White Christmas ( song ) - wikipedia White Christmas ( song ) `` White Christmas '' 1942 78 single release of `` White Christmas '' by Bing Crosby on Decca Records, 18429 A, with Ken Darby Singers and John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra and Chorus, Matrix # DLA 3009 Single by Bing Crosby with Ken Darby Singers and John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra and Chorus from the album Song Hits from Holiday Inn B - side `` Let 's Start the New Year Right '' `` God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen '' Released 1942, 1945, 1950, 1955, 1983 Format 7 - inch 10 - inch Recorded May 29, 1942 March 19, 1947 Genre Christmas pop Length 3 : 02 ( 1942 recording ) 3 : 04 ( 1947 recording ) Label Decca ( 1942 -- 1973 issues ) MCA ( 1983 -- 1985 issues ) Songwriter ( s ) Irving Berlin Bing Crosby with Ken Darby Singers and John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra and Chorus singles chronology `` Be Careful, It 's My Heart '' ( 1942 ) `` White Christmas '' ( 1942 ) `` Moonlight Becomes You '' ( 1942 ) `` Be Careful, It 's My Heart '' ( 1942 ) `` White Christmas '' ( 1942 ) `` Moonlight Becomes You '' ( 1942 ) Music video `` White Christmas '' on YouTube `` White Christmas '' is a 1942 Irving Berlin song reminiscing about an old - fashioned Christmas setting. The version sung by Bing Crosby is the world 's best - selling single with estimated sales in excess of 100 million copies worldwide. Other versions of the song, along with Crosby 's, have sold over 150 million copies. Contents 1 Origin 2 Formats and track listing 3 Sales figures 4 Historic influence 5 Original verse 6 Certifications 7 Other notable versions 7.1 1940s 7.2 1950s 7.3 1960s 7.4 1970s 7.5 1980s 7.6 1990s 7.7 2000s 7.8 2010 -- present 8 Notes and references 9 External links Origin Accounts vary as to when and where Berlin wrote the song. One story is that he wrote it in 1940, in warm La Quinta, California, while staying at the La Quinta Hotel, a frequent Hollywood retreat also favored by writer - director - producer Frank Capra, although the Arizona Biltmore also claims the song was written there. He often stayed up all night writing -- he told his secretary, `` Grab your pen and take down this song. I just wrote the best song I 've ever written -- heck, I just wrote the best song that anybody 's ever written ! '' × = = Bing Crosby version = = 1945 V - Disc release by the U.S. Army of `` White Christmas '' and `` I 'll Be Home for Christmas '' by Bing Crosby as No. 441B. Picture sleeve of 1959 reissue by Decca Records ( 9 - 23778 ) The first public performance of the song was by Bing Crosby, on his NBC radio show The Kraft Music Hall on Christmas Day, 1941 ; a copy of the recording from the radio program is owned by Crosby 's estate and was loaned to CBS News Sunday Morning for their December 25, 2011, program. He subsequently recorded the song with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra and the Ken Darby Singers and Chorus for Decca Records in just 18 minutes on May 29, 1942, and it was released on July 30 as part of an album of six 78 - rpm discs from the musical film Holiday Inn. At first, Crosby did not see anything special about the song. He just said `` I do n't think we have any problems with that one, Irving. '' The song established and solidified the fact that there could be commercially successful secular Christmas songs -- in this case, written by a Jewish - American songwriter, who also wrote `` God Bless America. '' The song initially performed poorly and was overshadowed by Holiday Inn 's first hit song : `` Be Careful, It 's My Heart ''. By the end of October 1942, `` White Christmas '' topped the Your Hit Parade chart. It remained in that position until well into the new year. It has often been noted that the mix of melancholy -- `` just like the ones I used to know '' -- with comforting images of home -- `` where the treetops glisten '' -- resonated especially strongly with listeners during World War II. A few weeks after the attacks on Pearl Harbor, Crosby introduced `` White Christmas '' on a Christmas Day broadcast. The Armed Forces Network was flooded with requests for the song. The recording is noted for Crosby 's whistling during the second chorus. In 1942 alone, Crosby 's recording spent eleven weeks on top of the Billboard charts. The original version also hit number one on the Harlem Hit Parade for three weeks, Crosby 's first - ever appearance on the black - oriented chart. Re-released by Decca, the single returned to the No. 1 spot during the holiday seasons of 1945 and 1946 ( on the chart dated January 4, 1947 ), thus becoming the only single with three separate runs at the top of the U.S. charts. The recording became a chart perennial, reappearing annually on the pop chart twenty separate times before Billboard magazine created a distinct Christmas chart for seasonal releases. In Holiday Inn, the composition won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1942. In the film, Crosby sings `` White Christmas '' as a duet with actress Marjorie Reynolds, though her voice was dubbed by Martha Mears. This now - familiar scene was not the moviemakers ' initial plan. In the script as originally conceived, Reynolds, not Crosby, would sing the song. The song would feature in another Crosby film, the 1954 musical White Christmas, which became the highest - grossing film of 1954. ( Crosby made yet another studio recording of the song, accompanied by Joseph J. Lilley 's orchestra and chorus, for the film 's soundtrack album. ) The version most often heard today on radio during the Christmas season is the 1947 re-recording. The 1942 master was damaged due to frequent use. Crosby re-recorded the track on March 19, 1947, accompanied again by the Trotter Orchestra and the Darby Singers, with every effort made to reproduce the original recording session. The re-recording is recognizable by the addition of flutes and celesta in the beginning. Although Crosby dismissed his role in the song 's success, saying later that `` a jackdaw with a cleft palate could have sung it successfully, '' he was associated with it for the rest of his career. Formats and track Listing These are the formats and track listings of single releases of `` White Christmas ''. 10 '' vinyl single - U.S. ( Decca ‎ - 18429 ) No. Title Writer ( s ) Length 1. `` White Christmas '' Irving Berlin 3 : 02 2. `` Let 's Start The New Year Right '' Irving Berlin CD single - UK ( MCSTD48105 ) No. Title Writer ( s ) Length 1. `` White Christmas '' Irving Berlin 3 : 06 2. `` Auld Lang Syne '' Traditional 1 : 38 3. `` Peace On Earth / The Little Drummer Boy '' Henry W. Longfellow, K. Davis / H. Onorati 2 : 37 Sales figures Crosby 's `` White Christmas '' single has been credited with selling 50 million copies, the most by any release and therefore it is the biggest - selling single worldwide of all time. The Guinness Book of World Records 2009 Edition lists the song as a 100 - million seller, encompassing all versions of the song, including albums. Crosby 's holiday collection Merry Christmas was first released as an LP in 1949, and has never been out of print since. There has been confusion and debate on whether Crosby 's record is or is not the best - selling single, due to a lack of information on sales of `` White Christmas, '' because Crosby 's recording was released before the advent of the modern - day US and UK singles charts. However, after careful research, Guinness World Records in 2007 concluded that, worldwide, Crosby 's recording of `` White Christmas '' has, in their estimation, sold at least 50 million copies, and that Elton John 's recording of `` Candle in the Wind 1997 '' has sold 33 million, making Crosby 's recording the best - selling single of all time. However, an update in the 2009 edition of the book decided to further help settle the controversy amicably by naming both John 's and Crosby 's songs to be `` winners '' by stating that John 's recording is the `` best - selling single since UK and US singles charts began in the 1950s, '' while maintaining that `` the best - selling single of all time was released before the first pop charts, '' and that this distinction belongs to `` White Christmas, '' which it says `` was listed as the world 's best - selling single in the first - ever Guinness Book of Records ( published in 1955 ) and -- remarkably -- still retains the title more than 50 years later. '' Historic influence In 1999, National Public Radio included it in the `` NPR 100 '', which sought to compile the one hundred most important American musical works of the 20th century. Crosby 's version of the song also holds the distinction of being ranked No. 2 on the `` Songs of the Century '' list, behind only Judy Garland 's `` Over the Rainbow, '' as voted by members of the RIAA. In 2002, the original 1942 version was one of 50 historically significant recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry. In 2004, it finished at No. 5 on AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema. The recording was broadcast on Armed Forces Radio on April 30, 1975, as a secret, pre-arranged signal precipitating the U.S. evacuation from Saigon. Original verse Irving Berlin 's opening verse is often dropped in recordings, but is included on A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records, sung by Darlene Love, on Barbra Streisand 's A Christmas Album, on the Carpenters ' Christmas Portrait sung by Karen Carpenter, on Bette Midler 's Cool Yule, on Libera 's Christmas Album and on Crash Test Dummies ' Jingle All the Way. The sun is shining, the grass is green, The orange and palm trees sway. There 's never been such a day in Beverly Hills, L.A. But it 's December the twenty - fourth, -- And I am longing to be up North -- Certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales Sweden ( GLF ) Platinum 50,000 shipments figures based on certification alone Other notable versions This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( May 2017 ) `` White Christmas '' is the most - recorded Christmas song ; there have been more than 500 recorded versions of the song, in several different languages. 