The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) Explained

The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)
Cover:Single_The_Chipmunks-The_Chipmunk_Song_cover.JPG
Caption:Picture sleeve of 1959 reissue single by Liberty Records (F-55250)
Type:single
Artist:Alvin and the Chipmunks and David Seville
Album:Let's All Sing with The Chipmunks
Released:November 1, 1958
Recorded:October 31, 1958
Length:
  • (rock version)
Label:Liberty F-55168
Liberty F-55250
Producer:Ross Bagdasarian
Prev Title:The Bird on My Head
Prev Year:1958
Next Title:Alvin's Harmonica
Next Year:1959

"The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" is a novelty Christmas song written by Ross Bagdasarian (under the stage name of David Seville) in 1958. Bagdasarian sang and recorded the song, varying the tape speeds to produce high-pitched "chipmunk" voices, with the vocals credited to Alvin and the Chipmunks, Seville's cartoon virtual band. The song won three Grammy Awards in 1958, for Best Comedy Performance, Best Children's Recording, and Best Engineered Record (non-classical);[1] it was also nominated for Record of the Year.[2]

Commercial performance

The song was very successful, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles chart, becoming The Chipmunks' first (and only), as well as David Seville's second and final, No. 1 single. It had the distinction of being the only Christmas record to reach No. 1 on the same chart until Mariah Carey’s "All I Want for Christmas Is You" did so 61 years later in 2019. The single sold 4.5 million copies in seven weeks, according to Ross Bagdasarian Jr.[3] It eventually sold 12 million copies.[4] Before the song's success, "The Chipmunk Song" was featured on American Bandstands "Rate-A-Record" segment and received the lowest possible rating of 35 across the board.[5]

Between 1958 and 1962, the single re-entered the Hot 100 several times, peaking at No. 41 in 1958, No. 45 in 1960, and No. 39 in 1962. (Starting in 1963, Billboard would list recurrent Christmas songs on a separate chart.) The song charted on the Hot Digital Songs for the first time in 2005, peaking at No. 35.With the release and popularity of the live-action film Alvin and the Chipmunks in 2007, "The Chipmunk Song" re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 70. At the same time, a remixed version of the song that appears on the Chipmunks' 2007 album (and soundtrack to the film) , peaked at No. 66 and was credited as "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) (2007 Version)".

As of December 25, 2011, Nielsen SoundScan estimated total sales of two versions of the digital track by The Chipmunks at 867,000 downloads, placing it third on the list of all-time best-selling Christmas/holiday digital singles in SoundScan history (behind Mariah Carey's 1994 hit single "All I Want for Christmas Is You" and Trans-Siberian Orchestra's 1996 track "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24").[6]

Track listing

1961 reissue

Adaptation in other media

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: O'Neil. Tom. Today in 1959: First Grammy Awards handed out. Los Angeles Times. 4 May 2009. 29 Nov 2009.
  2. Web site: 1958 Grammy Winners. Recording Academy. May 20, 2023.
  3. http://www.chipmunks.com/ History section
  4. Book: Tyler, Don. Music of the postwar era. 2008. 99 - 100. 9780313341915. Greenwood Press.
  5. Book: Clark, Dick. Rock, Roll and Remember. Richard. Robinson. New York. Thomas Y. Crowell Company. 1976. Dick Clark.
  6. Web site: Week Ending Dec. 25, 2011. Songs: Bringing "Sexy" Back. Grein. Paul. Yahoo! Music. Nielsen Business Media. 2011-12-28. 2011-12-29.
  7. https://www.amazon.com/Alvin-Chipmunks-Show-Ross-Bagdasarian/dp/B00Q599970/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Alvin+%26+the+Chipmunks%3A+The+Alvin+Show&qid=1555614651&s=gateway&sr=8-2 The Alvin Show DVD/Blu-Ray release