Sunday Sounds: December 13, 2020, “Sleigh Ride”
Samantha Colleran, December 2020
There’s a million versions of this song out in the world, but this one is one of my favorites! If you’re unfamiliar with this version, it’s featured in the greatest Christmas movie of all time, Elf! Ella Fitzgerald is such an underappreciated artist, and this version of “Sleigh Ride” always brings a smile to my face.
I have such great memories watching Elf every single year with my family, we quote it constantly (“Smiling’s my favorite” and “Six inch ribbon curls” are casually thrown into conversation no matter what time of year it is). There’s no better Christmas movie; it’s equal parts hilarious and full of heart and love, and touches on the true meaning of Christmas. This song is from one of my favorite scenes of the movie, where Buddy continuously tries to get attention from his dad, Walter. We see him asleep in the Gimbel’s window, trying to sneak past security at the Empire State building to give his dad a gift, and the manager at Gimbel’s in shock over the decorations for Santa’s visit to the store, which inevitably turns into one of the most hilarious parts of the entire movie.
This version of “Sleigh Ride” is associated with such awesome Christmas memories, and it definitely needed to be featured on my blog for the holiday season! You can listen to the song below, and don’t forget to watch Elf this Christmas and keep an ear out for the track!