The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)
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| “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)” | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single by The Chipmunks | ||
| Released | 1958 (U.S.) | |
| Genre | Christmas song | |
| Label | Jet Records | |
| Writer(s) | Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. (a.k.a. David Seville) | |
| Producer | Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. (a.k.a. David Seville) | |
"The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" is a song written by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. (a.k.a. David Seville) in 1958. Although it was written and sung by Bagdasarian (in the form of a chipmunk voice), the singing credits are given to The Chipmunks, a fictional singing group consisting of three chipmunks by the names of Alvin, Simon, and Theodore.
[edit] Chart performance
The song was very successful, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles chart, becoming The Chipmunks' first (and only), as well as David Seville's second and final, #1 single. It has the distinction of being the only Christmas record to reach #1 on the same chart. The single sold 4.5 million copies, according to Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. Ironically, before the song's success, "The Chipmunk Song" was featured on American Bandstand's "Rate-A-Record" segment and received the lowest possible rating of 35.
Between 1959-1962, the single managed to re-enter the Hot 100, peaking at #41 in 1959, #45 in 1960, and #39 in 1962. (Starting in 1963, Billboard would list re-current Christmas songs on a separate chart.) The song managed to chart on the Hot Digital Songs for the first time in 2005, peaking at #35 on that chart.
With the release and popularity of the film Alvin and the Chipmunks in December 2007, "The Chipmunk Song" re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 at #70. At the same time, a remixed version of the song that appears on the Chipmunks' 2007 album (and soundtrack to the film) Alvin and the Chipmunks: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, peaked at #66 and was credited as "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) (2007 Version)".
[edit] Adaptation in other media
The song has been adapted in The Alvin Show as one of its musical segments. The short depicts Alvin looking through various presents to find a hula hoop, even as he reluctantly sings along with the other Chipmunks. At the end of the song, Seville rewards Simon and Theodore with toy planes and Alvin with his hula hoop. The subsequent argument ends abruptly with their Christmas tree falling over, and Seville and the Chipmunks emerge from the mess to wish the viewers a merry Christmas.
The song was featured in A Chipmunk Christmas. A depressed Alvin sings along flatly at first (much like the 1958 original), but then leaves the studio to give away his harmonica to a sick boy. As Seville starts to resume recording the song without Alvin, Alvin returns in the nick of time to sing the song with the others.
The song was featured in the '80s and '90s version of Alvin and the Chipmunks, in the episode "Merry Christmas, Mr. Carroll." In that version, Alvin is taken by Dave (as the Spirit of Christmas Past) to his old house, a cabin lodge where he saw Dave and younger versions of himself, Simon and Theodore. There, it was revealed that Dave wrote the song (called "The Christmas Song" in this episode), because it was inspired by the gifts that the young Chipmunks gave him (which was an eraser, a pencil and a piece of paper).
The song was featured in the film Alvin and the Chipmunks. There were multiple versions of the song in that film, the original with Ross Bagdasarian, Sr.'s voice, a new one with Jason Lee's voice as Dave Seville, and a rock mix.
[edit] Different versions
On the Solid Gold Chipmunks: 30th Anniversary Edition greatest hits album (1988), this song appears, but with an altered bridge and ending. Instead of Dave yelling at Alvin for how flat he is in the first verse, Alvin instead appeals that he has asked for the hula-hoop for years but has never gotten it. Dave answers by telling him to finish the song, and they'll discuss it later. After they finish, Dave tells Alvin that something came in for him. It's the hula-hoop that he's been asking for, and the song fades out with Alvin now rattling off a long list of what else he desires for Christmas. The Solid Gold Chipmunks album and The Chipmunk's 35th Birthday Party (1993) are currently the only known albums that contains this version.
On the album, "Disney's Merry Christmas Carols," Chip 'n Dale sing "The Chipmunk Song" with Donald Duck in the background.
| Preceded by "To Know Him Is to Love Him" by Teddy Bears |
Billboard Hot 100 number-one single December 22, 1958 - January 18, 1959 (4 weeks) |
Succeeded by "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" by The Platters |
