Winter Wonderland
Year: 1934
Written By: Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith
The song Winter Wonderland was written by Richard Smith in
1934. The music to the song was composed by Felix
Bernard.
Mr. Smith wrote the lyrics during a hospitalization at the West
Mountain Sanitarium in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he was being
treated for tuberculosis. The song lyrics were written as he
was thinking about the park in his hometown of Honesdale,
Pennsylvania after a snow.
The original lyrics to the entire song are written below.
There are several versions, however, of the one stanza of the
song. This stanza appears below in bold type.
Sleigh bells ring, are you listening,
in the lane, snow is glistening.
A beautiful sight,
we're happy tonight,
walking in a winter wonderland.
Gone away is the bluebird,
here to stay is a new bird
He sings a love song,
as we go along,
walking in a winter wonderland.
In the meadow we can build a snowman,
Then pretend that he is Parson Brown
He'll say: Are you married?
we'll say: No man,
But you can do the job
when you're in town.
Later on, we'll conspire,
as we dream by the fire
To face unafraid,
the plans that we've made,
walking in a winter wonderland.
Walking in a winter wonderland,
walking in a winter wonderland.
The original stanza of the song was changed for several
reasons. Firstly, at the time the song was written, it was
common for Parsons, or protestant ministers, to travel to rural
communities that did not have their own minister. Parsons
would perform ceremonies like weddings during their visits. A
few decades later, however, most Americans had no experience with
traveling Parsons.
It was also though that the lyrics, which describe a couple who
elopes, were inappropriate for children. Because of these
things, the song stanza was changed in 1953. The new lyrics to the
stanza are written below.
In the meadow we can build a snowman,
and pretend that he's a circus clown.
We'll have lots of fun with Mister Snowman,
until the other kiddies knock 'im down!
When it snows, ain't it thrillin'?
Tho' your nose, gets a chillin'
We'll frolic and play, the Eskimo way,
Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland.
Another version of this stanza of the song is also widely
sung. This version of the song stanza, which appears
underlined below, simply contains the word "alligators" instead of
"other kiddies". Some suggest that the minute differences in
the song lyrics are simply due to the mondegreen phenomena.
According to Webster's Dictionary, the word mondegreen means " a
word or phrase that results from a mishearing of something said or
sung".
The part of the stanza which includes the mondegreen lyrics is
written below. The lyrics in question have been
highlighted.
In the meadow we can build a snowman,
and pretend that he's a circus clown.
We'll have lots of fun with Mister Snowman,
until the alligators knock him down.
The song, which has been recorded by over 150 different artists,
was first recorded in 1934 by Richard Himber and the Hotel
Ritz-Carlton Orchestra. In 2007, the American Society
of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) named Winter
Wonderland as the number one most played Christmas song.
Lyrics
Sleigh bells ring,
are you listening,
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful
sight,
We're happy tonight.
Walking in a winter wonderland.
Gone
away is the bluebird,
Here to stay is a new bird
He sings a love
song,
As we go along,
Walking in a winter wonderland.
In the meadow
we can build a snowman,
Then pretend that he is Parson Brown
He'll
say: Are you married?
We'll say: No man,
But you can do the job
When
you're in town.
Later on, we'll conspire,
As we dream by the
fire
To face unafraid,
The plans that we've made,
Walking in a winter
wonderland.
In the meadow we can build a snowman,
And pretend that
he's a circus clown
We'll have lots of fun with mister snowman,
Until the
other kids knock him down.
When it snows, ain't it thrilling,
Though
your nose gets a chilling
We'll frolic and play, the Eskimo way,
Walking
in a winter wonderland.
Winter Wonderland Christmas Videos (Click to Play)
Rate Different Artist Versions of Winter Wonderland
| Artist Name | Current Rating | Your Rating | Preview |
|---|
| Connie Talbot | | | |
| Alan Jackson | | | |
| Amy Grant | | | |
| Andy Williams | | | |
| Anne Murray | | | |
| Babyface | | | |
| Bing Crosby | | | |
| Bob Dylan | | | |
| Brenda Lee | | | |
| Burl Ives | | | |
| Carpenters | | | |
| Chicago | | | |
| Clay Aiken | | | |
| Cliff Richard | | | |
| Connie Talbot | | | |
| Darius Rucker | | | |
| Dean Martin | | | |
| Diana Krall | | | |
| Doris Day | | | |
| Ella Fitzgerald | | | |
| Faith Hill | | | |
| Garth Brooks | | | |
| George Strait | | | |
| Harry Connick Jr | | | |
| Herb Alpert | | | |
| James Taylor | | | |
| Jason Mraz | | | |
| Jewel | | | |
| John Legend | | | |
| Johnny Mathis | | | |
| Judy Garland | | | |
| Kenny G | | | |
| Kenny Rogers | | | |
| Louis Armstrong | | | |
| Lynn Anderson | | | |
| Manhattan Transfer | | | |
| Martina Mcbride | | | |
| Natalie Cole | | | |
| Neil Diamond | | | |
| Oak Ridge Boys | | | |
| Patti Labelle | | | |
| Pavarotti | | | |
| Perry Como | | | |
| Phil Spector | | | |
| Randy Travis | | | |
| Rat Pack | | | |
| Ray Charles | | | |
| Ray Conniff | | | |
| Ray Stevens | | | |
| Roger Whittaker | | | |
| Rosemary Clooney | | | |
| Sugarland | | | |
| The Beatles | | | |
| The Ventures | | | |
| Toby Keith | | | |
| Wayne Newton | | | |
| Willie Nelson | | | |
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