Lee was a musical prodigy and by the time she was two she would hear songs on the radio once and be able to whistle the complete tune. She was five years old when she started to gain wider attention when she won a local singing contest sponsored by the elementary schools. At age 11, she was offered a recording contract with Decca Records and released the song “Dynamite,” leading to her lifelong nickname, “Little Miss Dynamite.”
Lee was popular in the UK very early in her career, and her 1961 rockabilly release “Let’s Jump the Broomstick” did not chart in the US, but went to #12 in the UK. Her biggest hits during this time include a rockabilly version of the country classic “Jambalaya (On the Bayou),” “Sweet Nothin’s,” “I Want to Be Wanted,” “All Alone Am I,” and “Fool #1.”
In 1960, she recorded her signature song, “I’m Sorry,” which hit number one on the Billboard pop chart and was her first gold single. Her last top-10 single on the pop charts was 1963’s “Losing You,” while she continued to have other chart songs such as her 1966 song “Coming On Strong” and “Is It True?” in 1964.
During the early 1970s, Lee re-established herself as a country music artist, and earned a string of Top 10 hits on the country charts. Her biggest selling track of her career is, oddly enough, a Christmas song: “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” It was released in 1958, but it sold only 5,000 copies. However, it eventually sold over five million copies and remains a perennial radio favorite each December. In December 2023, Lee became the oldest artist to ever top the Hot 100, when "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" topped the chart 65 years after its release.
Over the ensuing years, Lee has continued to record and perform all around the world, previously cutting records in four different languages. She is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, and the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. In 1992, she recorded a duet with Willy DeVille; Chuck Berry also wrote a song about her. Lee has been married to Ronnie Shacklett since 1963, and they have two daughters and three grandchildren. She is the second recipient of the Jo Meador-Walker Lifetime Achievement award.
Throughout her career, Brenda Lee has released 41 studio albums, 12 compilation albums, and over 100 singles. She has had numerous top twenty hits on the Billboard Hot 100, Country, and AC charts in the US, UK, and Canada.
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Brenda Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Underneath the mistletoe last night
She didn't see me creap
Down the stairs to have a peek
She thought that I was tucked up
In my Bedroom fast asleep
Then I saw mommy tickle Santa Claus
What a laugh it would have been
If daddy had only seen
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night
I saw mommy kissing santa claus
Underneath the mistletoe last night
She didn't see me creap
Down the stairs to have peak
She thought that I was tucked up
In my Bedroom fast asleep
Then I saw mommy tickle santa claus
Underneath his beard so snowy white
What a laugh it would have been
If daddy had only seen
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night
Brenda Lee's song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" is a classic Christmas song that depicts a child's innocent imagination. The song describes a little boy who sees his mother kissing Santa Claus under the mistletoe on Christmas Eve. The boy creeps down the stairs to take a peek and witnesses the playful interaction between his mother and Santa Claus. The boy's father is not aware of the situation and if he were to have seen it, it would have been a humorous moment.
The song has been interpreted in multiple ways, but the most common interpretation is that the boy was just dreaming or imagining the whole situation. Another interpretation is that the "Santa Claus" was actually the boy's father, dressed up in a Santa Claus costume to surprise his wife and children, and the kissing was just a romantic gesture between the couple. In the end, the boy's imagination takes over, leaving the true identity of Santa Claus a mystery.
The song has become a festive classic and has been covered by various artists over the years. It was written by Tommie Connor in 1952 and first recorded in 1953 by Jimmy Boyd, a child actor from Hollywood. The song became an instant hit and reached the top of the charts in multiple countries.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus
I witnessed my mother engaging in a romantic act with the fictional character of Santa Claus
Underneath the mistletoe last night
This encounter took place beneath a plant that is traditionally associated with holiday romance
She didn't see me creep
I observed this interaction without my mother's knowledge or consent
Down the stairs to have a peek
I descended a flight of steps to view this activity firsthand
She thought that I was tucked up in my Bedroom fast asleep
My mother believed that I was already asleep and therefore unaware of her actions
Then I saw mommy tickle Santa Claus
I observed my mother playfully touching the person dressed as Santa Claus
Underneath his beard so snowy white
This tickling occurred in the vicinity of Santa Claus' facial hair
What a laugh it would have been
The situation had the potential to be humorous or comedic
If daddy had only seen
My father would have found the situation amusing or noteworthy, had he been present
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night
The main event, in which my mother kissed the person dressed as Santa Claus, occurred the previous evening
Contributed by Lucy N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@dahat92
My dad loved listening to Brenda Lee and mostly her christmas songs. Thank you Anthony for sharing.
@anthonyspencer766
Hey Dolly, glad you are enjoying it. Merry Christmas to you and yours! My mother loved Brenda, Loretta Lynn, and Lynn Anderson, so I grew up listening to Christmas songs by these three and Elvis. That's Christmas to me.
@scottcormier6057
@Anthony Spencer ~ This is NOT Brenda Lee singing, it's Jimmy Boyd. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7t8YTbQSQc
@mgm8675
That is Jimmy Boyd nor Brenda Lee!!!
@nightowl4137
Jimmy Boyd singing this song ! 2019
@kevinmacaleese4293
Who is playing lap steel on this recording?
@bladerunner6282
tony, tony, tony... shame on you. :)