MUSIC fans are just realising the age of singer Brenda Lee when she recorded her famous Christmas song.
Festive favourite Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree was released in 1958 and featured in Home Alone, one of the biggest movies of the 90s.
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Brenda Lee was just 13 when she recorded the song Rockin’ Around The Christmas TreeCredit: Redferns
Written by Johnny Marks, the rockabilly track Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree was recorded by Brenda in 1958 when the singer was just 13.
To this day, it remains popular and has been recorded by everyone from John Travolta to Justin Bieber.
The single entered the UK singles chart at Number 30 in its first week in November 1962, according to the Official Charts Company.
It climbed into the Top 10 and earned its original peak of Number 6 a month later.
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Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree secured its place as a festive classic after it was featured in the much-loved 1990 Christmas movie Home Alone.
In the memorable scene, Kevin McCallister – played by Macauley Kulkin – deterred would-be burglars from robbing his home by throwing a pretend Christmas party to make the house appear occupied.
Yet when one TikToker posted a video of the song and asked what age people thought the singer was, many were stunned to discover it was recorded when Brenda was just a teenager.
One person wrote: “She sounds middle aged.”
Another fan replied: “Wait, I’m just finding this out too.”
A third person added: “Whaaattt?! I looked it up and still have a hard time believing it.”
Kim Wilde and Mel Smith released a version of the song for Comic Relief in 1987Credit: Unknown
A fourth person wrote: “Not even my dad knew and he’’s 60.”
Others who have covered Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree include teenybop heroes Hanson and Cliff Richard.
In 1987, Kim Wilde and Mel Smith released a version of the song for Comic Relief.
In a 2019 interview, Brenda Lee – known by her nickname Little Miss Dynamite – said that she had no knowledge as to why Marks wanted her specifically to sing it.
She told The Tennessean: “I had not had a lot of success in records, but for some reason he heard me and wanted me to do it. And I did.”
The song was given a new lease of life after it was featured in Home Alone, starring Macauley Culkin (stock image)Credit: Alamy Stock Photo
