"Sleigh Ride" is a

light Light, visible light, or visible radiation is electromagnetic radiation that can be visual perception, perceived by the human eye. Visible light spans the visible spectrum and is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400– ...

orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...

standard Standard may refer to: Symbols * Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs * Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification Norms, conventions or requirements * Standard (metrology), an object ...

composed by

Leroy Anderson Leroy Anderson ( ; June 29, 1908 – May 18, 1975) was an American composer of short, Light music, light concert pieces, many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler. John Williams descri ...

. He formed the idea for the piece during a heat wave in July 1946, and finished it in February 1948. Its first performance was by the

Boston Pops Orchestra The Boston Pops is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, specializing in light classical and popular music. The orchestra's current music director is Keith Lockhart. Founded in 1885 as an offshoot of the Boston Symphony Orc ...

, with

Arthur Fiedler Arthur Fiedler (December 17, 1894 – July 10, 1979) was an American Conductor (music), conductor known for his association with both the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony and Boston Pops Orchestra, Boston Pops orchestras. With a combi ...

conducting, on May 4, 1948. Anderson also made arrangements for

wind band A concert band, also called a wind band, wind ensemble, wind symphony, wind orchestra, symphonic band, the symphonic winds, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of members of the woodwind, brass, and percussion famil ...

and piano. The original recordings were instrumental versions: it was first recorded in 1949 by Fiedler and the Boston Pops. As a 45 rpm version issued on red vinyl, "Sleigh Ride" was a hit record on

RCA Victor Red Seal RCA Red Seal is a classical music label whose origin dates to 1902 and is currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment. History The first "Gramophone Record Red Seal" discs were issued in 1901.John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (November 15, 2022)Classic Connection review, ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...

, their conductor from 1979 to 1995, and

Keith Lockhart Keith Alan Lockhart (born November 7, 1959) is an American conductor. He is the Conductor of the Boston Pops orchestra, and the Artistic Director of the Brevard Music Center in North Carolina. Keith Lockhart, the conductor, is the brother of ...

, their current conductor. The lyrics, about riding in a

sleigh A sled, skid, sledge, or sleigh is a land vehicle that slides across a surface, usually of ice or snow. It is built with either a smooth underside or a separate body supported by two or more smooth, relatively narrow, longitudinal runners ...

and other wintertime activities, were written by

Mitchell Parish Mitchell Parish (born Michael Hyman Pashelinsky; July 10, 1900 – March 31, 1993) was an American lyricist, notably as a writer of songs for stage and screen. Biography Parish was born to a Jewish family in Lithuania, Russian Empire in July 190 ...

in 1950.

The Ronettes The Ronettes were an American girl group from Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York City. The group consisted of the lead singer Veronica Bennett (later known as Ronnie Spector), her older sister Estelle Bennett, and their cousin Nedra Ta ...

recorded a cover of "Sleigh Ride" in 1963 for

Phil Spector Harvey Phillip Spector (December 26, 1939 – January 16, 2021) was an American record producer and songwriter who is best known for pioneering recording practices in the 1960s, followed by his trials and conviction for murder in the 2000s. S ...

's '' A Christmas Gift for You'', which was commercially successful in the United States and featured in various media. The song has since been associated with the

Christmas and holiday season The Christmas season or the festive season, also known as the holiday season or the holidays, is an annual period generally spanning from November or December to early January. Incorporating Christmas Day and New Year's Day, the various celebrat ...

Details

American Homestead Winter - Currier and Ives

Leroy Anderson's own recording of "Sleigh Ride" was made on September 11, 1950, and was released on his album "Leroy Anderson Conducts His Own Compositions" on the

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, record label * Decca Gold, classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, musical theater record label * Decca Studios, recording facility in West ...

label in 1951. Also released that year as a 78-rpm single, then reissued as a 45-rpm single the following year when it reached #26 on the ''Cash Box'' bestsellers' chart. The main melody of "Sleigh Ride" was used, but without crediting Anderson, as the main theme of

Victor Young Albert Victor Young (August 8, 1899– November 10, 1956)"Victor Young, Composer, Dies of Heart Attack", ''Oakland Tribune'', November 12, 1956. was an American composer, arranger, violinist and conductor. Young was posthumously awarded the ...

