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Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (Song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” | |
|---|---|
| |
| Song | |
| Published | 1934 by Leo Feist, Inc. |
| Songwriter(s) | J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie |
“Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” is a Christmas song written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie, and first recorded by Harry Reser and His Orchestra. When it was covered by Eddie Cantor on his radio show in November 1934 it became a hit; within 24 hours, 500,000 copies of sheet music and more than 30,000 records were sold.
The version for Bluebird Records by George Hall and His Orchestra (vocal by Sonny Schuyler) was very popular in 1934 and reached the various charts of the day.
History
Recordings
The earliest known recorded version of the song was by banjoist Harry Reser and His Orchestra on October 24, 1934 (Decca 264A) featuring Tom Stacks on vocal, the version shown in the Variety charts of December 1934. The song was a sheet music hit, reaching number 1. The song was also recorded for Victor Records (catalog No. 25145A) on September 26, 1935, by Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra with vocals by Cliff Weston and Edythe Wright.
The song is a traditional Christmas standard and has been covered by numerous recording artists. Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters reached the Billboard charts briefly in 1947 with it.
1960s
In 1962, the Four Seasons version charted at number 23 on Billboard. In 1963, producer Phil Spector included a version of the song on his rock album A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector performed by the Crystals.
The Crystals version
Certifications for “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” by the Crystals
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Silver | 200,000‡ |
| ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone | ||
In 1965, the Supremes‘ version charted at number 4 in Singapore.
The Supremes version
Chart performance for “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” by the Supremes
| Chart (1966) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Malaysia (Billboard) | 2 |
| Singapore (Billboard) | 1 |
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company) | 167 |
1970s to 1990s
In 1970, Rankin-Bass produced Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town, an hour-long animated TV film based on the song, with Fred Astaire narrating the origin of Santa Claus.
The same year, the Jackson 5 included the song on their best-selling album Jackson 5 Christmas Album. The Jackson 5 version would chart 50 years later on the Billboard 100 at #33.
The Jackson 5 version
Chart performance for “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” by the Jackson 5
| Chart (2011–2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 27 |
| Global 200 (Billboard) | 37 |
| Greece International Digital Singles (IFPI) | 76 |
| Hungary (Stream Top 40) | 33 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 37 |
| Lithuania (AGATA) | 49 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 75 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) | 27 |
| Portugal (AFP) | 99 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 86 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 69 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 30 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 30 |
| US Holiday 100 (Billboard) | 24 |
The Jackson 5 version
Certifications for “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” by the Jackson 5
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | Platinum | 70,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ) | Gold | 15,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
| ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone | ||
Well-known versions of this song include Mariah Carey from the album Merry Christmas (1994)
Mariah Carey version
Chart performance for “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” by Mariah Carey
| Chart (2010–2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Hungary (Single Top 40) | 17 |
| Netherlands (Single Tip) | 1 |
| Slovakia (Rádio Top 100) | 48 |
| South Korea (Circle) | 142 |
| US Holiday 100 (Billboard) | 45 |
Mariah Carey version
Certifications for “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” by Mariah Carey
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | Gold | 35,000‡ |
| Canada (Music Canada) | Gold | 40,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA) | Gold | 500,000‡ |
| ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
In 1971, the Partridge Family included the song on A Partridge Family Christmas Card. An eccentric 1972 live recording by Joseph Spence has been described as “a performance for the ages” by music critic Peter Margasak.
The Carpenters released the song as a single in 1974.
A rock version by Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band was recorded on December 12, 1975, at C. W. Post College in Brookville, New York, by Record Plant engineers Jimmy Iovine and Thom Panunzio. This version borrows the chorus refrain from the 1963 recording by the Crystals. It was first released as a track on the 1981 Sesame Street compilation album, In Harmony 2, as well as on a 1981 promotional, radio-only, 7-inch single (Columbia AE7 1332). Four years later, it was released as the B-side to “My Hometown“, a single off the Born in the U.S.A. album. Springsteen’s rendition of the song has received radio airplay perennially at Christmastime for years; it appeared on Billboard magazine‘s Hot Singles Recurrents chart each year from 2002 to 2009 due to seasonal air play. Live performances of the song often saw the band encouraging the audience to sing some of the lyrics with—or in place of—the band’s vocalists (usually the line “you’d better be good for goodness sake”, and occasionally the key line “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” as well). Sometimes, concert crowds would sing along with the entire song, and the band, who were known to encourage this behavior for the song, would do nothing to dissuade those audiences from doing so, instead welcoming the crowds’ enthusiasm. This version remains a Springsteen concert favorite during the months of November and December (often concluding the show), and the band is among the few that keep it in their roster of songs during the holidays.
