Editing Christopher Lee (section)

== Music career ==
[[File:Lee Golden Gods.jpg|thumb|upright|Lee receiving the "Spirit of Hammer" award for his album ''[[Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross]]'' at the 2010 [[Metal Hammer]] Golden Gods ceremony in London]]

With his operatic<ref>{{cite web |last=Lee |first=Christopher |title=My Music: 'It's been the greatest regret of my life: I still believe I was born to be an opera singer' |url=https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/christopher-lee-my-music-it-s-been-the-greatest-regret-of-my-life-i-still-believe-i-was-born-to-be-an-opera-singer |website=Gramophone |access-date=26 September 2022}}</ref> [[Bass (voice type)|bass]] voice, Lee sang on ''[[The Wicker Man (1973 film)|The Wicker Man]]'' soundtrack, performing [[Paul Giovanni]]'s composition, "The Tinker of Rye."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://stylusmagazine.com/reviews/various-artists/the-wicker-man.htm |title=The Wicker Man soundtrack |magazine=[[Stylus Magazine]] |date=1 September 2003 |access-date=5 November 2011 |last=Lindsay |first=Cam |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027211211/http://stylusmagazine.com/reviews/various-artists/the-wicker-man.htm |archive-date=27 October 2011}}</ref> He sang the closing credits song of the 1994 horror film ''[[Funny Man (film)|Funny Man]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Darvell |first1=Michael |title=Sir Christopher Lee (27 May 1922 – 7 June 2015) – From pen-pushing via a stake through the heart to Carmen, heavy metal, The Soldier's Tale and Peter & the Wolf |url=https://www.classicalsource.com/article/sir-christopher-lee-27-may-1922-7-june-2015-from-pen-pushing-via-a-stake-through-the-heart-to-carmen-heavy-metal-the-soldiers-tale-and-peter-the-wolf/ |website=Classical Source |date=13 June 2015 |access-date=26 September 2022}}</ref> In 1977, he appeared on [[Peter Knight (folk musician)|Peter Knight]] and [[Bob Johnson (musician)|Bob Johnson]]'s (from [[Steeleye Span]]) concept album ''[[The King of Elfland's Daughter (album)|The King of Elfland's Daughter]]''.<ref>{{cite AV media |title=The King of Elfland's Daughter |publisher=[[Chrysalis Records]] |type=LP |year=1977 |id=CHR 1137}}</ref>

Lee's first contact with [[heavy metal music]] came by singing a duet with [[Fabio Lione]], lead vocalist of the Italian [[symphonic metal|symphonic]] [[power metal]] band [[Rhapsody of Fire]] on the single "[[The Magic of the Wizard's Dream]]" from their 2004 album ''[[Symphony of Enchanted Lands II – The Dark Secret]]'', although he only performs backing vocals on the album version. Later he appeared as a narrator and backing vocalist on the band's four albums ''Symphony of Enchanted Lands II – The Dark Secret'', ''[[Triumph or Agony]]'', ''[[The Frozen Tears of Angels]]'', and ''[[From Chaos to Eternity]]'', as well as on the EP ''[[The Cold Embrace of Fear – A Dark Romantic Symphony]]'', portraying the Wizard King. He worked with [[Manowar]] while they were recording a new version of their first album, ''[[Battle Hymns (Manowar album)|Battle Hymns]]''. The original voice was [[Orson Welles]]'s (long dead at the time of the re-recording).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.manowar.com/news_body.php?idnews=486 |title=Battle Hymns 2011 – Born To Live Forevermore |publisher=Manowar.com |date=4 November 2010 |access-date=4 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101101102724/http://www.manowar.com/news_body.php?idnews=486 |archive-date=1 November 2010}}</ref>

With the song "Jingle Hell," Lee entered the ''Billboard'' [[Hot Singles Sales]] chart at No. 22, thus becoming the second oldest living performer to ever enter the music charts, at 91 years and 6 months.<ref name="Blabbermouth.net">{{cite news |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/christopher-lee-lands-on-billboard-hot-singles-sales-chart-with-heavy-metal-take-on-jingle-bells/#63vjDR2Am55Tfag6.99 |title=Christopher Lee Lands On Billboard Hot Singles Sales Chart With Heavy Metal Take On 'Jingle Bells' |work=[[Blabbermouth.net]] |date=25 December 2013 |access-date=31 December 2013}}</ref><ref name="myguitarlessons.co.uk">{{cite web |date=December 27, 2013 |url=https://myguitarlessons.co.uk/2013/12/christopher-lee-lands-on-billboard-hot-singles-sales-chart-with-jingle-hell/ |title=Christopher Lee Lands on Billboard Hot Singles Sales Chart With 'Jingle Hell' |website=myguitarlessons.co.uk |access-date=January 6, 2025}}</ref> After media attention, the song rose to No. 18. as Lee became the oldest person to have a top 20 hit.<ref name="Billboard Top20">{{cite news |title=Sir Christopher Lee's Metal Christmas is Upon Us Once More |url=https://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2014/12/sir-christopher-lees-metal-christmas-upon-us |access-date=9 October 2020 |work=BBC America}}</ref>

