The starting ideas for the music for ‘Sleigh Ride’ were begun by Leroy Anderson in 1946 in the middle of a heatwave (!) and finished two years later when Mitchell Parish added the lyrics. The song definitely creates that Christmassy feeling and there have been numerous covers over the years, including Phil Spector’s The Ronettes, Andy Williams, Ella Fitzgerald and Mariah Carey. My arrangement has stayed true to the original sound – no new-fangled music at Christmas, please!