's score for the 1949 Western '' Streets of Laredo.''

worked with Young at this approximate time, writing the lyrics for Young's recording of

Hoagy Carmichael Hoagland Howard "Hoagy" Carmichael (November 22, 1899 – December 27, 1981) was an American musician, composer, songwriter, actor, author and lawyer. Carmichael was one of the most successful Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the 1930s and 1940s, a ...

's previously instrumental " Stardust." In 1950,

the Andrews Sisters The Andrews Sisters were an American close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews (1911–1967), soprano Maxene Anglyn Andrews (1916–1995), and mezzo ...

recorded the first vocal version of "Sleigh Ride", using the lyrics Parish had written. Although the song is often associated with

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...

and appears on Christmas compilation albums, its lyrics do not mention any holidays. The piece is noted for the sounds of a horse clip-clopping, and a whip used to get the horse moving. In most performances, a percussionist provides these sounds on

temple blocks Temple blocks are a type of percussion instrument consisting of a set of woodblocks. It is descended from the muyu or wooden bell, an instrument originating from eastern Asia, where it is commonly used in religious ceremonies. Description It ...

and a

slapstick Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap, often resulting from inept use of props such as ...

, respectively. Toward the end of the piece, a trumpet imitates the sound of a horse whinnying. According to the

American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadc ...

(ASCAP), "Sleigh Ride" consistently ranks as one of the top 10 most-performed songs written by ASCAP members. ASCAP named "Sleigh Ride" the most popular piece of Christmas music in the U.S. between 2009 and 2012 based on performance data from over 2,500 radio stations. Anderson's recording remains the most popular instrumental version, while

Johnny Mathis John Royce Mathis (born September 30, 1935) is an American singer. Starting his 69-year career with singles of standard (music), standard music, Mathis is one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century and became highly popular as ...

's has become the most popular vocal version. Biographer Steve Metcalf said, "'Sleigh Ride'... has been performed and recorded by a wider array of musical artists than any other piece in the history of Western music." "Sleigh Ride" is written in seven-part

rondo form The rondo or rondeau is a musical form that contains a principal theme (sometimes called the "refrain") which alternates with one or more contrasting themes (generally called "episodes", but also referred to as "digressions" or "couplets"). Some ...

(though performers sometimes omit the final B section, effectively rendering it a five-part rondo).

The Ronettes version

"Sleigh Ride" was covered by the American girl group

the Ronettes The Ronettes were an American girl group from Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York City. The group consisted of the lead singer Veronica Bennett (later known as Ronnie Spector), her older sister Estelle Bennett, and their cousin Nedra Ta ...

. The

-produced recording has become the most popular version outside the traditional pop standard genre, charting yearly in ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

''s Top Ten U.S. Holiday 100 and reaching #8 in 2023 in its 26th week in the

Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), o ...

. After achieving a new peak of 8 in 2023, it became the group's second-highest chart hit in the US after "

Be My Baby "Be My Baby" is a song by the American girl group the Ronettes that was released as a single on Philles Records in August 1963. Written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, and Phil Spector, the song was the Ronettes' biggest hit, reaching number ...

". It features the well-known "Ring-a-ling-a-ling, ding-dong-ding" background vocals, and the clip-clop and whinny of a horse at its beginning and end. Both bridge sections were omitted from this version, leaving only the refrains intact.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications and sales

Gwen Stefani version

Background and release

Stefani released her fourth studio album, '' You Make It Feel Like Christmas'' through

Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label based in Santa Monica, California, owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture ...

, on October 6, 2017, a collection of six original songs and six cover versions of Christmas standards. The album was preceded by the release of

lead single A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. A similar term, "debut ...

