Frosty the Snowman (song)

Written by:	Steve "Jack" Rollins Steve Nelson
Date:	1950

"Frosty the Snowman" is a song that inspired the Rankin/Bass Christmas special of the same name.

The music and lyrics were written by Steve "Jack" Rollins and Steve Nelson and recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950. Like "Jingle Bells" and several other songs about winter, "Frosty the Snowman" is considered to be a Christmas song despite not mentioning Christmas at all. It was written after Gene 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's song, 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 tthumb|right|250px|Songhe top of the charts, recorded it, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Frosty has been a great favorite with children since the very beginning. 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. Frosty was not only a cute children's poem, it also had a feel-good spirit that makes for a holiday favorite.

Album Releases

• Rudolph, Frosty and Friends' Favorite Christmas Songs
• Raffi's Christmas Album
• Disney's Family Christmas Collection
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas
• Phineas and Ferb Holiday Favorites - Recorded as "Perry Saves Christmas"

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.

Thumpetty thump thump,

Thumpety thump thump,

Look at Frosty go.

Thumpetty thump thump,

Thumpety thump thump,

Over the hills of snow.

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 snow man

Had to hurry on his way,

But he waved goodbye saying,

"Don't you cry,

I'll be back again some day."

Thumpetty thump thump,

Thumpety thump thump,

Look at Frosty go.

Thumpetty thump thump,

Thumpety thump thump,

Over the hills of snow.

Variations

• In the sing-along version of this song, the fifth and last verses were skipped, and the last verse was replaced with the fourth verse. Also, the "Thumpetty thump thump" part was heard after the fourth verse was sung.
• For the show version, the "Thumpetty thump thump" part was sung after the seventh verse, followed by the first verse, then the last verse. Also, Frosty is heard saying "I'll be back on Christmas Day!" at the end.
• The fifth, sixth and seventh verses were slowed down to a more parade-ish speed for the show version.