Bruce Springsteen version
Chart performance for “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” by Bruce Springsteen
| Chart (2007–2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 65 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) | 74 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100) | 36 |
| Germany (GfK) | 80 |
| Global 200 (Billboard) | 71 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 42 |
| Italy (FIMI) | 44 |
| Lithuania (AGATA) | 99 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 34 |
| Portugal (AFP) | 72 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 12 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 56 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 47 |
Bruce Springsteen version
Certifications for “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” by Bruce Springsteen
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | Gold | 35,000‡ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark) | Gold | 45,000‡ |
| Italy (FIMI) | Gold | 35,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA) | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
| ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Australian ABBA tribute act Björn Again released a version in 1992 which reached number 55 on the UK Singles Chart.
Other well-known versions of this song include the Pointer Sisters version off the album A Very Special Christmas, also borrowing from the Crystals’ arrangement.
Andy Williams performed the song on his album I Still Believe in Santa Claus, which was released on October 1, 1990.
2000s to present
Luis Miguel recorded the song in Spanish as “Santa Claus Llegó a La Ciudad” for his Christmas album Navidades (2006). His version of the song peaked at number 26 on the Billboard Latin Pop Songs chart.
Luis Miguel version
Chart performance for “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” by Luis Miguel
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Latin Pop Airplay (Billboard) | 26 |
The song has also been recorded in a cappella versions. First by Straight No Chaser on their 2008 album Holiday Spirits,
and later by Pentatonix on their 2014 album That’s Christmas to Me.
Glee Cast version
Chart performance for “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” by the Glee cast
| Chart (2011–2012) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Holiday Digital Songs (Billboard) | 29 |
Michael Bublé version
Chart performance for “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” by Michael Bublé
| Chart (2011–2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 67 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) | 71 |
| Croatia (HRT) | 90 |
| Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100) | 47 |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) | 20 |
| France (SNEP) | 98 |
| Germany (GfK) | 66 |
| Greece (IFPI) | 93 |
| Hungary (Single Top 40) | 28 |
| Hungary (Stream Top 40) | 14 |
| Italy (FIMI) | 11 |
| Latvia (LAIPA) | 30 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 38 |
| Portugal (AFP) | 43 |
| Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100) | 39 |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE) | 29 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 43 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 43 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 77 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 8 |
| US Holiday 100 (Billboard) | 35 |
Michael Bublé version
Certifications for “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” by Michael Bublé
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark) | Platinum | 90,000‡ |
| Italy (FIMI) | Platinum | 70,000‡ |
| Portugal (AFP) | Gold | 5,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
| ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
In October 2015, EMI Music Publishing lost the rights to J. Fred Coot’s stake in the song. EMI had earned the rights to the song via Leo Feist‘s publishing company in the 1980s.
In September 2017, the family of Haven Gillespie sued Memory Lane Music Group for $700,000, asking for an 85% stake in “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town”.
Sebastián Yatra recorded a Spanish version for Christmas 2019 and released it as a single. The song charted in Spain and on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart and was certified gold by the RIAA in the US.
Sebastián Yatra version
Chart performance for “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” by Sebastián Yatra
| Chart (2020–2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Spain (PROMUSICAE) | 76 |
| US Hot Latin Songs (Billboard) | 21 |
Sebastián Yatra version
Certifications for “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” by Sebastián Yatra
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA) | Gold (Latin) | 30,000‡ |
| ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
In November 2024, YouTuber jschlatt released a cover of the song as the first single from his upcoming Christmas album.
