The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)

"The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" is a 1958 novelty Christmas carol written and recorded by Ross Bagdasarian (under the stage name of David Seville). Bagdasarian sang the Christmas carol, varying the tape speeds to produce high-pitched "chipmunk" voices, with the vocals credited to Alvin and the Chipmunks, Seville's cartoon virtual band and later media franchise. The song was nominated for Record of the Year in the 1st Annual Grammy Awards, where it also won three Awards.

After the success of "Witch Doctor" in early 1958, Liberty Records asked Bagdasarian to create another successful novelty record. He then came up with three singing chipmunks named after Liberty Records executives.

The song begins with Dave asking the Chipmunks if they're ready to sing the song. Simon and Theodore both say they are, but Alvin does not answer, causing Dave to get his attention by yelling "ALVIN!". After the first verse, Dave compliments Simon and Theodore for their singing, but tells Alvin that his performance was "a little flat". Again, Alvin does not respond and Dave again yells "ALVIN!" to get his attention. In the outro, the Chipmunks want to sing the song again. However, David is against this, telling them not to overdo it. The song fades out with spoken lines from Dave and the Chipmunks.

"The Chipmunk Song" has been a staple on the Billboard charts and saved Liberty Records from near-bankruptcy. It has been featured in many movies and television shows, including a prominent appearance in the successful 2007 live-action film Alvin and the Chipmunks. The song helped launch the multimillion-dollar Alvin and the Chipmunks brand and has been ranked by Billboard and The New York Times as one of the greatest Christmas songs of all time.