The Christmas Song

[9][10] Not issued until 1989, when it was (accidentally [citation needed]) included on the various-artists compilation Billboard Greatest Christmas Hits (1935–1954) Rhino R1 70637(LP) / R2 70637(CD).

Label credit: The King Cole Trio with String Choir (Nat King Cole, vocals & piano; Oscar Moore, guitarist; Johnny Miller, bassist; Jack "The Bear" Parker, drummer; Charlie Grean, arranger and conductor of 4 string players and a harpist).

[4] Label credit: Nat King Cole (Nat King Cole, vocals; Hank Jones, pianist; John Collins, guitarist; Charlie Harris, bassist; Lee Young, drummer; Charlie Grean, Pete Rugolo and Ralph Carmichael, orchestral arrangement; Ralph Carmichael, orchestra conductor).

Retitled The Christmas Song, the album was issued in 1963 as Capitol W-1967(mono) / SW-1967(stereo) and today is available both on compact disc and streaming on iTunes.

An alternate take of the 1961 recording, featuring a different vocal and missing the solo piano on the instrumental bridge, appears on the Deluxe Edition of the 2014 compilation The Extraordinary Nat King Cole.

In December 1946, Bing Crosby performed it on a recorded radio broadcast with an introduction including Skitch Henderson on piano.

[52] Crosby, with the Ken Darby Singers and the John Scott Trotter Orchestra, also made a studio recording on March 19, 1947, which went on to be released as a single later that same year.

[56] Aguilera's cover also reached number seventy-two on the Hot 100 Singles Sales 2000 year-end chart, compiled by Billboard.

[60][61][62] In 2021, Jacob Collier's cover of the song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals at the 64th Annual ceremony.

[63] The song has also been covered by Doris Day with the Les Brown Jr. Orchestra of Renown, Ariana Grande,[64] Camila Cabello,[65] The Carpenters,[66] Celine Dion,[67] Ella Fitzgerald,[68] Elizabeth Gillies,[64] Frank Sinatra,[69] The Jackson 5,[70] John Legend,[71] JoJo,[72] Justin Bieber,[71] Kenny Burrell,[73] Luther Vandross,[71] Mariya Takeuchi, Mary J. Blige,[71] Ne-Yo,[74] NSYNC,[75] Pentatonix,[71] Peter Hollens,[71] Shawn Mendes,[65] Brandy,[76] and Toni Braxton,[71] among others.

The 1970 Columbia version of the song adds an opening verse, written in 1963 while Tormé was working as musical arranger for The Judy Garland Show.

He first performed and introduced the opening verse while duetting with Garland on the song for the show's Christmas Special, which aired on December 22, 1963: All through the year we waited Waited through spring and fall To hear silver bells ringing, see wintertime bringing The happiest season of all Additionally, Tormé's recordings typically include a coda adapted from "Here We Come A-wassailing": Love and joy come to you And to you your Christmas too And God bless you and send you a happy New Year And God send you a happy New Year