" You Make It Feel Like Christmas", a duet with her boyfriend, American singer

Blake Shelton Blake Tollison Shelton (born June 18, 1976) is an American country music, country singer, songwriter and television personality. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin (Blake Shelton song), Austin" from his Blake Shelton (album), self ...

. According to Stefani, the album's initial release generated a positive response, allowing her to return to the studio with collaborators

busbee Michael James Ryan Busbee (June 18, 1976 – September 29, 2019), known professionally as Busbee, was an American songwriter, record producer, publisher, record executive, and multi-instrumentalist. He was known for his work in both pop mus ...

and

Justin Tranter Justin Drew Tranter (born June 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, singer, and activist. Tranter has written songs for artists such as Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani, Linkin Park, Kelly Clarkson, Sara Bareilles, Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, DNCE, ...

. The following year, ''You Make It Feel Like Christmas'' was reissued with five new bonus tracks and a proper music video for the title track was released. In 2019, Stefani duetted with Shelton again on " Nobody but You", a new track recorded for his compilation album, '' Fully Loaded: God's Country''. The song was released as a single and distributed to US

country radio Country radio refers to radio stations that play country music. Most country radio stations are commercial radio stations. Most country radio stations usually play only music which has been officially released to country radio by record labels. T ...

outlets on January 21, 2020. It became a hit, topping ''

''s

Country Airplay Country Airplay is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States since October 20, 2012, although the magazine also retrospectively recognizes the Hot Country Songs charts from January 20, 1990, through October 13, 2012, ...

and

Digital Songs The Digital Song Sales (previously named Digital Songs and Hot Digital Songs) ranks the best-selling digital songs in the United States, as compiled by Luminate and published by '' Billboard'' magazine. Although it originally started tracking ...

charts and becoming Stefani's highest-charting effort on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 since 2007. In late 2020, rumors of new solo music from Stefani circulated after it was announced she would be returning as a judge to the American television series '' The Voice''. Stefani then confirmed plans to release new music during a promotional advertisement made for the show. Her cover of "Sleigh Ride" was announced as a surprise to her fans on October 12, 2020, the day before its scheduled release. It is expected to appear as the eighteenth track on an upcoming reissue of ''You Make It Feel Like Christmas'', due for release later in 2020. "Sleigh Ride" was produced by American musicians

Brent Kutzle Brent Michael Kutzle (born August 3, 1985) is an American musician, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer, and film composer originating from Fountain Valley, California. He is the bassist and cellist for the pop rock band OneRepubli ...

and Brandon Collins. It is the first track from ''You Make It Feel Like Christmas'' that was not produced by busbee or

Eric Valentine Eric Dodd, known professionally as Eric Valentine, is an American record producer who began his career as drummer and producer in the heavy metal band T-Ride. He subsequently produced albums for artists such as Good Charlotte, Lostprophets ...

; busbee had previously co-written all of the original songs on the parent album with Stefani and Tranter, but died in September 2019 after a battle with

glioblastoma Glioblastoma, previously known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is the most aggressive and most common type of cancer that originates in the brain, and has a very poor prognosis for survival. Initial signs and symptoms of glioblastoma are nons ...

. Stefani's cover of "Sleigh Ride" credits Anderson and Parish as composers. The song was released to music retailers for digital download and

streaming Streaming media refers to multimedia delivered through a network for playback using a media player. Media is transferred in a ''stream'' of packets from a server to a client and is rendered in real-time; this contrasts with file downl ...

on October 13, 2020, through Interscope Records. A promotional audio video of the song was uploaded to Stefani's

YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...

channel the same day of its release. It serves as first solo release since the rest of ''You Make It Feel Like Christmas''. Alongside the release of "Sleigh Ride", Stefani teased that there was "more to come" the following week.

Composition

Stefani's version of "Sleigh Ride" has been described as a holiday-themed song with a "lushly" arranged orchestra. American musician

Ryan Tedder Ryan Benjamin Tedder (born June 26, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is best known as the co-founder, frontman, and lead vocalist for the pop rock band OneRepublic, while also serving as a prolific cont ...

contributes as a vocal producer of the song, and Stefani is accompanied by American singer Laura Cooksey for background vocals.

