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− | + | {{song|image=The_gang_dancing.jpg|caption=|writer=[[wikipedia:Walter E. Rollins|Jack Rollins]]<br>Steve Nelson|date=1950|publisher=Hill and Range Songs Inc.}} |
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+ | [[File:Jimmy Durante "Frosty The Snowman"|thumb|right|250px]] |
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⚫ | |||
⚫ | The song was recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950. Like "[[Jingle Bells (song)|Jingle Bells]]" and several other songs about winter, it is considered to be a Christmas song, despite not mentioning Christmas at all. It was written after Autry recorded "[[Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (song)|Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer]]" and the single sold two million copies. |
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− | [[Video:Frosty The Snowman Jimmy Durante Christmas Video|thumb|right|252px|Song]] |
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⚫ | |||
⚫ | When Nelson and Rollins saw what success Autry was having in 1949 singing "Rudolph", they decided to write their own silly but catchy song doing variations on an icon of Christmas. It took them months to decide on a living snowman as their subject, but they still had it ready in time for a 1950 release. Autry, delighted with the opportunity to ride his own recording's coat-tails back to the top of the charts, recorded it, and the rest, as they say, is history. |
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⚫ | The |
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⚫ | |||
⚫ | When Nelson and Rollins saw what success Autry was having in 1949 singing Rudolph |
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⚫ | |||
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− | In [[The Rudolph, Frosty and Friends Sing Along]] VHS, the sing-along version has a snowflake as the "bouncing ball" in the song, while the [[Christmas Classics Sing Along]] DVD has the "bouncing ball" shaped to look like Frosty's hat. |
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==Lyrics== |
==Lyrics== |
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:Frosty the snowman was a jolly happy soul, |
:Frosty the snowman was a jolly happy soul, |
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:With a corncob pipe and a button nose |
:With a corncob pipe and a button nose |
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:He was made of snow but the children |
:He was made of snow but the children |
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:Know how he came to life one day. |
:Know how he came to life one day. |
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+ | |||
:There must have been some magic in that |
:There must have been some magic in that |
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:Old silk hat they found. |
:Old silk hat they found. |
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:For when they placed it on his head |
:For when they placed it on his head |
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:He began to dance around. |
:He began to dance around. |
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+ | |||
:O, Frosty the snowman |
:O, Frosty the snowman |
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:Was alive as he could be, |
:Was alive as he could be, |
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:We'll have some fun |
:We'll have some fun |
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:Now before I melt away." |
:Now before I melt away." |
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+ | |||
:Down to the village, |
:Down to the village, |
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:With a broomstick in his hand, |
:With a broomstick in his hand, |
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:Running here and there all |
:Running here and there all |
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:Around the square saying, |
:Around the square saying, |
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− | :Catch me if you can. |
+ | :"Catch me if you can." |
+ | |||
:He led them down the streets of town |
:He led them down the streets of town |
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:Right to the traffic cop. |
:Right to the traffic cop. |
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:And he only paused a moment when |
:And he only paused a moment when |
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:He heard him holler "Stop!" |
:He heard him holler "Stop!" |
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+ | |||
:For Frosty the snowman |
:For Frosty the snowman |
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:Had to hurry on his way, |
:Had to hurry on his way, |
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:Over the hills of snow. |
:Over the hills of snow. |
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⚫ | |||
− | ==Variations== |
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+ | |||
− | *Most versions of the song do not include the "thumpety thump thump" part at the end. |
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+ | [[Jimmy Durante]], the narrator for the Rankin/Bass special, recorded a version separate from it, but still sung along the same lines as the one in it. In this one, he sings it to a young boy who refers to him as "Uncle Jimmy". Durante refers to Frosty as a close personal friend. |
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⚫ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ==Appearances in Christmas specials== |
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+ | * ''[[Frosty the Snowman]]'' - incorporated with the special itself with the "I'll be back again someday" line replaced with Frosty saying "I'll be back on Christmas Day!" |
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+ | * ''[[Frosty's Winter Wonderland]]'' - Incorporated within the story with several variations to the lyrics. |
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+ | * ''[[Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July]]'' - The first few verses are used during the flashback to Frosty's origins. The melody is also heard as part of the score at a few points. |
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+ | * ''[[Magic Kingdom Yuletide Special]]'' |
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+ | * ''[[Frosty Returns]]'' - The song's melody is incorporated in the original score, with the original song playing over the closing credits. |
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+ | * ''Kidsongs'': "[[We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Kidsongs)|We Wish You a Merry Christmas]]" |
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+ | * ''[[Jack Frost (1998)|Jack Frost]]'' - Covered by the Jack Frost Band over the opening credits. |
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+ | * ''[[The Polar Express]]'' - A brief cover version of the song is heard in the background when the kids goes through the darkened gift wrapping room. |
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+ | * ''[[A Very Pentatonix Christmas]]'' - Parodied as ''Crusty the Snowman''. |
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+ | * "[[Frosty's Christmas Cabin]]" - A cover of Frosty the Snowman song is sang by Jarrett Blandin. |
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==Album releases== |
==Album releases== |
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| ''[[We Wish You a Merry Christmas (album)|We Wish You a Merry Christmas]]'' || 1993 |
| ''[[We Wish You a Merry Christmas (album)|We Wish You a Merry Christmas]]'' || 1993 |
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|- |
|- |
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− | | ''[[A Flintstones Motown Christmas]]'' || 1996 || Performed by {{ |
+ | | ''[[A Flintstones Motown Christmas]]'' || 1996 || Performed by {{W|The Jackson 5}}. |
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|- |
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| ''[[Nick at Nite: A Classic Cartoon Christmas]]'' || 1996 |
| ''[[Nick at Nite: A Classic Cartoon Christmas]]'' || 1996 |
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|- |
|- |
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| ''[[Rudolph, Frosty and Friends' Favorite Christmas Songs]]'' || 1996 |
| ''[[Rudolph, Frosty and Friends' Favorite Christmas Songs]]'' || 1996 |
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+ | |- |
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+ | | ''[[Happy Holidays Love, Barney]]'' || 1997 || Sung by [[Barney]] |
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|- |
|- |
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| ''[[Disney's Family Christmas Collection]]'' || 2003 |
| ''[[Disney's Family Christmas Collection]]'' || 2003 |
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+ | |- |
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+ | | ''[[Hi-5: Jingle Jangle Jingle with Hi-5 (album)|Jingle Jangle Jingle with Hi-5]]'' || 2004 |
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|- |
|- |
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| ''[[Songs to Celebrate 25 Days of Christmas]]'' || 2009 |
| ''[[Songs to Celebrate 25 Days of Christmas]]'' || 2009 |
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[[Category:Rankin/Bass songs]] |
[[Category:Rankin/Bass songs]] |
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[[Category:Disney songs]] |
[[Category:Disney songs]] |
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+ | [[Category:Nickelodeon songs]] |
Revision as of 18:51, 2 February 2020
"Frosty the Snowman" is a song written by Jack Rollins and Steve Nelson that inspired the Rankin/Bass Christmas special of the same name.
