Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” is already festive and fun. However, combining the tune’s jingle with AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” makes for a fun what-if.
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Bill McClintock, a mash-up artist, combined the two tunes for “Dirty Deeds Around the Christmas Tree.” The song combines the lyrics from the AC/DC track with the music and tune for “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”
It’s a festive tune that’s sure to get you in the spirit even if it’s after Christmas. Several people responded to the tune on YouTube.
One person wrote, “You combined a Christmas song my wife absolutely hates with a band that my wife absolutely hates. I made her listen to it. Fantastic work!”
Another commented, “This mash-up is not possible and yet here it is for the world to hear. And Bon’s screams were edited in sublimely. Amazing.”
Finally, another wrote, “Over the last couple of days, I have listened to quite a few other mashups from three other channels and I have to say – none of them – and I mean NONE of them – come close to how amazing your mashups are! I listen to those others and just shake my head at their attempts. You, Bill, ARE the BEST at this!!!!”
Brenda Lee Talks ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’
As far Lee, in an interview with People, she opened up about her classic Christmas song. At the time, she wasn’t aware of how much impact it would have. She said, “No. I knew it was a great song and I was happy to get it, but I never thought that it would be my signature song. Never.”
Lee recorded the album in July during the summer so had to imagine the winter vibes for her Christmas album.
She said, “[Producer] Owen Bradley had the studio [live room] all decked out with Christmas decorations and a Christmas tree. Back then you cut all Christmas songs in the heat of the summer, so Owen had the air conditioner turned down to zero to set the mood. And honey, that Quonset hut got cold! It added to the spirit, though. It was really a lot of fun.”
While Lee may be known for her Christmas songs, she’s had a career in the rock industry that extends beyond the album.
She said, “I go back a long way with the Beatles. I worked with them in their early years when I used to tour England all the time. I just went to Ringo’s show. He did a concert here at the Musicians Hall of Fame and we reminisced a little while about stuff. It was a lot of fun. But we were all learning back in those days. It was by the seat of our pants a lot of times, but we were having fun. We played in Germany too, at the Star Club.”
[Photo by David Redfern/Redferns]
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