Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Christmas Music Lyrics

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You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why

Santa Claus is coming to town

He's making a list

He's checking it twice
He's gonna find out
Who's naughty and nice

Santa Claus is coming to town

He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!

You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why

Santa Claus is coming to town

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song Santa Claus Is Coming to Town are a warning to children to be on their best behavior because Santa Claus is on his way, and he knows who has been naughty and who has been nice. The verses emphasize Santa's power and authority, as he makes his list and checks it twice, finding out which children have behaved well and which have not. The lyrics also suggest that Santa has the ability to watch over children at all times, even when they are sleeping, and therefore they must strive to be good at all times. The chorus then reminds children of the consequences of their behavior, reminding them that Santa is coming to town and they had better be on their best behavior.

Line by Line Meaning

You better watch out
You should be careful and pay attention

You better not cry
You should refrain from weeping or sobbing

You better not pout
You should not be angry or sullen

I'm telling you why
I'm going to explain the reason for my warning

Santa Claus is coming to town
Father Christmas is arriving in the city

He's making a list
He's noting down things on paper

He's checking it twice
He's looking at the list two times to ensure it's correct

He's gonna find out
He's going to determine or discover something

Who's naughty and nice
Who has been good and who has been bad

He sees you when you're sleeping
He observes you while you're dozing off

He knows when you're awake
He is aware of when you're not sleeping