Justin Bieber version
Certifications for “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” by Justin Bieber
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA) | Gold | 500,000‡ |
| ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Frank Sinatra version
Chart performance for “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” by Frank Sinatra
| Chart (2022–2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) | 29 |
| Germany (GfK) | 31 |
| Global 200 (Billboard) | 108 |
| Italy (FIMI) | 14 |
| Netherlands (Single Tip) | 5 |
| Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100) | 35 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 45 |
Frank Sinatra version
Certifications for “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” by Frank Sinatra
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Italy (FIMI) | Platinum | 100,000‡ |
| ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
The song has also been recorded by over 200 artists including
- Willie Nelson
- Brenda Lee
- Miley Cyrus
- The Lucky Duckies
- Dave Monk
- Dolly Parton
- The Chipmunks
- BTS
- Michael Buble & Ariana Grande
- Seventeen
- Hilary Duff
- Sesame Street
- Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
- Connie Stevens
- Laura Pausini
- Burl Ives
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (TV special)
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town is a 1970 American stop-motion Christmas television special produced by Rankin/Bass Productions in New York, New York. The film is narrated by Fred Astaire and stars the voices of Mickey Rooney, Keenan Wynn, Robie Lester, Joan Gardner, and Paul Frees, as well as an assistant song performance by the Westminster Children’s Choir. The film tells the story of how Santa Claus and several Claus-related Christmas traditions came to be. It is based on the hit Christmas song, “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town“, which was written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie for Leo Feist, Inc. and introduced on radio by Eddie Cantor in 1934; and the story of Saint Nicholas.
The special was created using Japanese stop-motion animation called “Animagic”, in which all the characters are made out of wood and plastic and animated via stop-motion photography. The special was originally telecast December 13, 1970, by ABC, which continues to air the special every year, along with its sister network Freeform, as of 2022 (commemorating the special’s 50th anniversary), although, at times, both networks have edited the special to make room for commercials.
Plot
Following a newsreel highlighting the excitement of children worldwide awaiting Santa Claus, a postman named Special Delivery “S.D.” Kluger is introduced. After Kluger’s mail truck breaks down, he proceeds to tell the story of Santa in response to letters sent by children.
The story begins with a baby named Claus arriving on the doorstep of Burgermeister Meisterburger, the grouchy mayor of Sombertown. Meisterburger orders Grimsley, his aide, to take Claus to an orphanage, but a gust of wind sweeps the baby away. Claus is rescued by a group of animals who transport him to the Kringles, a family of elves. They rename him Kris and raise him, teaching him how to make toys.
When Kris is old enough, he travels to Sombertown with a lost penguin whom he names Topper. Meanwhile, Meisterburger, having tripped over a toy duck, enacts a law prohibiting toys. Kris arrives and bestows toys on the local children, even giving one to Miss Jessica, their schoolteacher. Meisterburger orders Kris’s arrest, prompting him to flee into the forest with Topper. They are soon captured by the Winter Warlock, but the Warlock befriends Kris after he is a given a toy train.
To prevent further toy distribution, Meisterburger orders all doors and windows locked, but Kris enters by the chimneys and places toys in the children’s stockings. Meisterburger sets a trap for Kris, while his soldiers capture Winter and the Kringles. Jessica visits Winter in prison, where he reveals that he has lost all his magic except for some enchanted corn that enables some of Kris’s reindeer friends to fly. With the help of the reindeer, Kris and his companions escape.
Soon after, Kris, now sporting a beard as a disguise, returns to his “Claus” name and marries Jessica. They travel to the North Pole to establish a toy workshop. With the death of Meisterburger, the toy ban is revoked, and Kris is deemed a saintly figure, becoming Santa Claus. Due to the rising demand for toys, Santa limits his gift-giving to Christmas Eve, the anniversary of his and Jessica’s wedding.
After finishing the story, S.D. Kluger remembers that he has to deliver the letters to Santa. He departs in his truck with Topper, Winter, and a parade of children, singing “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”.