1940s 1942 Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra ( with Bob Carroll on lead vocal ) released a version ( Capitol F - 124 ) that reached No. 16 on Billboard magazine 's pop singles chart Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra ( with Garry Stevens on lead vocal ) released a version that reached No. 18 on Billboard 's pop singles chart Freddy Martin and his Orchestra ( with Clyde Rogers on lead vocal ), reaching No. 20 on Billboard 's pop singles chart ( and again in December 1945, reaching No. 16 ) 1944 Frank Sinatra ( with backing orchestration under the direction of Axel Stordahl ) reaching No. 7 on Billboard 's pop singles chart ( two more times : December 1945, No. 5 ; December 1946, No. 6 ) 1946 Jo Stafford ( with backing vocals by the Lyn Murray Singers and backing orchestration by Paul Weston ) reaching No. 9 on Billboard 's pop singles chart 1947 Eddy Howard and his Orchestra released a version that reached No. 21 on Billboard magazine 's pop singles chart. Perry Como ( with backing orchestration by Lloyd Shaffer ) reaching No. 23 on Billboard 's pop singles chart Harry James on Columbia 37955 with vocals by Marion Morgan 1949 The Ravens, reaching No. 9 on Billboard 's Rhythm & Blues Records chart in January 1949 Ernest Tubb ( with female backing vocals by The Troubadettes ) reaching No. 7 on Billboard 's Country & Western Records chart 1950s 1952 On July 15, Eddie Fisher with Hugo Winterhalter 's orchestra & chorus recorded a version at Manhattan Center, New York ; released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20 - 4910 ( in USA ) and by EMI on the His Master 's Voice label as catalog number B 10779 and JO 420 Mantovani and His orchestra, reaching No. 23 on Billboard magazine 's pop singles chart 1954 The Drifters showcased the talents of lead singer Clyde McPhatter and the bass vocals of Bill Pinkney, peaking at No. 2 on Billboard 's Rhythm & Blues Records chart ( returned to the same chart in the next two years ) Frank Sinatra ( with backing orchestration by Nelson Riddle ) for a holiday single on Capitol Records 1957 Elvis Presley on his first Christmas album, Elvis ' Christmas Album 1958 Johnny Mathis on his first Christmas album, Merry Christmas 1959 Perry Como on his album Season 's Greetings from Perry Como The Ray Conniff Singers on the album Christmas with Conniff Dean Martin on his album A Winter Romance 1960s 1960 Ella Fitzgerald on her album Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas 1961 Ross Bagdasarian, Sr., mostly known as David Seville, covered the song for the first Christmas album by Alvin and the Chipmunks, Christmas with The Chipmunks 1963 Robert Goulet on his album This Christmas I Spend with You Andy Williams on his first Christmas album, The Andy Williams Christmas Album, reaching No. 1 on Billboard 's special, year - end, weekly Christmas Singles chart ( the B - side of the single contained Williams 's version of `` The Christmas Song '' ), and again in 1967, reaching No. 22 Darlene Love on the Phil Spector - produced album, A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records Smokey Robinson & the Miracles on the album, Christmas with the Miracles Jimmy McGriff on his album Christmas with McGriff Jim Reeves on his album Twelve Songs of Christmas 1964 The Beach Boys on The Beach Boys ' Christmas Album Doris Day on The Doris Day Christmas Album Jack Jones on The Jack Jones Christmas Album Jo Stafford on her album The Joyful Season Jerry Vale on the album Christmas Greetings from Jerry Vale 1965 The Supremes on the album Merry Christmas Bob Marley with the Wailers as a single ( later appeared on his compilation album Destiny : Rare Ska Sides from Studio 1 ) 1966 Loretta Lynn on her album Country Christmas Kenny Burrell on his album Have Yourself a Soulful Little Christmas Eydie Gorme, backed by Trio Los Panchos, with a Spanish language version on the album Navidad Means Christmas Dean Martin on The Dean Martin Christmas Album Kate Smith on The Kate Smith Christmas Album 1967 Barbra Streisand on A Christmas Album, contains the seldom - heard verse 1968 Tony Bennett on Snowfall : The Tony Bennett Christmas Album Otis Redding as a single ( posthumously ), and reached No. 12 on the Christmas Singles chart Lana Cantrell on the various - artists album Christmas Day with Colonel Sanders Tennessee Ernie Ford on his LP O Come, All ye Faithful 1970s 1971 The Partridge Family on the album A Partridge Family Christmas Card 1972 Keith Lamb with a reggae version with his band Hush in December 1972 ( EPW 263 ) for Warner for an EP entitled Hush Power John Denver as a bonus track on the 1998 CD reissue of the album Rocky Mountain Christmas 1979 Willie Nelson on his album Pretty Paper Stiff Little Fingers as part of the `` Silly Encores '' B - side to their UK 7 '' single `` At the Edge '' Joan Morris and William Bolcom on their Irving Berlin album, `` The Girl on the Magazine Cover. '' 1980s 1980 Slim Whitman on the Epic album Christmas With Slim Whitman Darts, reaching No. 48 on the UK singles chart 1981 Boney M. with a reggae - version on Christmas Album 1984 Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton on their album Once Upon a Christmas 1985 The Canadian Brass with an instrumental version for the album, A Canadian Brass Christmas New Kids on the Block on the album Merry, Merry Christmas 1990s John Denver on his album Christmas, Like a Lullaby Neil Diamond with a doo - wop version for The Christmas Album Michael Bolton on his non-holiday album Timeless : The Classics, reaching No. 73 on Billboard 's Hot 100 Airplay chart in January 1993 Garth Brooks on his first holiday album, Beyond the Season, reaching No. 70 on Billboard 's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in January 1995 Aaron Neville on his album Soulful Christmas Kenny G on his Miracles : The Holiday Album 1995 Glen Campbell on his album Christmas with Glen Campbell Michie Tomizawa ( as Sailor Mars ) on the album