Up on the House Top - wikipedia Up on the House Top `` Up on the House Top '' is a Christmas song written by Benjamin Hanby in 1864. It has been recorded by a multitude of singers, most notably Gene Autry in 1953. Up on the Housetop The Airmen of Note, 2009, Jazz Version Contents 1 Modern Lyrics 2 Original Lyrics 3 History 4 On television 5 Cover versions 5.1 Kimberley Locke version 5.2 Other notable cover versions 6 References Modern lyrics Verse 1 : Up on the housetop reindeer pause Out jumps good old Santa Claus. Down through the chimney, with lots of toys, All for the little ones ' Christmas joys. Chorus : Ho, ho, ho ! Who would n't go. Ho, ho, ho ! Who would n't go, Up on the housetop, click, click, click ; Down through the chimney with ( good / old ) Saint Nick. Verse 2 : First comes the stocking of little Nell ; Oh, dear Santa fill it well ! Give her a dolly that laughs and cries ; One that will open and shut her eyes. Repeat chorus Verse 3 : ( Look in / Next comes ) the stocking of little Will ; Oh just see what a glorious fill ! Here is a hammer and lots of tacks ; Also a ball and a whip that cracks ! Repeat chorus Original Lyrics Verse 1 Up on the house, no delay, no pause Clatter the steed of Santa Claus. Down thro ' the chimney with loads of toys Ho for the little ones, Christmas joys. History According to William Studwell in The Christmas Carol Reader, `` Up on the House Top '' was the second - oldest secular Christmas song, outdone only by `` Jingle Bells '', which was written in 1857. It is also considered the first Yuletide song to focus primarily on Santa Claus. According to Readers Digest Merry Christmas Song Book, Hanby probably owes the idea that Santa and his sleigh land on the roof of homes to Clement C. Moore 's 1822 poem, `` A Visit from St. Nicholas '' ( also commonly known as `` The Night Before Christmas '' ). Benjamin Russell Hanby was born in 1833 near Rushville, Ohio, the son of a minister involved with the Underground Railroad. During his short life, he wrote some 80 songs before dying of tuberculosis in 1867. Other than `` Up on the House Top '', his best - known song is `` Darling Nelly Gray ''. Benjamin Hanby, author of the Christmas classic. On television In 1992, a syndicated television special of the same name, produced by Perennial Pictures Film Corporation in Indianapolis, Indiana, was released. Co-writer / co-producer / co-director G. Brian Reynolds also was the voice of Curtis Calhoun, and also composed the musical score. His creative partner, Russ Harris, co-wrote, co-produced, co-directed and also did voiceover work in this special. The special is the story of Curtis Calhoun, a miserable man who wishes that there were no Santa Claus. But then on Christmas Eve, someone is on top of the Calhouns ' roof, and Curtis does n't know whether he is Saint Nick or a cat burglar. Cover versions Kimberley Locke version `` Up on the Housetop '' Single by Kimberley Locke from the album Christmas Released 2005 Label Curb Records Songwriter ( s ) Benjamin Hanby Producer ( s ) Mike Curb, Michael Lloyd Kimberley Locke singles chronology `` I Could '' ( 2005 ) `` Up on the Housetop '' ( 2005 ) `` Jingle Bells '' ( 2006 ) `` I Could '' ( 2005 ) `` Up on the Housetop '' ( 2005 ) `` Jingle Bells '' ( 2006 ) In 2005, the song was brought back to life with a new recording by Kimberley Locke. The recording broke a Billboard record when it made the largest leap into the Top 5 in the AC chart 's history, moving from 32 to 5 in only a week. It was also the second longest Billboard holiday AC chart topper in the chart 's history, sitting at # 1 for 4 consecutive weeks. Kimberley Locke Version Chart ( 2005 / 2006 ) Peak Position US Adult Contemporary Hot Adult Contemporary Recurrents 15 Top AC Singles of 2006 36 Other notable cover versions Lawrence Welk with Larry Hooper, as `` High On The House Top '', the same melody with significantly altered lyrics. ( 1956 ) The King Sisters Alvin and the Chipmunks -- Christmas with The Chipmunks ( 1961 ) Eddy Arnold -- Eddy Arnold Christmas Album ( 1962 ) Don Janse and his 60 Voice Children 's Choir - The Little Drummer Boy ( 1963 ) During the second verse, Angel Velasco 's father who was a boy sings the solo halves. The Jackson 5 -- The Jackson 5 Christmas Album ( 1970 ). This version opens with a reference to Here Comes Santa Claus and also contains references to basketball ( basketball games have been played on Christmas Day since the 1960s ) and A Visit from St. Nicholas. Sammy Kershaw -- Christmas Time 's A-Comin ' ( 1994 ) Jimmy Buffett -- Christmas Island ( 1996 ) Reba McEntire -- The Secret of Giving : A Christmas Collection ( 1999 ) George Strait -- Fresh Cut Christmas ( 2006 ) and Classic Christmas ( 2008 ) Bradley Joseph -- Classic Christmas ( 2008 ) The Airmen of Note - Cool Yule ( 2009 ) Fariborz Lachini - Christmas Piano - Solo Piano with Sheet Music ( 2009 ) Pomplamoose -- Hyundai Elantra television commercial, their EP Pomplamoose Christmas ( 2010 ), and featured on the soundtrack to `` Grumpy Cat 's Worst Christmas Ever '' Pentatonix - A Pentatonix Christmas ( 2016 ) as `` Up On The Housetop '' Duncan Brannan and Jaret Reddick - Chuck E 's Holiday Party ( 2013 ), Holiday Medley ( 2014 ) References Jump up ^ Bronson, Fred `` Signs Of The Season '', Billboard Magazine ; December 6, 2007. Jump up ^ Benjamin Hanby 's home in Westerville, OH Jump up ^ At Christmas time in 1864, Benjamin Hanby was operating a singing school in New Paris, OH, where he wrote the song now known as Up on the House Top. Jump up ^ The Times, Shreveport, Louisiana. 