Mariah Carey sends Brenda Lee flowers for holiday chart topping hit
By Lisa Respers France, CNN
(CNN) — The Queen of Christmas has no problem giving another holiday star her flowers.
Mariah Carey is celebrating Brenda Lee’s Christmas classic, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart, 65 years after the song’s initial debut.
Lee posted a photo on her Instagram stories of the flowers Carey sent her, along with a card that read: “Dearest Ms. Brenda, congratulations on your historic No. 1. Have a Merry Christmas. Love, Mariah.”
Lee wrote on the photo: “Thank you for your sweet note, @mariahcarey! Wishing you the merriest Christmas, too!” and included the audio of Carey’s hit, “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”
Carey’s song has topped the charts for the holiday season the past four years with Lee’s song peaking at No. 2 behind it, according to Billboard.
Lee was just 13 when she recorded “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and it debuted to modest acclaim in 1958.
Since then, the tune has become a mainstay for the season and is Lee’s signature hit.
“I’m happy for everybody here that’s worked so hard to make this happen because in today’s world, everything moves so fast and furious,” Lee told Billboard when it hit no. 1. “But I’m telling you this: My label has come to bat.”
Carey’s song is No. 2 behind Lee’s. Other holiday classics are also in the top 10, including Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock,” Wham!’s “Last Christmas” Burl Ives’ “A Holly Jolly Christmas” and Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”
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