Sleigh Ride

SLEIGH RIDE
 
 
“Sleigh Ride”  is a popular light orchestral piece composed by Leroy Anderson.  It was originally an instrumental piece; the lyrics, about a person who would like to ride in a sleigh on a winter’s day with another person, were written by Mitchell Parish in 1950.  Over the years, the song has become a Christmas standard.  The Ronettes’ recording has become the most popular version of the song outside the traditional pop standard genre, charting in the top 10 yearly on the Billboard US Holiday 100.  It features the well-known “Ring-a-ling-a-ling Ding-dong-ding” background vocals & the clip-clopping sounds with the whinnying cry of a horse, heard at the beginning and the conclusion of the song.  (More from Wikipedia)
 
 

Phil Spector perfected his renowned “Wall of Sound” technique while making girl group records, where massive amounts of music were recorded together with a subtle echo effect.  “Sleigh Ride” by the Ronettes and “Da Doo Ron Ron” by the Crystals are cited as being prime examples of this technique.  Phil Spector himself says that he reached his peak with the recording of “River Deep, Mountain High” by Ike and Tina Turner; George Harrison has called that song “a perfect record from start to finish”. 

 

(October 2013)