Winter Wonderland

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"Winter Wonderland" is a song written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and lyricist Richard Bernhard Smith. Due to its seasonal theme, it is often regarded as a Christmas song in the Northern Hemisphere. Since its original recording by Richard Himber, it has been covered by over 200 different artists. Its lyrics are about a couple's romance during winter.[1]

A later version of "Winter Wonderland" (which was printed in 1947) included a "new children's lyric" that transformed it "from a romantic winter interlude to a seasonal song about playing in the snow". The snowman mentioned in the song's bridge was changed from Parson Brown to a circus clown, and the promises the couple made in the final verse were replaced with lyrics about frolicking. Singers like Johnny Mathis connected both versions, adding a verse and chorus.[2]

History

Smith, a native of Honesdale, Pennsylvania, was reportedly inspired to write the lyrics after seeing Honesdale's Central Park covered in snow. He wrote the lyrics while being treated for tuberculosis in the West Mountain Sanitarium in Scranton.[3]

The song was originally recorded in 1934 for RCA Victor. At the end of a different recording session by Himber and his Hotel Ritz-Carlton Orchestra, with extra time to spare, RCA Victor suggested arranging and recording "Winter Wonderland" using some additional members of its own orchestra, which included Artie Shaw and other established New York City studio musicians.

Guy Lombardo’s version that same year would go on to be one of the biggest hits of 1934.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

In 1946, Perry Como recorded the song on his album Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music.

Also in 1946, The Andrews Sisters recorded the song with Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians.

In Johnny Mathis' version, heard on his 1958 LP Merry Christmas, the introduction is sung between the first and the second refrain.

In 1960, Ella Fitzgerald recorded a jazz arrangement of the song for her Verve release Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas.

In 1963, Phil Spector recorded an energetically-paced version of the song, employing his characteristic Wall of Sound production technique for the A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector album. Darlene Love performed lead vocals.

In 1968, Tony Bennett recorded the song on his album Snowfall: The Tony Bennett Christmas Album. He recorded it again in a duet with Lady Gaga in 2014.

In 1971, Elvis Presley recorded the song on his album Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas.[4]

In 1999, Ringo Starr recorded the song on his album I Wanna Be Santa Claus.

In 2023, Chlöe covered the song for Amazon Music as part of their Amazon Original Music series. The cover peaked at number 87 on the Billboard Hot 100,[5] making her version of the song the first to enter the chart.[6]

Also in 2023, Laufey covered the song for Spotify as part of their Spotify Singles Holiday series. The cover became the highest-charting version of the song in the Core Anglosphere countries, excluding the United States.[7]

Sheet music

The sheet music for the song is in the key of E♭ major for the verses and chorus and G major for the first half of the bridge, with a moderate tempo of 72 bpm and a time signature of cut-time, according to Musicnotes.com.[8]

Awards and achievements

Guy Lombardo's version was the highest on the charts at the time of introduction. Johnny Mercer's version of the song placed at No. 4 on the Billboard airplay chart in 1946. The same season, a version by Perry Como hit the retail top ten; Como would re-record the song for his 1959 Christmas album.

In November 2007, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) listed "Winter Wonderland" as the most-played ASCAP-member-written holiday song of the previous five years, and the Eurythmics' 1987 version as the one most commonly played.[9]

In December 2023, Chlöe's version was the first version to enter the Hot 100 ever and Laufey's version became the highest-charting version of the song in the Core Anglosphere countries, excluding the United States.

Charts

Tony Bennett version

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Chart (1968–2023) Peak
position
Denmark (Tracklisten)[10] 35
Italy (FIMI)[11] 44
Lithuania (AGATA)[12] 98
New Zealand (RMNZ)[13] 39
Norway (VG-lista)[14] 35
US Holiday 100 (Billboard)[15] 87

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga version

Chart (2014) Peak
position
US Holiday Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[16] 20

Bing Crosby version

Template:Singlechart
Chart (2017–2024) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[17] 89
Global 200 (Billboard)[18] 133
Latvia (DigiTop100)[19] 27
US Holiday 100 (Billboard)[20] 66

Michael Bublé version

Chart (2017–2025) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[17] 84
Germany (GfK)[21] 60
Global 200 (Billboard)[22] 142
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[23] 83
US Holiday 100 (Billboard)[24] 93

Darlene Love version

Chart (2018–2025) Peak
position
Global 200 (Billboard)[25] 93
US Billboard Hot 100[26] 48
US Holiday 100 (Billboard)[27] 31
US Rolling Stone Top 100[28] 41

Chlöe version

Chart (2023–2024) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[5] 87
US Holiday 100 (Billboard)[29] 57
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[30] 19

Laufey version

Chart (2023–2025) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[31] 28
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[32] 55
France (SNEP)[33] 106
Global 200 (Billboard)[34] 70
Greece International (IFPI)[35] 52
Ireland (IRMA)[36] 7
Lithuania (AGATA)[37] 22
Luxembourg (Billboard)[38] 24
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[39] 84
New Zealand (RMNZ)[40] 26
Portugal (AFP)[41] 85
Singapore Regional (RIAS)[42] 9
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[43] 100
UK Singles (OCC)[44] 24
UK Independent Singles (OCC)[45] 3
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 (Billboard)[46] 2
US Holiday 100 (Billboard)[47] 72

Certifications

Tony Bennett

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Michael Bublé

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Bing Crosby

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Darlene Love

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Laufey

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References

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  9. ↑ ASCAP Announced Top 25 Holiday Songs. November 12, 2007
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  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/GLO "Bing Crosby Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ "Michael Bublé – Winter Wonderland" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/GLO "Michael Buble Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/GLO "Darlene Love Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "WLink"./chart-history/HSI "Darlene Love Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
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