Sailor Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon SuperS : Christmas For You 1998 Martina McBride on her album White Christmas, charting twice, reaching No. 75 on Billboard 's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in 1999, and No. 62 on the same chart in 2000 Chicago on their Chicago XXV : The Christmas Album 1999 A1 with an a cappella version on their `` Ready or Not / Everytime '' CD single 2000s 2000 Rockapella on the album Christmas Linda Ronstadt on her album A Merry Little Christmas Country singer Billy Gilman on his album, Classic Christmas Destiny 's Child on the album 8 Days of Christmas Mannheim Steamroller on the album Christmas Extraordinaire 2002 Crash Test Dummies on the album Jingle All The Way 2003 Bette Midler on the non-holiday album Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook, reaching No. 15 on Billboard 's Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart Michael Bublé on his five - track EP Let It Snow The Moody Blues on the seasonal album December LeAnn Rimes on her album What a Wonderful World Dionne Warwick on her album My Favorite Time of the Year Jazz guitarist Royce Campbell on his album A Jazz Guitar Christmas Tina Sugandh, for the Columbia / Sony film Christmas With the Kranks with Indian / Bollywood elements added to the song 2005 Girls Aloud on the Chemistry Christmas bonus disc Diana Krall on her album Christmas Songs Dutch singer René Froger on his album Pure Christmas ( re-released as Happy Christmas in 2009 ) 2006 Twisted Sister, featuring Doro Pesch, on the album A Twisted Christmas, with German / English lyrics Aimee Mann on her holiday album One More Drifter in the Snow 2007 Taylor Swift on her EP Sounds of the Season : The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection 2008 Rascal Flatts, as a bonus track on a limited - edition version of the album Greatest Hits Volume 1 Neil Sedaka on his album The Miracle of Christmas Al Jarreau on his album Christmas Edyta Górniak on her album, Zakochaj się na Święta w kolędach ( Fall in love for Christmas in carols ), with Polish / English lyrics Italian singer Irene Grandi with an Italian version titled `` Bianco Natale '', for her Christmas album, Canzoni per Natale 2009 Andrea Bocelli on his album My Christmas, reaching No. 16 on the Portuguese Singles Chart Ray Stevens on his album Ray Stevens Christmas Marco Mengoni on the compilation album X Factor -- The Christmas Album ; despite not being released as a single, the song charted at No. 13 on the Italian Singles Chart, based on digital downloads of the track 2010 -- present Norwegian World Idol winner Kurt Nilsen on his album Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas 2011 Deana Martin and Andy Williams in a duet on her album, White Christmas released by Big Fish Records Michael Bublé in a duet featuring Shania Twain on his album, Christmas Sheryl Crow on her album Home for Christmas, with a walking bass and an enigmatic, subversive twist Jackie Evancho on her album Heavenly Christmas Lady Gaga on her TV special, A Very Gaga Thanksgiving, which was also included as one of four tracks on her holiday EP, A Very Gaga Holiday with an additional self - created verse 2012 Ivi Adamou on her album Christmas with Ivi Adamou Cee Lo Green on his holiday album Cee Lo 's Magic Moment Rod Stewart on his album, Merry Christmas, Baby Glee cast members Darren Criss and Chris Colfer on the Christmas episode `` Glee, Actually '' Blake Shelton on his album Cheers, It 's Christmas Andrea Densley recorded a big - band, swing version on her 5 - track Christmas EP White Christmas 2013 Bad Religion on the album Christmas Songs Kelly Clarkson on her first holiday album, Wrapped in Red, which was released as the first promotional single from the album Leona Lewis on her album Christmas, with Love Erasure on the holiday album Snow Globe Contemporary Christian group Sidewalk Prophets on the album Merry Christmas to You 2014 Darius Rucker on his album Home for the Holidays Idina Menzel on her album Holiday Wishes Hayden Panettiere on the Nashville album Christmas With Nashville 2015 Donna Burke and Stefanie Joosten in the digital download format The Hot Sardines on their debut album Johnny Ruffo 2016 Pentatonix featuring The Manhattan Transfer on the album A Pentatonix Christmas Sarah McLachlan on her holiday album Wonderland Laura Pausini with English, Spanish and French versions on her album Laura Xmas Notes and references Jump up ^ http://www.pjstar.com/article/20141031/Entertainment/141039841 ^ Jump up to : Guinness Book of Records, 2007 Edition, page 187 Jump up ^ Guinness Book of Records, 2008 Edition, page 181 ^ Jump up to : Guinness Book of Records, 2009 Edition, pages 14, 15 & 169 ^ Jump up to : Roy J. Harris, Jr. ( December 5, 2009 ). `` The Best - Selling Record of All. ' White Christmas ' and the reasons it endures ''. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2009 - 12 - 06. It was a peaceful song that became a wartime classic. Its unorthodox, melancholy melody, and mere 54 words, expressing the simple yearning for a return to happier times -- sounded instantly familiar when sung by America 's favorite crooner. But 67 years after its introduction, some still are surprised to learn that Bing Crosby 's recording of the Irving Berlin ballad `` White Christmas '' became not only the runaway smash - hit for the World War II holidays, but the best - selling record of all time. Jump up ^ `` History of `` '' The Jewel of the Desert `` '' Arizona Biltmore, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel ``. Arizonabiltmore.com. Retrieved 2013 - 11 - 13. ^ Jump up to : White Christmas ^ Jump up to : John Mueller ( 1986 ). Astaire Dancing - The Musical Films. London : Hamish Hamilton. pp. 204, 425. ISBN 0 - 241 - 11749 - 6. Jump up ^ Wook Kim ( Dec 17, 2012 ). `` Yule Laugh, Yule Cry : 10 Things You Did n't Know About Beloved Holiday Songs ( With holiday cheer in the air, TIME takes a closer look at some of the weird stories behind our favorite seasonal tunes ) ''. TIME. - `` White Christmas '' ( p. 6 ) Jump up ^ https://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/no-one-dreamed-of-a-white-christmas-before-this-song/ Jump up ^ Todd Decker. `` Crosby, Bing. '' Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 26 Sep. 2016. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Top R&B / Hip - Hop Singles : 1942 - 2004. Record Research. p. 139. Jump up ^ Roberts, David ( 2006 ). British Hit Singles & Albums ( 19th ed. ). London : Guinness World Records Limited. p. 134. ISBN 1 - 904994 - 10 - 5. Jump up ^ Billboard 15 Dec 1945 - `` Bing Crosby ‎ -- White Christmas / Let 's Start The New Year Right '' 10 '' single, ( Decca ‎ - 18429 ) Jump up ^ Complete UK Hit Singles - 1952 - 2006, Graham Betts, Collins, 2006 - Music - 1088 pages - ( `` White Christmas '' 1998 UK CD single ) Jump up ^ `` RIAA News Room - The American Recording Industry Announces its Artists of the Century - Nov 10, 1999 ''. Recording Industry Association of America website. RIAA. 1999 - 11 - 10. Retrieved 2010 - 02 - 08. Jump up ^ Guinness Book of Records 2009 states that `` Candle in the Wind 1997 '' is the `` best - selling single since charts began '' ; however, not of all time. Bing Crosby 's `` White Christmas '' is still recognized as the best selling single of all time, but since it was released prior to the start of many charts, its sales prior to the 1950s are estimated. John 's 1997 song has sold the most copies when looking at copies sold since charts began, as verified in Guinness World Records. ISBN 1 - 904994 - 37 - 7. See also : Guinness Book of Records, 2009 Edition, pages 14, 15 & 169 ( 1 ) Jump up ^ `` New song list puts ' Rainbow ' way up high ''. CNN. March 7, 2001. Jump up ^ Todd, Olivier ( 1990 ), Cruel April : The Fall of Saigon, W.W. Norton & Company, p. 353. For more information, see Fall of Saigon, the end of the Vietnam War. Jump up ^ White Christmas piano solo, Hal Leonard Jump up ^ `` Guld - och Platinacertifikat − År 1987 − 1998 '' ( PDF ) ( in Swedish ). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved 21 December 2012. Jump up ^ `` ASCAP Announces Top 25 Holiday Songs of the Decade ''. ASCAP. November 23, 2009. Retrieved December 9, 2011. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Christmas in the Charts ( 1920 - 2004 ). Wisconsin : Record Research Inc. p. 42. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 161 - 6. ^ Jump up to : Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Christmas in the Charts ( 1920 - 2004 ). Wisconsin : Record Research Inc. p. 59. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 161 - 6. ^ Jump up to : Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Christmas in the Charts ( 1920 -- 2004 ). Wisconsin : Record Research Inc. p. 47. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 161 - 6. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Christmas in the Charts ( 1920 -- 2004 ). Wisconsin : Record Research Inc. p. 58. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 161 - 6. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Christmas in the Charts ( 1920 -- 2004 ). Wisconsin : Record Research Inc. p. 41. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 161 - 6. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Christmas in the Charts ( 1920 - 2004 ). Wisconsin : Record Research Inc. p. 29. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 161 - 6. Jump up ^ `` Columbia ( Microphone label, USA ) 37500 to 38000 Numerical Listing ''. 78discography.com. Retrieved 2016 - 01 - 02. ^ Jump up to : Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Christmas in the Charts ( 1920 - 2004 ). Wisconsin : Record Research Inc. p. 55. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 161 - 6. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Christmas in the Charts ( 1920 -- 2004 ). Wisconsin : Record Research Inc. p. 62. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 161 - 6. Jump up ^ RCA Victor Records in the 20 - 4500 to 20 - 4999 series Jump up ^ CD sleeve : Billboard Greatest Christmas Hits ( 1955 -- Present ), 1989 Rhino Records Inc. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Christmas in the Charts ( 1920 - 2004 ). Wisconsin : Record Research Inc. p. 22. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 161 - 6. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Christmas in the Charts ( 1920 -- 2004 ). Wisconsin : Record Research Inc. p. 23. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 161 - 6. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Christmas in the Charts ( 1920 -- 2004 ). Wisconsin : Record Research Inc. p. 48. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 161 - 6. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Christmas in the Charts ( 1920 - 2004 ). Wisconsin : Record Research Inc. p. 49. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 161 - 6. Jump up ^ laut.de Twisted Sister - `` A Twisted Christmas '' ( CD - Kritik ) Jump up ^ `` White Christmas - bianco Natale '' on acharts.com Jump up ^ `` Italian Charts - Marco Mengoni - White Christmas ( song ) ''. Italiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 December 2012. Jump up ^ `` White Christmas by Kelly Clarkson '' ( in German ). Germany : Amazon.de. Retrieved October 7, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Donna Burke White Christmas ''. CD Baby. Retrieved December 29, 2015. Jump up ^ The Hot Sardines Jump up ^ `` White Christmas - single ''. iTunes Australia. Retrieved 16 August 2017. External links Lyrics to White Christmas ( archived by Internet Archive Wayback Machine ) Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Library of Congress essay on Crosby 's version on the National Recording Registry. Preceded by `` ( I 've Got a Gal In ) Kalamazoo '' by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra with vocal refrain by Tex Beneke, Marion Hutton and the Modernaires The Billboard National Best Selling Retail Records number - one single ( Bing Crosby version ) October 31, 1942 -- January 9, 1943 ( 11 weeks ) Succeeded by `` There Are Such Things '' by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra with vocal refrain by Frank Sinatra and the Pied Pipers Preceded by `` Mr. Five by Five '' by Freddie Slack and His Orchestra with vocal by Ella Mae Morse The Billboard Harlem Hit Parade number - one single ( Bing Crosby version ) December 19, 1942 -- January 2, 1943 ( three weeks ) Succeeded by `` When the Lights Go on Again ( All Over the World ) '' by Lucky Millinder and His Orchestra with vocal chorus by Trevor Bacon Academy Award for Best Original Song 1934 -- 1940 `` The Continental '' Music : Con Conrad Lyrics : Herb Magidson ( 1934 ) `` Lullaby of Broadway '' Music : Harry Warren Lyrics : Al Dubin ( 1935 ) `` The Way You Look Tonight '' Music : Jerome Kern Lyrics : Dorothy Fields ( 1936 ) `` Sweet Leilani '' Music and lyrics : Harry Owens ( 1937 ) `` Thanks for the Memory '' Music : Ralph Rainger Lyrics : Leo Robin ( 1938 ) `` Over the Rainbow '' Music : Harold Arlen Lyrics : E.Y. Harburg ( 1939 ) `` When You Wish upon a Star '' Music : Leigh Harline Lyrics : Ned Washington ( 1940 ) 1941 -- 1950 `` The Last Time I Saw Paris '' Music : Jerome Kern Lyrics : Oscar Hammerstein II ( 1941 ) `` White Christmas '' Music and Lyrics : Irving Berlin ( 1942 ) `` You 'll Never Know '' Music : Harry Warren Lyrics : Mack Gordon ( 1943 ) `` Swinging on a Star '' Music : Jimmy Van Heusen Lyrics : Johnny Burke ( 1944 ) `` It Might as Well Be Spring '' Music : Richard Rodgers Lyrics : Oscar Hammerstein II ( 1945 ) `` On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe '' Music : Harry Warren Lyrics : Johnny Mercer ( 1946 ) `` Zip - a-Dee - Doo - Dah '' Music : Allie Wrubel Lyrics : Ray Gilbert ( 1947 ) `` Buttons and Bows '' Music : Jay Livingston Lyrics : Ray Evans ( 1948 ) `` Baby, It 's Cold Outside '' Music and Lyrics : Frank Loesser ( 1949 ) `` Mona Lisa '' Music and Lyrics : Ray Evans and Jay Livingston ( 1950 ) 1951 -- 1960 `` In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening '' Music : Hoagy Carmichael Lyrics : Johnny Mercer ( 1951 ) `` High Noon ( Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin ' ) '' Music : Dimitri Tiomkin Lyrics : Ned Washington ( 1952 ) `` Secret Love '' Music : Sammy Fain Lyrics : Paul Francis Webster ( 1953 ) `` Three Coins in the Fountain '' Music : Jule Styne Lyrics : Sammy Cahn ( 1954 ) `` Love Is a Many Splendored Thing '' Music : Sammy Fain Lyrics : Paul Francis Webster ( 1955 ) `` Que Sera, Sera ( Whatever Will Be, Will Be ) '' Music and lyrics : Jay Livingston and Ray Evans ( 1956 ) `` All the Way '' Music : Jimmy Van Heusen Lyrics : Sammy Cahn ( 1957 ) `` Gigi '' Music : Frederick Loewe Lyrics : Alan Jay Lerner ( 1958 ) `` High Hopes '' Music : Jimmy Van Heusen Lyrics : Sammy Cahn ( 1959 ) `` Never on Sunday '' Music and lyrics : Manos Hatzidakis ( 1960 ) 1961 -- 1970 `` Moon River '' Music : Henry Mancini Lyrics : Johnny Mercer ( 1961 ) `` Days of Wine and Roses '' Music : Henry Mancini Lyrics : Johnny Mercer ( 1962 ) `` Call Me Irresponsible '' Music : Jimmy Van Heusen Lyrics : Sammy Cahn ( 1963 ) `` Chim Chim Cher - ee '' Music and lyrics : Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman ( 1964 ) `` The Shadow of Your Smile '' Music : Johnny Mandel Lyrics : Paul Francis Webster ( 1965 ) `` Born Free '' Music : John Barry Lyrics : Don Black ( 1966 ) `` Talk to the Animals '' Music and lyrics : Leslie Bricusse ( 1967 ) `` The Windmills of Your Mind '' Music : Michel Legrand Lyrics : Alan and Marilyn Bergman ( 1968 ) `` Raindrops Keep Fallin ' on My Head '' Music : Burt Bacharach Lyrics : Hal David ( 1969 ) `` For All We Know '' Music : Fred Karlin Lyrics : Robb Royer and Jimmy Griffin ( 1970 ) 1971 -- 1980 `` Theme from Shaft '' Music and lyrics : Isaac Hayes ( 1971 ) `` The Morning After '' Music and lyrics : Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn ( 1972 ) `` The Way We Were '' Music : Marvin Hamlisch Lyrics : Alan and Marilyn Bergman ( 1973 ) `` We May Never Love Like This Again '' Music and lyrics : Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn ( 1974 ) `` I 'm Easy '' Music