Voice cast
- Fred Astaire as Special Delivery “S.D.” Kluger
- Mickey Rooney as Kris Kringle/Santa Claus
- Keenan Wynn as Winter Warlock
- Robie Lester as Miss Jessica/Mrs. Claus
- Paul Frees as Burgermeister Meisterburger, Grimsley, Topper, animals (horse and seals), guards, doctor, Newsreel Announcer, Kringle Brothers (Dingle, Ringle, Tingle, Wingle, and Zingle), male townspeople, businessman, Scrooge-related man, tree monsters (Willy Willow and Peter Pine), and more
- Joan Gardner as Tanta Kringle, grouchy store lady, female townspeople, and more
- Dina Lynn, Greg Thomas, Gary White, and Andrea Sacino as the children (Greg Thomas also as Baby and Young Kris Kringle)
Songs
- “The First Toymakers to the King” – Tanta and the Kringles featuring the Mike Sammes Singers
2. “No More Toymakers to the King” – Burgermeister Meisterburger and Grimsley
3. “Be Prepared to Pay” a.k.a. “If You Sit On My Lap Today” – Kris and the Westminster Children’s Choir
4. “Put One Foot in Front of the Other” – Kris and Winter featuring The Mike Sammes Singers
5. “My World Is Beginning Today” – Jessica
6. “Wedding Song” a.k.a. “What Better Way to Tell You” – S. D. Kluger and The Mike Sammes Singers
7. “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” – S. D. Kluger and the Westminster Children’s Choir
Released by Rhino on October 1, 2002, the soundtrack for Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town is available, along with that of Frosty the Snowman, the Rankin/Bass special produced the previous year. This edition contains the full dialogue and all songs for both specials.
Editing by ABC, Viacom, and Freeform
The special has been edited for content and length by ABC, Viacom, and Freeform since its original airing. In 1986, ABC cut two songs from the special (“My World Is Beginning Today” and “What Better Way to Tell You”), as well as cutting two other songs in half.
When Viacom syndicated the special to local television stations in the 1980s and 1990s, only the songs (except “Put One Foot In Front Of The Other”) were shortened for time, while “What Better Way To Tell You” was removed entirely. Topper’s name was changed to Waddles for unknown reasons, with all dialogue stating his name being re-recorded by an unknown actor.
Freeform has cut several scenes they believe may be traumatizing to younger viewers, such as Kris climbing and leaping to escape (which was cut to prevent children from trying to imitate the same stunt), Winter Warlock knowing Kris will return and telling him he will never escape, and the scene in which the Burgermeister torches the seized toys in front of the children of Sombertown.
In 2019, Freeform’s print of the special included the 2012 Universal Pictures logo preceding the film, due to their 2016 purchase of DreamWorks Animation (the current owner of the pre-1974 Rankin/Bass library); further, in this version, the scenes that were originally cut were restored.
Home media
Beginning in 1989, the special has been released numerous times on VHS and DVD. The 2005 DVD release included a CD single of Mariah Carey performing the title song. The special is also available as part of a DVD box set with other Rankin/Bass Christmas titles, including Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman, and Bill Melendez‘s Frosty Returns. In 2010, the special was released in the same box set on Blu-ray. In 2015, both the special and Frosty the Snowman were released on Blu-ray-DVD combo packs in the 45th Anniversary Collector’s Edition. In 2022, the special was released on 4K Ultra HD as part of The Classic Christmas Specials Collection (with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman).
Reception
The film has an aggregated review score of 93% based on 14 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, with a critic consensus stating: “Arriving with light-hearted cheeriness and the best musical numbers, Santa Claus Is Comin To Town is a magical story told by charming wood-figure animation.”
Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media gave the special five stars out of five, saying as a “classic Christmas movie is a winner for families.”
Novelization
Running Press published a novelization of the special in 2008. It is written by Sierra Harimann and features watercolor illustrations by Michael Koelsch. The novelization includes some extra details, although it is unclear whether they originated from the author’s imagination or were derived from the original script. The Dismal Forest is located at the base of the Mountain of the Whispering Winds. The young children Kris converses with by the fountain are named Annette and Andy. The Sombertown Dungeon is designed like a fortress, featuring a central courtyard where the reindeer arrive to rescue everyone.
Video game
| Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town! | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | 1st Playable Productions |
| Publisher(s) | Red Wagon Games |
| Platform(s) | Wii Nintendo DS |
| Release | NA: November 8, 2011 |
| Genre(s) | Platform |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
A video game based on the film was released November 8, 2011, for the Nintendo DS and Wii.
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