Uploaded December 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
"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.
The Jackson 5, or Jackson Five, also known as The Jacksons in later years, was an American popular music group. Formed in 1964 under the name the Jackson Brothers, the founding members were Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael. After participating in talent shows and the chitlin' circuit, they entered the professional music scene in 1967, signing with Steeltown Records and releasing two singles with the Steeltown label. In 1969, the group left Steeltown Records and signed with Motown.
Jackson 5 Christmas Album is the first Christmas album, and fourth studio album, by Motown family quintet the Jackson 5, released on October 15, 1970. Included on the Christmas Album is the Jacksons' hit single version of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town". The Jacksons' versions of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" remain frequent radio requests during the Christmas season. The album spent four weeks at the number one position on Billboard magazine's special Christmas Albums chart that the magazine published in December 1970, making it the best-selling Christmas album of that year and also of the year 1972 in the United States. This album was a top seller and had the potential to chart high on the US Billboard Top LPs ranking, but from 1963 to 1973, holiday albums were not allowed to chart in it. The album has been praised by music critics.
In the US, the album was released on CD in 1986. In 2003, Universal Motown re-released the album as part of their 20th Century Masters - The Christmas Collection series. This version of the album was remastered and included the Michael Jackson solo song "Little Christmas Tree" as a bonus track (from the various artists compilation A Motown Christmas, originally released in 1973). In 2009, the album was once again re-released as Ultimate Christmas Collection, with Christmas greetings from four of the band members, remixes, and a medley of songs from the album.
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to you
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos
Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe
Help to make the season bright
Whoa, tiny tots with their eyes all aglow
Will find it hard to sleep tonight
You know that Santa's on his way
He's bringing lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh (he's bringing lots of toys and goodies)
And every mother's child is on the spy
To see if reindeer really know how to fly
And so, I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to 92
Though it has been said many times, many ways
Merry Christmas
(Merry Christmas)
(Merry Christmas) merry Christmas
(Merry Christmas to you)
To you
Merry Christmas (Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas to you)
To you
(Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas to you) and you too
(Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way) oh, Merry Christmas to you
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas to you
And you too
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas to you
Merry Christmas
Oh, Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
"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.
The Jackson 5, or Jackson Five, also known as The Jacksons in later years, was an American popular music group. Formed in 1964 under the name the Jackson Brothers, the founding members were Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael. After participating in talent shows and the chitlin' circuit, they entered the professional music scene in 1967, signing with Steeltown Records and releasing two singles with the Steeltown label. In 1969, the group left Steeltown Records and signed with Motown.
Jackson 5 Christmas Album is the first Christmas album, and fourth studio album, by Motown family quintet the Jackson 5, released on October 15, 1970. Included on the Christmas Album is the Jacksons' hit single version of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town". The Jacksons' versions of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" remain frequent radio requests during the Christmas season. The album spent four weeks at the number one position on Billboard magazine's special Christmas Albums chart that the magazine published in December 1970, making it the best-selling Christmas album of that year and also of the year 1972 in the United States. This album was a top seller and had the potential to chart high on the US Billboard Top LPs ranking, but from 1963 to 1973, holiday albums were not allowed to chart in it. The album has been praised by music critics.
In the US, the album was released on CD in 1986. In 2003, Universal Motown re-released the album as part of their 20th Century Masters - The Christmas Collection series. This version of the album was remastered and included the Michael Jackson solo song "Little Christmas Tree" as a bonus track (from the various artists compilation A Motown Christmas, originally released in 1973). In 2009, the album was once again re-released as Ultimate Christmas Collection, with Christmas greetings from four of the band members, remixes, and a medley of songs from the album.
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to you
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos
Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe
Help to make the season bright
Whoa, tiny tots with their eyes all aglow
Will find it hard to sleep tonight
You know that Santa's on his way
He's bringing lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh (he's bringing lots of toys and goodies)
And every mother's child is on the spy
To see if reindeer really know how to fly
And so, I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to 92
Though it has been said many times, many ways
Merry Christmas
(Merry Christmas)
(Merry Christmas) merry Christmas
(Merry Christmas to you)
To you
Merry Christmas (Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas to you)
To you
(Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas to you) and you too
(Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way) oh, Merry Christmas to you
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas to you
And you too
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas to you
Merry Christmas
Oh, Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
