It might be said that Johnny Marks was the composer of American Christmas music who succeeded owing to his creation of easily learned and unforgettable songs that became popular annually during the holiday season. Marks, whose songwriting career started under another name, was born in New York City on November 10, 1909. Besides being the composer and lyricist of popular holiday songs, the author is known for his songs about Rudolph and reindeer.

Early life and career

The composer lived and worked in New York City, a city of numerous opportunities for those with creative inclinations wishing to work in such spheres as music, theater, and publishing. Johnny Marks was able to create dozens of popular songs of all genres, but his efforts were concentrated on writing concise and catchy melodies that were able to survive for many years. Concerning the Christmas songs, it should be noted that, on the one hand, they can be rather emotional; on the other hand, they have to be characterized by a definite melodic line and understandable lyrics.

The composer worked in the sphere of professional songwriting and composing, focusing on lyrics written in the language of common people instead of that of show business. It made him able to write songs appealing to performers of various genres. Besides, the author favored the use of simple characters and vivid images, including such ones as a reindeer with a red nose, a happy get-together, rock 'n' roll winter fun or cheerful celebration.

Collection of Christmas songs

Johnny Marks is regarded as an author of an impressive collection of popular songs. The composer succeeded in achieving the breakthrough in his career thanks to his adaptation of Robert L. May's reindeer story for Gene Autry's song in 1949. The hit "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" marked the beginning of the new era for Marks, who demonstrated his talent for transforming stories into catchy melodies.

Further on, the author created other successful hits in the repertoire of holiday songs, which differed not only in topic but also could be used as regular pop records. Towards the end of the 1950s, some of Johnny Marks' songs were performed by such artists as Brenda Lee and Chuck Berry; thus, it proved how well Christmas music blended with rock 'n' roll and other popular genres of that period. The composer had a talent for creating both festive and non-traditional songs.

Some of the most successful Christmas songs created by Johnny Marks include:

  • "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (1949) performed by Gene Autry;
  • "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (1958) performed by Brenda Lee;
  • "Run Rudolph Run" (1958) performed by Chuck Berry.

The other songs were composed for the television special "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in 1964. Apart from the main theme song, Marks created "A Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Silver and Gold". The broadcast of the television special gave new life to the songs about Rudolph the reindeer.

It should be said that the talent for writing songs for various performers was characteristic of Johnny Marks. Thus, for instance, the song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" performed by Gene Autry had a certain western flavor and family-friendly mood, while Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" featured youthfulness and an upbeat rhythm. Finally, Chuck Berry's "Run Rudolph Run" combined an energetic rhythm and the coolness of rock 'n' roll. Nevertheless, the songs created by Johnny Marks are not confined to any particular genre.

Reasons behind the longevity of the songs

Johnny Marks did not have to create something new and unexpected all the time; thus, he chose the topic that had much potential if approached professionally. Songs devoted to the celebration of holidays compete with people's nostalgic memories and tend to fade away rather quickly. Marks' songs survived owing to their being created according to the recipe for success, namely, an exciting plot, a catchy phrase, and an unforgettable tune.

Another factor contributing to the longevity of the songs is their versatility. In fact, his compositions could be performed by diverse artists, such as country singers, pop vocalists, rock 'n' roll performers, children's choirs or even swing bands. Therefore, the songs could acquire the mood of playfulness, emotionality, coolness or traditionalism depending on the performer, thus giving every new generation an opportunity to get acquainted with the songs from a somewhat fresh perspective.

Finally, it is characteristic of Johnny Marks to know how significant it is for a song to have some character. It means that the character is supposed to have a distinctive feature, a problem to solve and a happy ending. This factor considerably contributes to the development of the plot of a song. It is characteristic of Marks' other well-written hits too. Rather than creating the general winter atmosphere, the author created songs full of life with distinct personalities.

Lasting fame

Although Johnny Marks died on September 3, 1985, his fame as the composer and the lyricist continues to be connected with the period of holidays. Although not so well known himself, his contribution to the repertoire of songs is obvious. Every Christmas, it is quite easy to hear Johnny Marks' creations. For the lovers of American popular music, he serves as an example of a composer whose several carefully written songs became the tradition of every listener.