and lyrics : Keith Carradine ( 1975 ) `` Evergreen ( Love Theme from A Star Is Born ) '' Music : Barbra Streisand Lyrics : Paul Williams ( 1976 ) `` You Light Up My Life '' Music and lyrics : Joseph Brooks ( 1977 ) `` Last Dance '' Music and lyrics : Paul Jabara ( 1978 ) `` It Goes Like It Goes '' Music : David Shire Lyrics : Norman Gimbel ( 1979 ) `` Fame '' Music : Michael Gore Lyrics : Dean Pitchford ( 1980 ) 1981 -- 1990 `` Arthur 's Theme ( Best That You Can Do ) '' Music and lyrics : Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Christopher Cross and Peter Allen ( 1981 ) `` Up Where We Belong '' Music : Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte - Marie Lyrics : Will Jennings ( 1982 ) `` Flashdance... What a Feeling '' Music : Giorgio Moroder Lyrics : Keith Forsey and Irene Cara ( 1983 ) `` I Just Called to Say I Love You '' Music and lyrics : Stevie Wonder ( 1984 ) `` Say You, Say Me '' Music and lyrics : Lionel Richie ( 1985 ) `` Take My Breath Away '' Music : Giorgio Moroder Lyrics : Tom Whitlock ( 1986 ) `` ( I 've Had ) The Time of My Life '' Music : Franke Previte, John DeNicola and Donald Markowitz Lyrics : Franke Previte ( 1987 ) `` Let the River Run '' Music and lyrics : Carly Simon ( 1988 ) `` Under the Sea '' Music : Alan Menken Lyrics : Howard Ashman ( 1989 ) `` Sooner or Later ( I Always Get My Man ) '' Music and Lyrics : Stephen Sondheim ( 1990 ) 1991 -- 2000 `` Beauty and the Beast '' Music : Alan Menken Lyrics : Howard Ashman ( 1991 ) `` A Whole New World '' Music : Alan Menken Lyrics : Tim Rice ( 1992 ) `` Streets of Philadelphia '' Music and lyrics : Bruce Springsteen ( 1993 ) `` Can You Feel the Love Tonight '' Music : Elton John Lyrics : Tim Rice ( 1994 ) `` Colors of the Wind '' Music : Alan Menken Lyrics : Stephen Schwartz ( 1995 ) `` You Must Love Me '' Music : Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics : Tim Rice ( 1996 ) `` My Heart Will Go On '' Music : James Horner Lyrics : Will Jennings ( 1997 ) `` When You Believe '' Music and lyrics : Stephen Schwartz ( 1998 ) `` You 'll Be in My Heart '' Music and lyrics : Phil Collins ( 1999 ) `` Things Have Changed '' Music and lyrics : Bob Dylan ( 2000 ) 2001 -- 2010 `` If I Did n't Have You '' Music and lyrics : Randy Newman ( 2001 ) `` Lose Yourself '' Music : Eminem, Jeff Bass and Luis Resto Lyrics : Eminem ( 2002 ) `` Into the West '' Music and lyrics : Fran Walsh, Howard Shore and Annie Lennox ( 2003 ) `` Al otro lado del río '' Music and lyrics : Jorge Drexler ( 2004 ) `` It 's Hard out Here for a Pimp '' Music and lyrics : Juicy J, Frayser Boy and DJ Paul ( 2005 ) `` I Need to Wake Up '' Music and lyrics : Melissa Etheridge ( 2006 ) `` Falling Slowly '' Music and lyrics : Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová ( 2007 ) `` Jai Ho '' Music : A.R. Rahman Lyrics : Gulzar ( 2008 ) `` The Weary Kind '' Music and lyrics : Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett ( 2009 ) `` We Belong Together '' Music and lyrics : Randy Newman ( 2010 ) 2011 -- present `` Man or Muppet '' Music and lyrics : Bret McKenzie ( 2011 ) `` Skyfall '' Music and lyrics : Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth ( 2012 ) `` Let It Go '' Music and lyrics : Kristen Anderson - Lopez and Robert Lopez ( 2013 ) `` Glory '' Music and lyrics : John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn ( 2014 ) `` Writing 's on the Wall '' Music and lyrics : James Napier and Sam Smith ( 2015 ) `` City of Stars '' Music : Justin Hurwitz Lyrics : Benj Pasek and Justin Paul ( 2016 ) Irving Berlin songs `` Alexander 's Ragtime Band '' `` All Alone '' `` All by Myself '' `` All My Life '' `` Always '' `` Any Bonds Today ? '' `` Anything You Can Do ( I Can Do Better ) '' `` The Best Thing for You ( Would Be Me ) '' `` Blue Skies '' `` Change Partners '' `` Cheek to Cheek '' `` Count Your Blessings '' `` Daddy, Come Home '' `` Doin ' What Comes Natur'lly '' `` Easter Parade '' `` Follow the Crowd '' `` Get Thee Behind Me Satan '' `` The Girl That I Marry '' `` God Bless America '' `` Happy Holiday '' `` Heat Wave '' `` Heaven Watch the Philippines '' `` How About Me ? '' `` How Deep Is the Ocean ? '' `` How 's Chances ? '' `` I Got Lost in His Arms '' `` I Got the Sun in the Mornin ' ( and the Moon at Night ) '' `` I Used to Be Color Blind '' `` I Want To Go Back To Michigan '' `` I 'm an Indian Too '' `` I 'm Gonna Pin My Medal on the Girl I Left Behind '' `` I 'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket '' `` I 've Got My Captain Working for Me Now '' `` I 've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm '' `` Is n't This a Lovely Day ? '' `` It 's a Lovely Day Today '' `` Lazy '' `` Let Yourself Go '' `` Let 's Face the Music and Dance '' `` Let 's Have Another Cup of Coffee '' `` Let 's Take an Old - Fashioned Walk '' `` Mandy '' `` Moonshine Lullaby '' `` My Defenses Are Down '' `` The Near Future '' `` No Strings ( I 'm Fancy Free ) '' `` Now It Can Be Told '' `` Oh ! How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning '' `` Play a Simple Melody '' `` A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody '' `` Puttin ' On the Ritz '' `` Reaching for the Moon '' `` Remember '' `` San Francisco Bound '' `` Say It Is n't So '' `` Sisters '' `` Slumming on Park Avenue '' `` The Song Is Ended ( but the Melody Lingers On ) '' `` Stay Down Here Where You Belong '' `` Steppin ' Out