The band was originally formed in 1989 by leader Scott Morris. He and Kurt Sodergren are the two "original" members, with the rest of the band joining later on. The band concentrated on the swing of the 1940s and '50s, playing clubs and lounges in their early years.
The band launched two CDs, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Watchu' Want for Christmas? under their own label (Big Bad Records) before getting their big break when their songs "You & Me & The Bottle Makes Three Tonight (Baby)" and "Go Daddy-O" were featured in the 1996 comedy Swingers.
From there they were signed by Capitol Records. With Capitol the band released Americana Deluxe (also known as a second Big Bad Voodoo Daddy) and This Beautiful Life. The band has continued their tours, performances and album releases Save My Soul, Live, and Everything You Want For Christmas, with one high point being their appearance at the 1999 Super Bowl half-time show.
Over the last few years, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy has experienced great success playing on the Pops programs of American Symphony Orchestras and regular US tours.
Most recently, BBVD released a tribute album titled How Big Can You Get?: The Music of Cab Calloway. As part of the live concerts promoting this recent album, the band continues to perform new material, including the track "5-10-15 Times I Love You" which frontman Scotty Morris says will be recorded as part of a new album in early 2011.
Band Members:
* Scott Morris "Scotty" (vocals and guitar) - core member
* Kurt Sodergren (drums and percussion) - core member
* Dirk Shumaker (string bass) - core member
* Andrew Rowley "Andy" (baritone saxophone) - core member
* Glen Marehevka "The Kid" (trumpet) - core member
* Karl Hunter (saxophone and clarinet) - core member
* Joshua Levy "Josh" (piano) - core member
* Tony Bonsera (lead trumpet)
* Alex Henderson (trombone) (also part of The Brian Setzer Orchestra)
** Ron Blake (former lead trumpet) left Big Bad Voodoo Daddy to go on tour with Green Day.
A Party For Santa
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We learn this when we are small
But from year to year
It′s the same Ol' thing...
Santa′s coming to call
We try to ignore it... or forget it
This we know is true
Let's all make an effort
Get a present for Santa too
Let's trade in the old sleigh
And the reindeer
For a big car and a chauffer
Get a helicopter
Oh can′t you see
That everyone loves Santa too
Yeah
Christmas is here
And we′re all having fun,
Santa's brought presents
For everyone
But he had to squeeze through a
Chimney for us
What a horrible place to pass
Why not open your window?
Or your front door?
So Santa can bring his gifts
He′s climbing our rooftops
And coming through our chimneys
It's a whole lot of stupidness
Move him from the North Pole
To Rio
Give him an apartment
With modern equipment
A maid and a butler
Let us show our love
For dear Santa Claus
Yeah
Everyone′s drinking their
Whiskey and rum
Ol' Santa is getting on
And his jingle bells, jingle bells
Dear Ol′ Santa Claus
Is wearing those same old clothes
We should be ashamed,
We should be plagued.
To treat Santa Claus like a brute
So let's chip in some dollars
Get him to the tailors
For a new Continental suit
Take him out to a nightclub
Or a movie
Get him some fine chicks
Throw him a party
It's time to chip in
And do our share
To make sure he comes
More than once a year
The lyrics to "A Party For Santa" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy highlight the idea of Christmas being a time for giving, not just to each other, but also to Santa Claus himself. The song begins by acknowledging that from a young age, we are taught to give during the holiday season. However, as the years go by, it becomes the same old routine: Santa comes to town, we try to ignore or forget about him. The song suggests that this Christmas, instead of overlooking Santa, we should make an effort to give him a present too.
The lyrics then propose various alternative scenarios for Santa's arrival. Rather than using his traditional sleigh and reindeer, the suggestion is made to upgrade him to a big car with a chauffeur or even a helicopter. The idea is to show that Santa is loved by everyone, and he deserves more than just coming down the chimney. The song encourages opening the windows or front doors to let Santa in, rather than making him squeeze through narrow chimneys, which is portrayed as a difficult and ridiculous task.
