Sixty-Five Years Later, Christmas Tune’s Triumph Reminds Us: At Any Time, Any Age There’s Always More

Have you heard this holiday season’s news about the old lady who has recently stormed pop-music heights? And who didn’t even know it was happening until someone told her live on-air?

I was first momentarily puzzled, and then oddly thrilled, when the update broke last week that a Christmas music perennial — around for six decades — had just captured “Billboard Hot 100” ‘s prime slot ((34.9 million streams).

Tré Goins-Phillips fills in the delightful details:

“Sixty-five years after ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ debuted, Brenda Lee is topping the charts. The 78-year-old singer has landed her first Billboard No. 1 hit since 1960, with her classic Christmas hit rockin’ its way to the top of the music charts for the week ending in Nov. 30.”

For the record, “Rockin’ ” is hardly my favorite holiday-themed tune. Fact is, this time of year when it comes on the radio or while surfing Internet Christmas collections, I’ll regularly skip Ms. Lee’s signature offering and move on to something else. I rather prefer more traditional fare, mainly that which mentions “the reason for the Season” (to wit: the birth of the Savior of the World).

That said, the exhilarating object lesson stands, courtesy of Brenda Lee: This lovely chanteuse, in what would normally be assumed to be the sunset of her life …  wasn’t finished.

In November of this year, to celebrate “Rockin'” ‘s 65th anniversary, Lee released a music video for the song. The production featured her lip-synching the original at a house party, joined by Tanya Tucker and Trisha Yearwood. This exposure helped make history, shuttling the evergreen single — for the first time since Johnny Marks wrote it and Brenda Lee performed it (1958) — to its number-one berth.

Apparently, for some less-than-youthful individuals, there are heretofore unknown accomplishments to be experienced; new successes to be unveiled. Even on the cusp of 80 birthdays.

I was chatting just the other day with an elderly woman — someone enduring all manner of serious physical maladies. She admitted struggling with some discouragement lately. We were talking about the need to stay focused on God’s comfort and faithfulness when she volunteered, “I’m waiting for something new to happen.”

Something new! That got my attention. Yes, I responded. That’s the key. In spite of all the stresses and straits she’s been grappling with for literally years, she must remain expectant; cultivating a place in her attitude — in her heart! — for the Creator to do something fresh in her life. Hopeful and surprising developments, don’t forget, happen to be His métier; His specialty.

That dear lady’s dilemma, of course, is hardly unique. Confronted with dire circumstances, weary and rattled with grief, it’s common for folks to hastily conclude: “It’s all over!”. To which the Divine Response (Romans 11:4) answers, tugging at our souls: “Not so fast!”

It is God’s nature to keep things moving upward and onward. His preference is growth and increase (1 Corinthians 3:6) … thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold (Mark 4:20). Age? Natural limitations? Delays? Previous disappointments, even failures? Bah, humbug. He’s bigger than all that:  God is greater, redemptive, transformative.

He challenges people, by His grace to move from “glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18); from “strength to strength” (Psalm 84:7). It’s not for nothing that the Christian’s experience is referred to as a “walk”.

I like to remind people — particularly those who enjoy a genuine, living faith-connection to Jesus Christ — if they are drawing breath, if that thing in the center of their chest continues pumping blood, it’s not too late for God to do something; to generate previously undiscovered revelations, pursuits, attainments. Yes, triumphs.  While a person remains alive, God’s will is advancement, improvement, and promotion — if that person will look to Him and seek His will and Kingdom first (Matthew 6:33).

Back to Brenda Lee: As a mere slip of a teenybopper she launched an accomplished music career: “Lee’s total of nine consecutive top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits from … 1960 through … 1962 set a record for a female solo artist that was not equaled until 1986 by Madonna.” Her artistic imprint thus far reverberates into the internet era; especially during the annual November/December stretch.

Then, today, well over half a century since her mid-1950s entertainment debut? “Seasoned Citizen” Lee has suddenly become chief participant in events which had never before occurred: At 78, she “became the oldest female artist and oldest artist overall to top the Hot 100.”

Billboard.com enumerates a trove of other records shattered by Lee’s Christmas mainstay:

“[L]ongest wait from a song’s release – 65 years – to it hitting No. 1 on the Hot 100. … [L]ongest climb to No. 1 … from a song’s debut on the chart. … [L]ongest span of an artist topping the Hot 100 … [L]ongest break between … No. 1s … .” [Those last three feats each transpired around the sixty-three-year mark].

Quite sweetly, it seems the grandmother-songstress was unaware of this milestone until apprised of it during a UMG Nashville interview broadcast live on Instagram.  “No way — really?” Lee reacted tearfully to CEO Cindy Mabe. “Mr. Marks would be proud,” she added self-effacingly.

I’m not privy to Brenda Lee’s spiritual condition. I hope she is a believer. She mentions girlish involvement in Gospel music. Terrific! But whatever her current faith proclivities, her recent experience confirms old age doesn’t have to equal decrepitude or barrenness; personally or professionally.

For Christians who knows God’s will and are pursuing it? Ongoing fruitfulness is flatly a given (Psalm 92: 12-15). The past is vital, but it’s not the end-all. The present mustn’t become an excuse to camp out or coast. Their life’s motto ought to be: What’s next?

This mandate is being modeled by a former teenager-now-turned-old-timer who — whatever her motivations — keeps thriving via a silly Christmas ditty that hit big before most reading these words were born. What, then, can God’s people accomplish as they commit to serve Him?

Merry Christmas in Jesus. Full-speed ahead into 2024 … And lots of new things in Him.