No. 36: Burl Ives, ‘A Holly Jolly Christmas’ – Top 50 Country Christmas Songs

Folk singer Burl Ives used Christmas to cross over to the mainstream with his rendition of 'A Holly Jolly Christmas,' which became a pop hit in 1965 and a country holiday staple in the decades since.

Ives had already racked up an impressive career that comprised not only folk music, but also film appearances by the time he was tapped to narrate the animated TV production of 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' in 1964. His recording of 'A Holly Jolly Christmas' was first featured in that program, then re-recorded for a pop release in 1965, eventually becoming a Christmas standard throughout the world.

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 Listen to 'A Holy Jolly Christmas' by Burl Ives