Santa Claus Is Back in Town
| "Santa Claus Is Back in Town" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 "Santa Claus Is Back in Town" cover | ||||
| Song by Elvis Presley from the album Elvis' Christmas Album | ||||
| Published | Elvis Presley Music, Inc. | |||
| Released | October 15, 1957 | |||
| Recorded | September 7, 1957 | |||
| Genre | Christmas music, rock and roll | |||
| Length | 2:25 | |||
| Label | RCA Victor | |||
| Composer | Leiber-Stoller | |||
| Language | English | |||
| Producer | Leiber-Stoller | |||
| Elvis' Christmas Album track listing | ||||
| ||||
"Santa Claus Is Back in Town" is a Christmas song written in 1957 by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and first recorded that year by Elvis Presley as the opening track on Elvis' Christmas Album, the best-selling Christmas/holiday album of all time in the United States. The song has become a rock and roll Christmas standard.
"Santa Claus Is Back in Town" was paired with "Santa, Bring My Baby Back to Me" and was issued as a UK single concurrently with the album's release in 1957. The single reached #7 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1957. RCA rereleased the song as a 45 vinyl 7" single in 1985, PB-14237B, paired with "Merry Christmas, Baby". In 1980, the song reached no. 41 on the UK singles chart in December in a six week chart run.[1]
"Santa Claus Is Back in Town" backed with "Blue Christmas" was released by RCA Victor as a 45 single in 1965 in the US, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Christmas Singles chart. The "Blue Christmas"/"Santa Claus is Back in Town" single was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 1999.[2]
Album appearances
The song appeared on the original RCA Victor LP, Elvis' Christmas Album, the 1958 reissue, the 1970 RCA Camden reissue, the UK release of the Camden version, CDS 1155, the 1975 Pickwick reissue, and the 1985 RCA Special Products rerelease. The song also appeared on the 1982 RCA Memories of Christmas compilation, the 1994 BMG album If Every Day Was Like Christmas, the 2003 BMG Christmas Peace collection, and the 2006 BMG Elvis Christmas album. The song was featured on the 2008 Elvis Presley album Christmas Duets in a duet with Wynonna Judd.
Personnel
“Santa Claus Is Back In Town” was recorded on September 7, 1957 at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California. The musicians on the session were:
- Elvis Presley – vocals
- Scotty Moore – guitar
- Bill Black – bass
- D. J. Fontana – drums
- Dudley Brooks – piano
- The Jordanaires – backing vocals
The Jordanaires were Gordon Stoker, Neal Matthews, Jr., Hoyt Hawkins, and Hugh Jarrett.
Covers
The song was covered by Mae West on her 1967 Christmas album Wild Christmas. Dwight Yoakam recorded and released a cover version as a 45 single in 1987. Robert Plant performed the song live on Saturday Night Live on December 12, 1984 with The Honeydrippers with Brian Setzer on guitar and Paul Shaffer on piano. Jonny Lang, the Brian Setzer Orchestra, Billy Idol, Joe Bonamassa, the Jordanaires, Canned Heat, James Durbin, .38 Special, Orion, Australian Crawl, My Morning Jacket, The Creepshow, The Boppers, David Gogo, Trisha Yearwood, Brian Hyland, Raul Malo, Straight No Chaser, Frantic Flintstones, Rick Saucedo, 45 R.P.M., Tom Green, Janice Hagan, Poison Idea, Ray Smith, Terry Buchwald, Pedro's Heavy Gentlemen, Delta Goodrem, Aron & Cool Company, The Hit Crew, and Wynonna Judd have also recorded the song. Scotty McCreery, winner of American Idol Season 10, also covered the song on his 2012 Christmas album, Christmas with Scotty McCreery.[3] Little Big Town performed the song live on the CMA Country Christmas 2011 television show on ABC with Keith Urban on lead guitar. Joe Perry of Aerosmith recorded the song in 2014 with Johnny Depp on rhythm guitar on his EP Joe Perry's Merry Christmas. In 2015, Robin Trower released his version of "Santa Claus is Back in Town" featuring Paul Jones of The Blues Band.
Robert Gordon performed a version with the Max Weinberg 7 band on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 1993 on NBC.
Dwight Yoakam featured the song on his 1997 Christmas album Come On Christmas and released it as a single. The single reached no. 60 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
In 2008, the song appeared on the heavy metal compilation We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year performed by Tim "Ripper" Owens, Deep Purple lead guitarist Steve Morse, Juan Garcia, Marco Mendoza, and Vinny Appice.
Chart Performance
The Elvis Presley recording was a Top Ten chart hit on the UK singles chart and a Top Five hit on the Billboard Christmas Singles chart. The single was certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Elvis Presley recording
| Chart (1957) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 7 |
| Chart (1965) | Peak position |
| U.S. Billboard Christmas Singles | 4 |
1980 Elvis Presley re-release
| Year | Single | Chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | ||
| 1980 | "Santa Claus Is Back in Town" | 41 |
Dwight Yoakam recording
| Year | Single | Chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| US Country | ||
| 1997 | "Santa Claus Is Back in Town" | 60 |
Movie appearances
- Iron Man 3 (2013)
- Fred Claus (2007)
- Miracle on 34th Street (1994 film) (1994)
- C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005)
- The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
References
Sources
- Guralnick, Peter. The King of Rock 'n' Roll: The Complete 50's Masters, insert booklet. RCA 66050-2, 1992.
- Guralnick, Peter. From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential '60s Masters, insert booklet. RCA 66160-2, 1993.
- Guralnick, Peter (1994). Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley. Little Brown GBR. ISBN 978-0-316-91020-0.
- Hopkins, Jerry (1971). Elvis: A Biography. ISBN 978-0-671-20973-5.
- Wolfe, Charles. Elvis Presley: If Every Day Was Like Christmas, liner notes. BMG Australia Limited, 7863664822, 1994.
External links
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: 20 Essential Rock and Roll Holiday Songs.
- Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
