A legend weighs in on a Christmas classic

Published December 16, 2024 at 9:08 AM EST

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Country and Rock N Roll Hall of Fame member Brenda Lee performs at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in the CMA Theater on December 9, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.

For many of us, Christmas songs are dominating our playlists this week. There's the one you start hearing in October, Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You," Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby," and the Christmas banger that went to number one last year, Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."

Lee, now 80, recorded the song when she was 13. The living legend talked to NPR last year when her song — finally — hit number one. We revisit that conversation.

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