The Nat King Cole Trio
Before his international acclaim as a pop vocalist, Nathaniel Adams Coles b… Read Full Bio ↴Before his international acclaim as a pop vocalist, Nathaniel Adams Coles built an indelible reputation as a jazz pianist in the groundbreaking combo, The King Cole Trio. Born into a musical family, young Nat Coles (later changed to Cole) recorded with his older brother, Edward, in 1936 for the Decca label. The four sides cut by Eddie Cole's Solid Swingers gave the general public its first glimpse of Nat's gentle yet lively piano riffs. After touring with a revival show of Eubie Blake's revue Shuffle Along, Cole settled in Los Angeles, playing various nightclubs as a soloist. In 1937, club owner Bob Lewis suggested that Cole assemble a small band to work at his Swanee Inn on North La Brea. The group's unorthodox instrumentation and size - they had no drummer and, at the time, big bands were the rage - featured Wesley Prince on bass and the innovative phrasings of electric guitarist Oscar Moore. The Trio's blend of jump blues and jazzy instrumentals with bouncy vocal stylings was a collective effort, while Cole occasionally took the lead on standard ballads. After an uneventful 1939 session for the Davis & Schwegler recording company in Hollywood, The Trio accompanied Lionel Hampton on two recording dates the following summer. Their association with Hampton helped, and that winter The Trio signed with Decca. Their 1940-41 sessions for the label yielded sixteen songs and captured the attention of fellow musicians, fans and a handful of critics. Later that fall, The Trio sounded right at home with drummer Lee Young on a four-song session for the Ammor label. In 1942, Cole recorded with Red Callender and saxophonist Lester Young for the Philo/Aladdin label, Oscar Moore with Cole at the piano. Image courtesy of the Dave Dexter, Jr. Collection.producing a handful of recordings that became benchmarks in their individual careers. Signing with Capitol Records in 1943, The Trio consisted of Cole, Moore, and Johnny Miller, who had settled in as the permanent bassist. Moore left the fold in 1947 and Irving Ashby replaced him. Capitol Records featured The Trio less and less after that, while Cole was singled out as a vocalist often backed by lush string orchestras. By the 1950's, Cole's reputation as a singer had reached a wide pop audience and, upon his death in 1965, his place in music history was forever cemented. His fellow jazz peers, however, never forgot his equally unique touch on the piano and the influence his early trio work had on later performers such as Oscar Peterson, Red Garland, and Tommy Flanagan.
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All I Want For Christmas
The Nat King Cole Trio Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

All I want for Christmas
Is my two front teeth
My two front teeth
My two front teeth

Gee, if I could only have
My two front teeth
Then I could wish you Merry Christmas

It seems so long



Since I could say
"Sister Susie sitting on a thistle"
Gosh, oh gee
How happy I'd be if I could only whistle

All I want for Christmas
Is my two front teeth
My two front teeth
My two front teeth

Gee, if I could only have
My two front teeth
Then I could wish you Merry Christmas

All I want for Christmas
Is my two front teeth
Two front teeth
Two front teeth

Gee, if I could only have
My two front teeth
Then I could wish you Merry Christmas

It seems so long
Since I could say
"Sister Susie sitting on a thistle"
Gosh, oh gee
How happy I'd be if I could only whistle

All I want for Christmas
Is my two front teeth
Two front teeth
Two front teeth

Gee, if I could only have
My two front teeth
Then I could wish you Merry Christmas

It seems so long
Since I could say
"Sister Susie sitting on a thistle"
Gosh, oh gee
How happy I'd be if I could only whistle

So all I want for Christmas
Is my two front teeth
Two front teeth
My two front teeth

Gee, if I could only have
My two front teeth
Then I could wish you Merry Christmas (Christmas)

Overall Meaning

The Nat King Cole Trio's "Tea for Two" is a cheerful and festive song that captures the spirit of the holiday season. The introduction of the song begins with an upbeat piano riff accompanied by a steady bass line and percussion, creating a lively and joyful tone. The lyrics of the song, particularly in the chorus, featured the desire of the artist to have his two front teeth for Christmas. The repetition of "My two front teeth" emphasizes the importance of the missing teeth for the artist.


The artist further elaborates on the significance of his two front teeth through the second and third verse. He longs for his childhood days when he could whistle and sing Sister Susie sitting on a thistle without any problem. The lyricist manages to evoke happy memories of carefree times in the song to demonstrate the value of simple things like having one's two front teeth.


Overall, the lyrics of the song, "All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth," convey a deeper meaning that is beyond acquiring new teeth. The song speaks of the longing for being able to express oneself freely and the importance of having a complete set of teeth to enjoy simple childhood pleasures like singing and playing with friends.


Line by Line Meaning

All I want for Christmas
The singer is about to express their only desire this holiday season.


Is my two front teeth
The singer is specifically looking to have their two front teeth back.


My two front teeth
The singer is repeating the importance of these two teeth and their desire to regain them.


Gee, if I could only have
The artist expresses a longing for their two front teeth, wishing for a miracle.


My two front teeth
The artist repeats the importance of their teeth, emphasizing their desperation.


Then I could wish you Merry Christmas
The singer suggests that if they were to get their teeth back, they could show their appreciation by wishing someone a happy holiday season.


It seems so long
The singer recognizes the long period of time it has been since they lost their teeth.


Since I could say
The artist remembers a specific phrase they used to be able to say before losing their front teeth.


"Sister Susie sitting on a thistle"
The remembered phrase the artist is referring to.


Gosh, oh gee
An expression of excitement and optimism.


How happy I'd be if I could only whistle
The singer longs for the ability to whistle again, which would bring them great joy.


Two front teeth
The artist once again emphasizes their desire for their two front teeth.


So all I want for Christmas
The singer repeats their main point, emphasizing their sole wish for the holiday season.


Then I could wish you Merry Christmas (Christmas)
The singer reminds the listener that if they were to get their teeth back, they could show their appreciation by wishing them a Merry Christmas.




Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Donald Yetter Gardner

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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