Alvin and the Chipmunks, the #1 kids musical act of all time, will perform their holiday hit The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) in their video game Alvin and the Chipmunks. The video game ships to North American retailers today, just 10 days before the December 14, 2007 theatrical release of the live action film of the same name from Twentieth Century Fox.
Released as a part of a novelty record in the fall of 1958, The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) was the first hit from The Chipmunks. Written and sung by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr., in what has become the Chipmunks' signature sound, the song was credited to a fictional group "The Chipmunks" comprised of Alvin, Simon and Theodore, who were named after actual executives at Bagdasarian's first record label, Liberty Records. The record became an immediate success, selling more than 4 million copies in seven weeks and spending four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. It went on to earn three Grammy(R) Awards and a nomination for Record of the Year, and has enjoyed tremendous popularity every year since.
Alvin's ditty about wanting a hula hoop (which was THE hot new toy that first year) has gone on to become part of our pop culture and has been featured in various film and television hits, including Saturday Night Live, Friends, The Sopranos, Almost Famous, King of Queens, Nip/Tuck, Boston Legal, Ally McBeal and Ugly Betty.
"Alvin and the Chipmunks have entertained three generations of fans," said Ross Bagdasarian, Jr., President of Bagdasarian Productions, LLC. "Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the franchise, and gives parents an opportunity to introduce their kids to the same trio they grew up with twenty years earlier through the new Alvin and the Chipmunks videogame and live action film."
"I look so cool in my first video game AND major motion picture ...." said Alvin, lead singer of the band. "By the way, if all you fans are wondering, I finally did get the hula hoop. Now if you're listening Dave, I want a Maserati."
In addition to the Chipmunk Song, the game features 40 popular hits and cult favorites that parents and kids alike can play along to. These songs include chart-topping songs originally written by artists such as RUN-DMC, Boy George and Blink 182. It is available for the PLAYSTATION(R)2 computer entertainment system, the Wii(TM) and Nintendo DS(TM) videogame systems from Nintendo, and PC. The game has been rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and is available at retailers nationwide today. For more information about this game please visit http://www.thechipmunksmoviegame.com/.
