originally David Seville and the Chipmunks or simply The Chipmunks, are an American animated virtual band and media franchise first created by Ross Bagdasarian for novelty records in 1958. The group consists of three s ...
– ''
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'' (1961) *
Eddy Arnold Richard Edward Arnold (May 15, 1918 – May 8, 2008) was an American country music singer who performed for six decades. He was a Nashville sound (country/popular music) innovator of the late 1950s, and scored 147 songs on the ''Billboard'' cou ...
– ''Eddy Arnold Christmas Album'' (1962) *
Don Janse Donald L. "Don" Janse (November 28, 1929 – August 11, 1999) was a famous vocal director and arranger from Old Lyme, Connecticut. He was best known for his work at the United States Coast Guard Academy, where he directed The Idlers The Idlers ...
and his 60 Voice Children's Choir - ''The Little Drummer Boy'' (1963) *
The Jackson 5 The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most o ...
– '' The Jackson 5 Christmas Album'' (1970). This version opens with a reference to "
Here Comes Santa Claus "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)" is a popular Christmas song written and originally performed by Gene Autry, with music composed by Oakley Haldeman. Autry's original recording (in which he pronounces Santa Claus as "Santy ...
" and also contains references to
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
(
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have been played on
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 ...
Day since the 1940s) and "
A Visit from St. Nicholas ''A Visit from St. Nicholas'', more commonly known as ''The Night Before Christmas'' and ''Twas the Night Before Christmas'' from its first line, is a poem first published anonymously under the title ''Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas'' i ...
". *
Barney and the Backyard Gang ''Barney and the Backyard Gang'' is an American direct-to-video series produced by The Lyons Group and released in periodic installments from 29 August 1988 to 1 August 1991. The series led to the launch of the children's television show, ''Bar ...
– ''Waiting for Santa'' (1990) * Kidsongs-We Wish You A Merry Christmas (1992) *
Sammy Kershaw Samuel Paul Kershaw (born February 24, 1958) is an American country music artist. He has released 16 studio albums, with three RIAA platinum certifications and two gold certifications among them. More than 25 singles have entered the Top 40 on the ...
– ''
Christmas Time's A-Comin' "Christmas Time's A-Comin'" is a popular Bluegrass music, bluegrass Christmas music, Christmas standard song written by Bell Labs engineer Benjamin F. Logan, Benjamin "Tex" Logan. Originally recorded by Bill Monroe in 1951, the song was covered in ...
'' (1994) *
Jimmy Buffett James William Buffett (born December 25, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, and businessman. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffet ...
– ''
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'' (1996) *
Reba McEntire Reba Nell McEntire (born March 28, 1955), or simply Reba, is an American country music singer and actress. Dubbed " the Queen of Country", she has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Since the 1970s, McEntire has placed over 100 single ...
– '' The Secret of Giving: A Christmas Collection'' (1999) *
George Strait George Harvey Strait Sr. (born May 18, 1952) is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and music producer. Strait is considered one of the most influential and popular recording artists of all time. In the 1980s, he was credited for ...
– '' Fresh Cut Christmas'' (2006) and '' Classic Christmas'' (2008) *
Bradley Joseph Bradley Joseph (born 1965) is an American composer, arranger, and producer of contemporary instrumental music. His compositions include works for orchestra, quartet, and solo piano, while his musical style ranges from "quietly pensive mood music ...
– '' Classic Christmas'' (2008) *
The Airmen of Note The Airmen of Note is the premier jazz ensemble of the United States Air Force and part of the United States Air Force Band. Created in 1950 to carry on the tradition of Major Glenn Miller's Army Air Corps dance band, the "Note" is a touring big ...
– ''Cool Yule'' (2009) (arrangement by Alan Baylock) *
Fariborz Lachini Fariborz Lachini ( fa, فریبرز لاچینی; born August 25, 1949) is an Iranian film score composer. Career He started his career in Iran writing music for children, creating "Avaz Faslha va Rangha" at the age of 18 which caught the attent ...
– Christmas Piano – Solo Piano with Sheet Music (2009) *
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television commercial, their EP ''Pomplamoose Christmas'' (2010), and featured on the soundtrack to ''
Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever ''Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever'' (referred to onscreen as ''Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever! The Movie'') is a 2014 made-for-television Christmas comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are ...
'' *
Pentatonix Pentatonix (abbreviated PTX) is an American a cappella group from Arlington, Texas, currently consisting of vocalists Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Kirstin Maldonado, Kevin Olusola, and Matt Sallee. Characterized by their pop-style arrangements ...
– ''
A Pentatonix Christmas ''A Pentatonix Christmas'' is the fifth studio album by American a cappella group Pentatonix. It is also their second full-length holiday album since ''That's Christmas to Me'' in 2014. Featuring two new original songs, "Good to Be Bad" and "Th ...
'' (2016) as "Up On The Housetop" * Duncan Brannan and
Jaret Reddick Jaret Ray Reddick is an American musician, singer, songwriter, composer, podcaster and actor, best known as the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Bowling for Soup. As a voice actor, Reddick is known for his work o ...
– ''Chuck E's Holiday Party'' (2013), ''Holiday Medley'' (2014) *
Straight No Chaser (group) Straight No Chaser (SNC) is a professional American a cappella group that originated in 1996 at Indiana University. Originally a student group at Indiana University, they recorded a video in 1998 of a comical version of "The 12 Days of Christ ...
- '' I'll Have Another... Christmas Album'' (2016) - with two additional verses that most versions do not include *
Emily Kinney Emily Rebecca Kinney is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She is known for her role as Beth Greene on AMC's horror drama television series '' The Walking Dead'' (2011–2015, 2018). Kinney has also appeared on several other televisio ...
- single released in 2020


See also

* List of Billboard Adult Contemporary number ones of 2005 and 2006 (U.S.)


References


External links

* {{Authority control 2005 singles American Christmas songs 1864 songs Songs written by Benjamin Hanby Songs about Santa Claus