with My Baby '' `` Supper Time '' `` That International Rag '' `` That Mysterious Rag '' `` There 's No Business Like Show Business '' `` They Say It 's Wonderful '' `` Top Hat, White Tie and Tails '' `` What 'll I Do '' `` When I Lost You '' `` White Christmas '' `` Who Do You Love, I Hope ? '' `` You Can Have Him '' `` You Ca n't Get a Man with a Gun '' `` You Keep Coming Back Like a Song '' `` You 'd Be Surprised '' `` You 're Just in Love '' `` You 're Laughing at Me '' Bing Crosby Discography Filmography Albums Music of Hawaii ( 1939 ) Victor Herbert Melodies, Vol. One ( 1939 ) Patriotic Songs for Children ( 1939 ) Cowboy Songs ( 1939 ) Victor Herbert Melodies, Vol. Two ( 1939 ) George Gershwin Songs, Vol. One ( 1939 ) Ballad for Americans ( 1940 ) Favorite Hawaiian Songs ( 1940 ) Christmas Music ( 1940 ) Star Dust ( 1940 ) Hawaii Calls ( 1941 ) Small Fry ( 1941 ) Crosbyana ( 1941 ) Under Western Skies ( 1941 ) Song Hits from Holiday Inn ( w / Fred Astaire ) ( 1942 ) Merry Christmas ( 1945 ) Selections from Going My Way ( 1945 ) Selections from The Bells of St. Mary 's ( 1946 ) Do n't Fence Me In ( 1946 ) The Happy Prince ( 1946 ) Selections from Road to Utopia ( 1946 ) Bing Crosby -- Stephen Foster ( 1946 ) What We So Proudly Hail ( 1946 ) Favorite Hawaiian Songs, Vol. One ( 1946 ) Favorite Hawaiian Songs, Vol. Two ( 1946 ) Blue Skies ( w / Fred Astaire ) ( 1946 ) Bing Crosby -- Jerome Kern ( 1946 ) St. Patrick 's Day ( 1947 ) Bing Crosby -- Victor Herbert ( 1947 ) Selections from Welcome Stranger ( 1947 ) Our Common Heritage ( 1947 ) El Bingo ( 1947 ) The Small One ( 1947 ) The Man Without a Country ( 1947 ) Drifting and Dreaming ( 1947 ) Blue of the Night ( 1948 ) Selections from Showboat ( 1948 ) The Emperor Waltz ( 1948 ) St. Valentine 's Day ( 1948 ) Bing Crosby Sings with Al Jolson, Bob Hope, Dick Haymes and the Andrews Sisters ( 1948 ) Selections from Road to Rio ( 1948 ) Bing Crosby Sings with Judy Garland, Mary Martin, Johnny Mercer ( 1948 ) Bing Crosby Sings with Lionel Hampton, Eddie Heywood, Louis Jordan ( 1948 ) Auld Lang Syne ( 1948 ) A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur 's Court ( 1949 ) Bing Crosby Sings Songs by George Gershwin ( 1949 ) South Pacific ( 1949 ) Christmas Greetings ( 1949 ) Ichabod -- The Legend of Sleepy Hollow ( 1949 ) Top o ' the Morning / Emperor Waltz ( 1949 ) Songs from Mr. Music ( 1950 ) Go West Young Man ( 1950 ) Le Bing : Song Hits of Paris ( 1953 ) Some Fine Old Chestnuts ( 1954 ) Selections from White Christmas ( 1954 ) Bing : A Musical Autobiography ( 1954 ) High Tor ( 1956 ) A Christmas Sing with Bing Around the World ( 1956 ) High Society ( w / Frank Sinatra, Grace Kelly, and Louis Armstrong ) ( 1956 ) Songs I Wish I Had Sung the First Time Around ( 1956 ) Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings ( 1956 ) Bing with a Beat ( 1957 ) A Christmas Story ( 1957 ) Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves ( 1957 ) Never Be Afraid ( 1957 ) Jack B. Nimble -- A Mother Goose Fantasy ( 1957 ) New Tricks ( 1957 ) Fancy Meeting You Here ( w / Rosemary Clooney ) ( 1958 ) How the West Was Won ( 1959 ) Bing & Satchmo ( w / Louis Armstrong ) ( 1960 ) 101 Gang Songs ( 1960 ) Holiday in Europe ( 1960 ) The Road to Hong Kong ( 1962 ) On the Happy Side ( 1962 ) On the Sentimental Side ( 1962 ) I Wish You a Merry Christmas ( 1962 ) Reprise Musical Repertory Theatre ( 1963 ) Return to Paradise Islands ( 1963 ) Bing Crosby Sings the Great Country Hits ( 1963 ) America, I Hear You Singing ( w / Frank Sinatra and Fred Waring ) ( 1964 ) 12 Songs of Christmas ( w / Frank Sinatra and Fred Waring ) ( 1964 ) That Travelin ' Two - Beat ( w / Rosemary Clooney ) ( 1965 ) Bing ' n ' Basie ( w / Count Basie ) ( 1972 ) A Couple of Song and Dance Men ( w / Fred Astaire ) ( 1975 ) Seasons ( 1977 ) Bing Crosby : The Voice of Christmas ( 1998 ) Family Dixie Lee ( first wife ) Gary Crosby ( son ) Dennis Crosby ( son ) Phillip Crosby ( son ) Lindsay Crosby ( daughter ) Kathryn Crosby ( second wife ) Harry Crosby ( son ) Mary Crosby ( daughter ) Nathaniel Crosby ( son ) Denise Crosby ( granddaughter ) Larry Crosby ( brother ) Bob Crosby ( brother ) Related Songs Bing Crosby recorded multiple times A Tribute to Bing Crosby Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=White_Christmas_(song)&oldid=801246394 '' Categories : 1940 songs 1942 singles American Christmas songs Bing Crosby songs Best Original Song Academy Award - winning songs Songs written by Irving Berlin Number - one singles in the United States 1940s jazz standards Jazz compositions in A major Hidden categories : CS1 Swedish - language sources ( sv ) CS1 German - language sources ( de ) Articles with hAudio microformats Track listings with deprecated parameters Certification Table Entry usages for Sweden Articles needing additional references from May 2017 All articles needing additional references Talk Contents About Wikipedia Dansk Deutsch Español Français 한국어 Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית Қазақша Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk Polski Português Русский Simple English Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska ไทย Türkçe Tiếng Việt Edit links This page was last edited on 18 September 2017, at 15 : 39. 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Question: who wrote the song i'm dreaming of a white christmas
Answer: Irving Berlin