The song was recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950. Like "Jingle Bells" and several other songs about winter, it is considered to be a Christmas song, despite not mentioning Christmas at all. It was written after Autry recorded "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and the single sold two million copies.
When Nelson and Rollins saw what success Autry was having in 1949 singing "Rudolph", they decided to write their own silly but catchy song doing variations on an icon of Christmas. It took them months to decide on a living snowman as their subject, but they still had it ready in time for a 1950 release. Autry, delighted with the opportunity to ride his own recording's coat-tails back to the top of the charts, recorded it, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The song gained enormous popularity after it hit the market and seemed a fit sequel for "Rudolph", a Christmas song that had been recorded a few years earlier and had proved to be a huge hit.
Lyrics
- Frosty the snowman was a jolly happy soul,
- With a corncob pipe and a button nose
- And two eyes made out of coal.
- Frosty the snowman is a fairy tale, they say,
- He was made of snow but the children
- Know how he came to life one day.
- There must have been some magic in that
- Old silk hat they found.
- For when they placed it on his head
- He began to dance around.
- O, Frosty the snowman
- Was alive as he could be,
- And the children say he could laugh
- And play just the same as you and me.
- Frosty the snowman knew
- The sun was hot that day,
- So he said, "Let's run and
- We'll have some fun
- Now before I melt away."
- Down to the village,
- With a broomstick in his hand,
- Running here and there all
- Around the square saying,
- "Catch me if you can."
- He led them down the streets of town
- Right to the traffic cop.
- And he only paused a moment when
- He heard him holler "Stop!"
- For Frosty the snowman
- Had to hurry on his way,
- But he waved goodbye saying,
- "Don't you cry,
- I'll be back again some day."
- Thumpety thump thump,
- Thumpety thump thump,
- Look at Frosty go.
- Thumpety thump thump,
- Thumpety thump thump,
- Over the hills of snow.
Most versions of the song do not include the "thumpety thump thump" part at the end. In addition, some versions, such as the one featured in the Rankin/Bass special, change the line "I'll be back again some day" to "I'll be back on Christmas Day."
Jimmy Durante, the narrator for the Rankin/Bass special, recorded a version separate from it, but still sung along the same lines as the one in it. In this one, he sings it to a young boy who refers to him as "Uncle Jimmy". Durante refers to Frosty as a close personal friend.
Appearances in Christmas specials
- Frosty the Snowman - incorporated with the special itself with the "I'll be back again someday" line replaced with Frosty saying "I'll be back on Christmas Day!"
- Frosty's Winter Wonderland - Incorporated within the story with several variations to the lyrics.
- Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July - The first few verses are used during the flashback to Frosty's origins. The melody is also heard as part of the score at a few points.
- Magic Kingdom Yuletide Special
- Frosty Returns - The song's melody is incorporated in the original score, with the original song playing over the closing credits.
- Kidsongs: "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"
- Jack Frost - Covered by the Jack Frost Band over the opening credits.
- The Polar Express - A brief cover version of the song is heard in the background when the kids goes through the darkened gift wrapping room.
- A Very Pentatonix Christmas - Parodied as Crusty the Snowman.
- "Frosty's Christmas Cabin" - A cover of Frosty the Snowman song is sang by Jarrett Blandin.
Album releases
Album | Year | Notes |
---|---|---|
Christmas with the Chipmunks | 1961 | |
Christmas with the Brady Bunch | 1970 | |
Raffi's Christmas Album | 1983 | |
We Wish You a Merry Christmas | 1993 | |
A Flintstones Motown Christmas | 1996 | Performed by The Jackson 5. |
Nick at Nite: A Classic Cartoon Christmas | 1996 | |
Rudolph, Frosty and Friends' Favorite Christmas Songs | 1996 | |
Happy Holidays Love, Barney | 1997 | Sung by Barney |
Disney's Family Christmas Collection | 2003 | |
Jingle Jangle Jingle with Hi-5 | 2004 | |
Songs to Celebrate 25 Days of Christmas | 2009 | |
Phineas and Ferb Holiday Favorites | 2010 | Recorded as "Perry Saves Christmas", sung by Major Monogram. |
Chipmunks Christmas | 2012 |