Lee released a third EP of covers in May 2014, called ''Metal Knight,'' to celebrate his 92nd birthday; in addition to a cover of "[[My Way]]," it contains "The Toreador March," inspired by the opera ''[[Carmen]]'', and the songs "[[The Impossible Dream (The Quest)|The Impossible Dream]]" and "I, Don Quixote" from the [[Don Quixote]] musical ''[[Man of La Mancha]]''. Lee was inspired to record the latter songs because, "as far as I am concerned, Don Quixote is the most metal fictional character that I know."<ref>*{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27591562 |title=Christopher Lee makes heavy metal Don Quixote |work=[[BBC News]] |date=27 May 2014 |access-date=29 May 2014}}
* {{cite magazine |url=http://loudwire.com/christopher-lee-92nd-birthday-metal-knight-ep/ |title=Christopher Lee Celebrates 92nd Birthday With Release of 'Metal Knight' EP |magazine=Loudwire |date=28 May 2014 |access-date=29 May 2014}}
* {{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6099359/christopher-lee-delivers-heavy-metal-don-quixote |title=Christopher Lee Delivers Heavy Metal Don Quixote |magazine=Billboard |date=27 May 2014 |access-date=29 May 2014}}</ref> His fourth EP and third annual Christmas release came in December 2014, as he put out "Darkest Carols, Faithful Sing," a playful take on "[[Hark! The Herald Angels Sing]]."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://loudwire.com/92-year-old-actor-christopher-lee-metal-christmas-song-darkest-carols-faithful-sing/ |title=92-Year-Old Actor Christopher Lee Offers Metal Christmas Song 'Darkest Carols, Faithful Sing' |magazine=Loudwire |date=9 December 2014 |access-date=9 December 2014}}</ref> He explained: "It's light-hearted, joyful and fun... At my age, the most important thing for me is to keep active by doing things that I truly enjoy. I do not know how long I am going to be around, so every day is a celebration, and I want to share it with my fans."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/legendary-actor-christopher-lee-releases-new-heavy-metal-single-darkest-carols-faithful-sing/ |title=Legendary Actor Christopher Lee Releases New Heavy Metal Single 'Darkest Carols, Faithful Sing' |work=[[Blabbermouth.net]] |date=9 December 2014 |access-date=9 December 2014}}</ref>

Lee is featured in the [[symphonic metal]] album ''[[Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross]]'' in 2010, after having worked with several metal bands since 2005 {{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}. The [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] follow-up ''[[Charlemagne: The Omens of Death]]'' was released in 2013 on Lee's 91st birthday. He was honoured with the "Spirit of Hammer" award at the 2010 [[Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards]] ceremony. On the [[Hollywood Vampires (Hollywood Vampires album)|self-titled debut album]] by [[Hollywood Vampires (band)|Hollywood Vampires]], a supergroup consisting of Johnny Depp, [[Alice Cooper]] and [[Joe Perry (musician)|Joe Perry]], Lee is featured as a narrator in the track "The Last Vampire." Recorded shortly before his death, this marks Lee's final appearance on a musical record.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/see-johnny-depp-alice-cooper-joe-perry-jam-with-rock-royalty-20150805 |title=See Johnny Depp, Alice Cooper, Joe Perry Jam With Rock Royalty |magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=15 August 2015 |date=5 August 2015}}</ref> In 2019, Rhapsody of Fire included a posthumous narration on their new album, ''[[The Eighth Mountain]]'', in which Lee narrated the concept story of the band's ''Nephilim Empire Saga''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/rhapsody-of-fire-releases-lyric-video-for-new-song-master-of-peace/ |title=Rhapsody of Fire Releases Lyric Video For New Song 'Master Of Peace' |work=[[Blabbermouth.net]] |date=15 February 2019 |access-date=11 March 2019}}</ref>