20 Dec 1964. Pg. 15. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/211565200/ Jump up ^ http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/up_on_the_housetop.htm Jump up ^ Up on the Housetop ( TV Movie 1992 ) on IMDb Preceded by `` Lonely No More '' by Rob Thomas Billboard Adult Contemporary number - one single by December 17, 2005 - January 7, 2006 Succeeded by `` Lonely No More '' by Rob Thomas Kimberley Locke Albums One Love Based on a True Story Christmas EPs `` Four for the Floor '' Singles `` 8th World Wonder '' `` Wrong '' `` Coulda Been '' `` I Could '' `` Up on the House Top '' `` Jingle Bells '' `` Change '' `` Band of Gold '' `` Frosty the Snowman '' `` Fall '' `` We Need a Little Christmas '' `` Strobelight '' `` Silver Bells '' `` Finally Free '' Featured singles `` Silver Bells '' ( with Clay Aiken ) `` Come Together Now '' `` Please Come Home for Christmas '' ( with Dave Koz ) Television American Idol Celebrity Fit Club Little Talent Show Related articles Discography American Idol ( season 2 ) Christmas Christmas Eve Children 's Day Boxing Day Nochebuena Saint Nicholas Day St. Stephen 's Day Sol Invictus Yule In Christianity Biblical Magi Adoration of the Magi Adoration of the Shepherds Advent Angel Gabriel Annunciation Annunciation to the shepherds Baptism of the Lord Bethlehem Christingle Christmastide Epiphany Herod the Great Jesus Joseph Mary Massacre of the Innocents flight into Egypt Nativity Fast Nativity of Jesus in art in later culture Nativity scene Saint Nicholas Star of Bethlehem Twelfth Night In folklore Badalisc La Befana Belsnickel Caganer Christkind Ded Moroz Elves Father Christmas Grýla Jack Frost Joulupukki Knecht Ruprecht Korvatunturi Krampus Mikulás Miner 's figure Mrs. Claus Nisse / Tomte North Pole Old Man Winter Olentzero Père Fouettard Père Noël Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer Saint Lucy Santa 's reindeer Santa 's workshop Sinterklaas Tió de Nadal Vertep Yule Cat Yule Lads Zwarte Piet Gift - bringers Saint Nicholas Santa Claus List of Christmas gift - bringers by country Traditions Advent calendar Advent candle Advent wreath Boar 's Head Feast Candle arches Cards Carols by Candlelight Cavalcade of Magi Crackers Decorations Events and celebrations Feast of the Seven Fishes Flying Santa Hampers Las Posadas Letters Lights Markets Meals and feasts Moravian star Nine Lessons and Carols NORAD Tracks Santa Nutcrackers dolls Ornaments Parades list Piñatas Pyramids Räuchermann Seals Secret Santa Spanbaum Stamps Stockings Tree Twelve Days Wassailing Windows Yule Goat Yule log By country Australia and New Zealand Denmark Germany Hawaii Hungary Iceland Indonesia Ireland Mexico Norway Philippines Poland Romania Russia Scotland Serbia Sweden Ukraine Music Carols list Hit singles UK Hit singles US Music books Carols for Choirs Oxford Book of Carols New Oxford Book of Carols Piae Cantiones Other media Films Poetry `` Old Santeclaus with Much Delight '' `` A Visit from St. Nicholas '' Television specials Yule Log In modern society Advent Conspiracy Black Friday ( partying ) Black Friday ( shopping ) Bronner 's Christmas Wonderland Christmas club Christmas creep Christmas Day ( Trading ) Act 2004 Christmas Lectures Christmas Mountains Christmas truce Controversies Cyber Monday Economics Giving Tuesday El Gordo Holiday season In July In August Leon Day NBA games NFL games Puritan New England American Civil War Post-War United States Running of the Santas SantaCon Santa 's Candy Castle Small Business Saturday Super Saturday Virginia O'Hanlon White Christmas Winter festivals WWE Tribute to the Troops Xmas Food and drink Dinner Joulupöytä Julebord Kūčios Réveillon Twelve - dish supper Smörgåsbord Wigilia Sweets bûche de Noël Cake Candy cane Cookies Fruitcake Gingerbread Kourabiedes Melomakarono Mince pie Pavlova Pecan pie Pumpkin pie Pudding Rosca de reyes Szaloncukor Turrón Soup Menudo Sauce Cranberry sauce Beverages Apple cider Champurrado Eggnog Mulled wine Smoking Bishop Ponche crema Dumpling Hallaca Tamale Meat Ham Roast goose Romeritos Turkey Stuffing Commons Portal Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Up_on_the_House_Top&oldid=815371821 '' Categories : 2005 singles American Christmas songs Billboard Adult Contemporary number - one singles 1864 songs Songs written by Benjamin Hanby Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Français Italiano Türkçe Українська Edit links This page was last edited on 14 December 2017, at 12 : 43. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who wrote the song up on the housetop
Answer: Benjamin Hanby