The lyrics also touch on the treatment of Santa Claus. It reflects shame and regret in the way he is treated as just someone who brings gifts. The suggestion is made to collectively contribute money to buy him a new suit and take him out for a night on the town or to a movie. The underlying message is to show love and appreciation for Santa Claus and make sure he is honored and celebrated more than just once a year.
Overall, "A Party For Santa" encourages a change in perspective and reminds us to give back to Santa Claus as a symbol of gratitude and recognition for all the joy he brings during the holiday season.
Line by Line Meaning
Christmas time is the for giving
During Christmas, we show our generosity and give to others
We learn this when we are small
We are taught about the importance of giving from a young age
But from year to year
However, as time passes and years go by
It's the same Ol' thing...
Giving during Christmas becomes repetitive and predictable
Santa's coming to call
Santa Claus is expected to visit our homes
We try to ignore it... or forget it
Some of us attempt to disregard or overlook this tradition
This we know is true
But deep down, we understand the reality of it
So this coming Christmas
Therefore, in the upcoming Christmas season
Let's all make an effort
Let's collectively put in some effort
Get a present for Santa too
To also give a gift to Santa Claus
Let's trade in the old sleigh
Instead of using the traditional sleigh
And the reindeer
And relying on reindeer
For a big car and a chauffer
Let's upgrade to a large car with a chauffeur
Get a helicopter
Furthermore, let's acquire a helicopter
Oh can't you see
Can't you realize and understand
That everyone loves Santa too
That Santa Claus is loved by everyone
Christmas is here
The Christmas season has begun
And we're all having fun
And we are enjoying ourselves
Santa's brought presents
Santa Claus has delivered gifts
For everyone
For each and every one of us
But he had to squeeze through a
Unfortunately, he had to struggle and squeeze through
Chimney for us
A narrow chimney in order to reach us
What a horrible place to pass
It's a dreadful location to navigate through
Why not open your window?
Instead, why don't we open our windows?
Or your front door?
Or even our front doors?
So Santa can bring his gifts
This would allow Santa Claus to deliver his gifts
He's climbing our rooftops
He is scaling our roofs
And coming through our chimneys
And entering through our chimneys
It's a whole lot of stupidness
This whole situation is quite foolish
Move him from the North Pole
Let's relocate him from the North Pole
To Rio
To the vibrant city of Rio de Janeiro
Give him an apartment
Provide him with an apartment
With modern equipment
Equipped with modern amenities
A maid and a butler
Including the services of a maid and a butler
Let us show our love
Let's demonstrate our affection
For dear Santa Claus
Towards our beloved Santa Claus
Everyone's drinking their
All the people around are consuming their
Whiskey and rum
Whiskey and rum beverages
Ol' Santa is getting on
Old Santa Claus is aging
And his jingle bells, jingle bells
And the sound of his jingle bells, jingle bells
Dear Ol' Santa Claus
Beloved old Santa Claus
Is wearing those same old clothes
He is still wearing those familiar old garments
We should be ashamed
We ought to feel ashamed
We should be plagued
We should be burdened or troubled
To treat Santa Claus like a brute
For behaving towards Santa Claus in a cruel manner
So let's chip in some dollars
Therefore, let's contribute some money
Get him to the tailors
Take him to the tailors
For a new Continental suit
To have a new suit tailored in the Continental style
Take him out to a nightclub
Bring him to a nightclub
Or a movie
Or even to watch a movie
Get him some fine chicks
Find him some attractive women
Throw him a party
Organize and host a party for him
It's time to chip in
Now is the moment to contribute
And do our share
And fulfill our own responsibilities
To make sure he comes
To ensure that he visits us
More than once a year
More frequently than just once per year
Writer(s): Robert Alphonso Nelson
Contributed by Hannah R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.