Time for Some Christmas Music Trivia Quiz

Answer: Willie Nelson

Texas native Willie Nelson relocated to Nashville in 1960 and began making a name for himself as a songwriter before he began a prolific recording career. Among his earliest songwriting credits were "Crazy", "Family Bible", "Funny How Time Slips Away", "Hello Walls" and "Pretty Paper". Willie signed with Monument Records before working with RCA where he met fellow Monument recording artist Roy Orbison. Roy recorded "Pretty Paper" in 1963 and it became Roy's holiday hit.
In 1961 Willie Nelson released his first successful single, "Willingly". In 1964 he switched to RCA Records. He released his first RCA album, "Country Willie - His Own Songs" and became a member of the Grand Ole Opry the same year.
Don Gibson was known for such hits as "Just One More Time". Merle Haggard wrote and recorded "If We Make it Through December" and "Christmas with Marty Robbins" was a 1967 album release.

Answer: Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

Johnny Marks composed "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" which was recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958. The song was not an immediate success and Decca Records re-released it during the 1959 and 1960 Christmas seasons and it finally took off, becoming an enduring Rock and Roll Christmas song that has been featured on several movie soundtracks.
Marks specialized in writing Christmas songs and composed "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer", "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" and several other Yule time standards. He was also the director of ASCAP between 1957 and 1961.
"Christmas Island" was made popular by The Andrews Sisters. Bobby Helms had a hit with "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Christmas Alphabet" was a 1954 release by The McGuire Sisters.

Answer: Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry's recording of "Run Rudolph Run" only made it to number 69 when it was released in 1958. It still managed to become his signature Christmas song through the years and has been covered by a diverse array of artists including Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sheryl Crow and Bryan Adams.
When the 45 RPM record was released the songwriting credits went to "C. Berry Music and M. Brodie", however it was later credited to the correct authors, Johnny Marks and Marvin Brodie.
The song has been included on the soundtrack of over an half dozen films.
"Santa Claus Is Watching You" was released by Ray Stevens. Fats Domino recorded several Christmas classics on his "Christmas Is A Special Day" album. "I Can't Have a Merry Christmas, Mary (Without You)" was a Jerry Lee Lewis recording.

Answer: Doye O'Dell

Doye O'Dell recorded the Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson composition in 1948, a year before Ernest Tubb had a hit record with his version. The song had been a Christmas staple of Country Music fans for several years before Elvis Presley recorded his classic Pop rendition.
"Bouquet of Roses" was a 1948 hit by Eddy Arnold. Harry Brannon released the first recording of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" in 1949, a month before Gene Autry recorded his legendary version.

Answer: Christmas Time Is Here Again

"Christmas Time Is Here Again" was a Beatles fan club record released in 1967.
"The Man with All the Toys" was a Beach Boys hit single during Christmas season in 1964. Their rendition of "Blue Christmas" was on the flip-side. "Little Saint Nick" was written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love and released in 1963 with "The Lord's Prayer" as the flip side. "Christmas Day" was written by Brian Wilson and featured Al Jardine on lead vocals.

Answer: The Sound of Music

"My Favorite Things" was sung on Broadway by Mary Martin for the production of "The Sound of Music". Julie Andrews sang it when she starred in the film adaptation. She sang the song while portraying a governess who was trying to reassure her wards during a thunderstorm.
The Supremes, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett and Herb Alpert and the Tijuana recorded versions of the song on their Christmas albums during the sixties.
"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" was a 1968 release that featured thirteen songs including "Come to the Funfair". In 1964 "Mary Poppins" featured a soundtrack that included "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" and "A Spoonful of Sugar". "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was a 1964 Christmas television movie.

Answer: Thurl Ravenscroft

Thurl Ravenscroft provided the voice for the "Tony the Tiger" ads for close to 50 years so his deep voice was perfect for singing "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch". He began his career as a big band era backing singer and went on to sing in films and as a session singer on many songs such as Rosemary Clooney's "This Ole House". He also sang "No Dogs Allowed" in the Peanuts film "Snoopy, Come Home" (1972).
Boris Karloff was the narrator for "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" but did not sing "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" on the soundtrack. Because of similarities in the voice it was often thought that Tennessee Ernie Ford sang "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch". Vincent Price did a voice-over on Michael Jackon's "Thriller" but he was not known for any Christmas songs.
June Foray voiced Cindy Lou Who in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!". She was the voice for Rocky in the "Rocky and Bullwinkle" cartoons and voice Granny for many of the Warner Brothers Tweety Bird cartoons.

Answer: Burl Ives

Burl Ives was initially a Folk singer who also enjoyed success on the Country and Pop charts. "Holly Jolly Christmas" was another Johnny Marks Christmas composition. "Holly Jolly Christmas" was recorded by the Quinto Sisters before Burl Ives had a hit with it. Burl had his first chart success in 1948 with "Blue Tail Fly" singing with The Andrews Sisters.
By the early sixties he had Top Ten hits including "A Little Bitty Tear" and "A Funny Way of Laughin'". He also released a version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" in 1962. "Holly Jolly Christmas" was his last US Top Forty Pop single.
Perry Como is known for his many Christmas specials from 1948 to 1994. Bing Crosby recorded several Christmas classics including "White Christmas" and "Silver Bells". Dean Martin has also recorded Christmas albums including "Christmas with Dino" and "Making Spirits Bright".

Answer: Spike Jones and His City Slickers

Schoolteacher Donald Gardner wrote "All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" in 1944 when his class of second graders all replied in a lisp when he asked them what they wanted for Christmas. He was later performing the song at a teacher's convention when a publisher heard him. Before long Spike Jones and His City Slickers released a version with trumpet player George Rock singing lead vocals in a children's voice.

The song was released in time for the holidays in 1948 and went to Number One early the next year. Jimmy Boyd released "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" in 1952 when he was only 13. Perry Como and The Fontaine Sisters released "Its Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" and Johnny Mathis released a single of "O Holy Night" in 1958.

Answer: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

"Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" was first sung by Eddie Cantor way back in 1934 and has been covered by several artists. The Ronettes had a hit single two decades before Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band made a full blown production of the song. Bootleg copies were being played well before Bruce officially released the song in 1985.
Huey Lewis and The News was hot in 1985 with "The Power Of Love". "Wonderful Christmastime" was a 1979 Paul McCartney Christmas recording. Prince and The Revolution hit the charts in 1985 with "Raspberry Beret".