Jolly Old St. Nicholas
Chet Atkins Lyrics

Jolly old Saint Nicholas
The song is addressed to Saint Nicholas, who is often known as Santa Claus, and is acknowledged as a joyful and kind-hearted figure.

Lean your ear this way
The singer asks Saint Nick to pay close attention to him and listen carefully.

Don't you tell a single soul
The singer asks Saint Nick to keep his secret wishes confidential and not tell anyone else.

What I'm going to say
The singer is about to reveal his Christmas wish to Saint Nick.

Christmas Eve is coming soon
The singer notes that Christmas Eve is just around the corner.

Now, you dear old man
The singer addresses Saint Nick as a beloved, tender figure.

Whisper what you'll bring to me
The singer asks Saint Nick to quietly tell him what present he will receive for Christmas.

Tell me if you can
The singer challenges Saint Nick to reveal his surprise before Christmas morning.

When the clock is striking twelve
The singer sets the stage at midnight on Christmas Eve when Saint Nick will begin his gift-giving.

When I'm fast asleep
The singer will be sound asleep when Saint Nick arrives with his presents.

Down the chimney, broad and black
The singer depicts the classic image of Saint Nick entering through the chimney during his gift-giving rounds.

With your pack you'll creep
Saint Nick will quietly sneak around with his large bag of presents.

All the stockings you will find
Saint Nick will fill every stocking hanging by the fireplace with gifts.

Hanging in a row
All of the stockings will be hung in a neat and orderly fashion.

Mine will be the shortest one
The singer's stocking will be noticeably shorter than the others and therefore easier to distinguish.

You'll be sure to know
Saint Nick will easily be able to spot the singer's stocking and leave his presents accordingly.

Bobby wants a pair of skates
The singer lists the Christmas wishes of his friends, starting with Bobby's desire for ice skates.

Suzy wants a sled
Suzy's Christmas wish is to receive a sled as a gift.

Nellie wants a picture book
Nellie's Christmas wish is for a book filled with pictures.

Yellow, blue, and red
The book that Nellie wants will have colorful illustrations throughout it.

Now, I think I'll leave to you
The singer decides to leave the final decision of what presents to give to his other friends up to Saint Nick.

What to give the rest
The rest of the singer's friends' wishes are unknown so he lets Saint Nick make the decision on what presents to bring them.

Choose for me, dear Santa Claus
The singer ends the song asking Saint Nick, whom he trusts to make the right decision, to choose the right present for his other friends.

You will know the best
The singer is acknowledging Saint Nick's wisdom and trusting that he will make the best decision for everyone's Christmas presents.