Christmas Music: Up on the Housetop
Benjamin Hanby, fils d’un ministre de l’Ohio, se veut le compositeur de ce chant de Christmas, Up on the Housetop, lequel a été écrit en 1864. Bien qu’il n’ait vécu que trente-quatre ans, cet auteur, décédé de la tuberculose, laisse derrière lui une compilation de 80 chansons. Si l’on se réfère au Reader’s Digest Merry Christmas Song Book, Benjamin Hanby serait le premier à avoir évoqué la possibilité que le Santa Claus puisse atterrir sur le toit des maisons, de là son inspiration. On considère également que cette chanson laïque, deuxième plus ancienne après Jingle Bells, serait la toute première à faire référence au Père Noël.
At first, Up on the Housetop didn't achieve the success it had hoped for, far from it. However, over the years, its popularity gradually grew, until it became a hit today. In fact, the version recorded by Kimberly Locke in 2005 went from number 32 on the US Billboard charts to number 5 in just one week, before reaching number 1, where it remained for four consecutive weeks.
Up on the Housetop had previously been recorded by several artists, but without achieving similar success. Gene Autry, who became famous with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman, was one of them. The Jackson 5's version, which can still be heard on radio during the holiday season, is also among those that achieved some success.
Youtube video
Youtube video
Words
Up on the housetop
Reindeer pause,
Out jumps good old Santa Claus.
Down thru the chimney
With lots of toys,
All for the little ones,
Christmas joys.
Ho, ho, ho!
Who wouldn't go!
Ho, ho, ho!
Who wouldn't go!
Up on the housetop,
Click, click, click,
Down thru the chimney
With good Saint Nick.
First comes the stocking
Of little Nell,
Oh, dear Santa
Fill it well;
Give her a dolly
That laughs and cries
One that will open
And shut her eyes.
Ho, ho, ho!
Who wouldn't go!
Ho, ho, ho!
Who wouldn't go!
Up on the housetop,
Click, click, click,
Down thru the chimney
With good Saint Nick.
Next comes the stocking
Of little Will,
Oh just see
What a glorious fill
Here is a hammer
And lots of tacks,
Also a ball
And a whip that cracks.
Ho, ho, ho!
Who wouldn't go!
Ho, ho, ho!
Who wouldn't go!
Up on the housetop,
Click, click, click,
Down thru the chimney
With good Saint Nick.