Critical reception

Sophie Smith from the entertainment website ''uDiscover Music'' was positive about Stefani's cover, calling it a "cheery" and "festive" new track. A contributor to WSRW felt that Stefani got "in the holiday spirit" with her cover, but felt that it was released too early before the holiday season.

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

. * Gwen Stefaniprimary artist * Brandon Collinsproducer, strings contractor * Brent Kutzleproducer, keyboards * Leroy Andersoncomposer * Mitchell Parishcomposer * Ryan Teddervocal producer * John Nathanielvocal producer, mixing * Grant Pittmanengineer, keyboards * Doug Sarrettengineer * Tyler Spryengineer * Mike Wilsonengineer * Chris Gehringermastering engineer * Laura Cookseybackground vocals * Luke Sullivantacoustic guitar, electric guitar * Matt Meltonbass * Paul Nelsoncello * Jon Hyrkasdrums * Betsy Lambviola, violin * David Angellviolin * David Davidsonviolin

Charts

Release history

Other notable recordings

* 1949 –

and the

Boston Pops The Boston Pops is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, specializing in light classical and popular music. The orchestra's current music director is Keith Lockhart. Founded in 1885 as an offshoot of the Boston Symphony Orc ...

RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic ...

Red Seal 10-1484 (78 rpm) and 49-01515 (45 rpm). The original hit recording, this version was unavailable on CD until its inclusion on the 2023 Real Gone Music compilation ''The Ultimate Pops Christmas Party''. * 1951 –

and His "Pops" Concert Orchestra, Decca Gold Label Series 16000 (78 rpm) 9-16000 (45 rpm). Released both individually and as part of the 10" album ''Leroy Anderson Conducts His Own Compositions''. This version (recorded September 1950) receives frequent airplay during the holiday season and has appeared on various compilations. Leroy Anderson re-recorded "Sleigh Ride" in stereo for the 1959 Decca LP ''Leroy Anderson Conducts Leroy Anderson''. * 1950 –

The Andrews Sisters The Andrews Sisters were an American close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews (1911–1967), soprano Maxene Anglyn Andrews (1916–1995), and mezzo ...

(the first vocal version) * 1952 –

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...

, included on 1998's '' The Voice of Christmas'' * 1958 –

– ''

Merry Christmas The Christmas season or the festive season, also known as the holiday season or the holidays, is an annual period generally spanning from November or December to early January. Incorporating Christmas Day and New Year's Day, the various celebrat ...

'' * 1959 –

Andre Kostelanetz Andre Kostelanetz (; December 22, 1901 – January 13, 1980) was a Russian-American popular orchestral music conductor and arranger who was one of the major exponents of popular orchestra music. Biography Abram Naumovich Kostelyanetz was born ...

and His Orchestra – ''Joy to the World: Music for Christmas''. This version subsequently appeared on his 1963 LP ''Wonderland of Christmas'', as well as on numerous compilations. * 1960 –

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April25, 1917June15, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter and composer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phra ...

– '' Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas''; this version was later featured in the 2003 film ''

Elf An elf (: elves) is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic peoples, Germanic folklore. Elves appear especially in Norse mythology, North Germanic mythology, being mentioned in the Icelandic ''Poetic Edda'' and the ''Prose Edda'' ...

''. * 1965 –

Andy Williams Howard Andrew Williams (December 3, 1927 – September 25, 2012) was an American singer. He recorded 43 albums in his career, of which 15 have been gold certified and three platinum certified. He was also nominated for six Grammy Awards. He hos ...

– ''

'' * 1978 –

The Carpenters The Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo consisting of siblings Karen Carpenter, Karen (1950–1983) and Richard Carpenter (musician), Richard Carpenter (born 1946). They produced a distinctive soft musical style, combining ...

– '' Christmas Portrait'' * 1987 –

Air Supply Air Supply is an Australian soft rock duo formed in Melbourne, Australia, in 1975, consisting of Englishman Graham Russell (vocals, guitar) and Australian Russell Hitchcock (vocals). With record sales of 100 million worldwide, they had a suc ...

