BOBBY HELMS - JINGLE BELL ROCK 

Released : November 28, 1957

Charted:  UK: #7   US: #3 

"Jingle Bell Rock" is an iconic American Christmas song initially released by Bobby Helms in 1957. Widely recognized as Helms' signature song, it has become a staple during the Christmas season, receiving frequent airplay in the United States. The song is officially credited to Joe Beal and Jim Boothe. Hank "Sugarfoot" Garland, the guitarist on this track and Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree," filed a lawsuit against the record label before his death. Garland claimed that he and Helms, not Beal and Boothe, were the actual writers of the song. The legal dispute adds an intriguing layer to the song's history and authorship. Despite initial disputes over its composers the song's catchy blend of rock 'n' roll and holiday cheer has solidified its place as the first mainstream rock 'n' roll Christmas hit. At the time of its release, Helms was a rising country artist with notable crossover success on the pop charts.

"Jingle Bell Rock" has been embraced by numerous artists, with covers by Hall & Oates, The Platters, 38 Special, and The Beach Boys. The rendition by Chubby Checker and Bobby Rydell reached #21 in 1962, making it the only other version to chart. Hall & Oates released their version in 1983, accompanied by a campy video that gained substantial airplay on MTV. Daryl Hall, in a rockabilly phase at the time, expressed the desire to infuse a rockabilly flavor into a Christmas song, leading to their cover of this festive classic.

Bobby Helms' version of "Jingle Bell Rock" experienced a resurgence on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, entering on the week ending January 9, 2016. After reaching #29 on the week ending January 7, 2017, the song continued to climb. In January 2019, it entered the top 10, reaching #8. This achievement marked the longest wait for an artist to reach the Hot 100's top 10, taking 60 years, four months, and two weeks since the song's first entry in 1958. Bobby Helms' recording reached a new peak of #3 on the chart dated January 4, 2020, maintaining this position for five consecutive years, following Mariah Carey and Brenda Lee.