When most people talk about the Christmas song, The Snowman, they are usually referring to Walking in the Air.

This is the hauntingly beautiful song from the 1982 animated film The Snowman, which was based on Raymond Briggs’ much-loved 1978 wordless picture book.

The story itself is both magical and bittersweet

A young boy builds a snowman after a heavy snowfall on Christmas Eve. At midnight, the snowman magically comes to life, and the two become friends.

After exploring the boy’s home and garden, they take flight together, soaring across the countryside and eventually to the Arctic.

It is during this unforgettable flying sequence that Walking in the Air is heard.

Howard Blake

The song was written by composer Howard Blake, who also composed the film’s orchestral score.

The film contains almost no dialogue, so Blake believed the story should be told largely through music. The song became the emotional centerpiece of the entire film.

Not Aled Jones

An interesting fact is that the original recording in the film was sung by choirboy Peter Auty, not by Aled Jones, as many people assume.

Aled Jones

Aled Jones recorded a cover version in 1985 for a television advertisement, and his version became a major chart hit in Britain. Because of its popularity, many people came to associate the song with him.

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Part of the song’s enduring appeal is that it captures a child’s sense of wonder and freedom. Yet the ending of the story adds a touch of sadness.

Pathos

The next morning, the boy discovers that the snowman has melted. Only a scarf remains, reminding him that the night’s adventure was real.

This mixture of joy, innocence, friendship and loss gives The Snowman its lasting emotional power.

In the United Kingdom, The Snowman has become a Christmas institution.

A Christmas Favorite

It has been broadcast repeatedly at Christmas since its first showing in 1982, and Walking in the Air remains one of the most recognizable Christmas songs ever recorded.

No Words

A lovely detail is that Raymond Briggs originally created The Snowman as a completely wordless picture book.

The story was intended to be told entirely through images, making the music in the film adaptation all the more important.

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