– '' The Christmas Album'' * 1992 -

Debbie Gibson Deborah Ann Gibson (born August 31, 1970) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She released her debut album ''Out of the Blue (Debbie Gibson album), Out of the Blue'' (1987) at age 16, writing and largely producing the material. The a ...

- '' A Very Special Christmas 2 * 1998 –

Squirrel Nut Zippers Squirrel Nut Zippers is an American swing and jazz band formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, by James "Jimbo" Mathus (vocals and guitar), Tom Maxwell (vocals and guitar), Katharine Whalen (vocals, banjo, ukulele), Chris Phillips (d ...

– '' Christmas Caravan'' * 2012 –

Sufjan Stevens Sufjan Stevens ( ; born July 1, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He has released ten solo studio albums and multiple collaborative albums with other artists. Stevens has received Grammy and Academy Award nomina ...

released a version of the song as part of the ninth volume of the '' Silver & Gold'' Christmas box set. Stevens uses many different gadgets to make sounds, reminiscent of the style of

Spike Jones Lindley Armstrong "Spike" Jones (December 14, 1911 – May 1, 1965) was an American musician, bandleader and conductor specializing in spoof arrangements and satire of popular songs and classical music. Ballads receiving the Jones treatment wer ...

, who recorded the song in 1956. * 2020 –

Tori Kelly Victoria Loren Kelly (born December 14, 1992) is an American singer-songwriter. She first gained recognition on YouTube before making it through to Hollywood week on the ninth season of ''American Idol'' in 2010 and eventually releasing her debu ...

– '' A Tori Kelly Christmas'' * 2022 –

Lindsey Stirling Lindsey Stirling (born September 21, 1986) is an American violinist, songwriter and dancer. She presents choreographed violin performances, in live and music videos found on her official YouTube channel, which she created in 2007. Stirling per ...

– '' Snow Waltz'' * 2023 –

Seth MacFarlane Seth Woodbury MacFarlane (; born October 26, 1973) is an American actor, animator, writer, producer, director, comedian, and singer. He is best known as the creator and star of the television series ''Family Guy'' (since 1999) and ''The Orvill ...

and

Elizabeth Gillies Elizabeth Egan Gillies (born July 26, 1993), also known as Liz Gillies, is an American actress and singer. She began her career as a teenager and made her Broadway theatre, Broadway debut in the Musical theatre, musical ''13 (musical), 13'' (200 ...

released a version of the song. * 2024 – The Philly Specials featuring Immanuel Wilkins – '' A Philly Special Christmas Party''

Mariah Carey version

In 2020, American singer-songwriter

Mariah Carey Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...

recorded a cover of "Sleigh Ride" for her second soundtrack album, ''

Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special ''Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special'' is a Christmas special starring Mariah Carey that premiered on December 4, 2020, on Apple TV+. It was directed by Hamish Hamilton and Roman Coppola and executive-produced by Hamilton, Coppola, Carey, ...

'' (2020).

Charts

Ella Fitzgerald version

Charts

Certifications

References

External links

Sleigh Ride
on the Leroy Anderson Foundation webpage
Lyrics
to Sleigh Ride
Performance
by the

United States Navy Band The United States Navy Band, based at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., has served as the official musical organization of the U.S. Navy since 1925. The U.S. Navy Band serves the ceremonial needs at the seat of U.S. government, pe ...

{{Authority control 1948 songs 2020 singles American Christmas songs Articles containing video clips Songs with lyrics by Mitchell Parish Songs with music by Leroy Anderson Air Supply songs Amy Grant songs Andy Williams songs Ella Fitzgerald songs Glen Campbell songs Gwen Stefani songs Johnny Mathis songs Mariah Carey songs Percy Faith songs The Carpenters songs The Ronettes songs Song recordings produced by Phil Spector Song recordings with Wall of Sound arrangements Compositions in B-flat major Philles Records singles Interscope Records singles