Brubeck's style ranged from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills. Much of his music employed unusual time signatures, a fact jokingly referred to by his greatest hits album 'Time Signatures: A Career Retrospective'. Upon his death, a number of commentators noted his crossover appeal to mainstream pop audiences, something putting him in the company of other jazz legends such as Louis Armstrong and Herbie Hancock among others.
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
Dave Brubeck Lyrics
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Stopped off at the North Pole to spend a holiday
I called on dear old Santa Claus
To see what I could see
He took me to his workshop
And told his plans to me, so
[Chorus]
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
He's making a list and checking it twice
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is comin' to town
He sees you when you're sleepin'
He knows when you're a wake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake
Oh! You better watch out, you better not cry
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
With little tin horns and little toy drums
Rooty toot toots and rummy tum tums
Santa Claus is comin' to town
And curly head dolls that toddle and coo
Elephants, boats, and kiddie cars too
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Then kids in Girl and Boy land will have a jubilee
They're gonna build a Toyland all around the Christmas tree
So! You better watch out, you better not cry
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Now Santa is a busy man, He has no time to play
He's got millions of stockings to fill on Christmas day
You'd better write your letter now
And mail it right away
Because he's getting ready
His reindeer's and his sleigh. So
[Chorus]
With little tin horns and little toy drums
Rooty toot toots and rummy tum tums
Santa Claus is comin' to town
And curly head dolls that toddle and coo
Elephants, boats, and kiddie cars too
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Then kids in Girl and Boy land will have a jubilee
They're gonna build a Toyland all around the Christmas tree
So! You better watch out, you better not cry
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
The first stanza of Dave Brubeck's Santa Claus Is Coming to Town describes a fun, out-of-this-world trip to the North Pole to visit Santa Claus. Once there, Santa gives the singer a tour of his workshop and reveals his plans for Christmas. The lyrics then shift into the well-known chorus with warnings for kids to be good because Santa Claus is coming to town and will be making his list and checking it twice - determining who has been naughty or nice. The second stanza highlights the toys that Santa and his elves are building in preparation for Christmas. The lyrics depict everything from little tin horns, toy drums, and rooty toot toots to curly head dolls, elephants, boats, and kiddie cars. The final line reiterates the importance of being good for goodness sake because Santa Claus is coming to town.
Overall, Dave Brubeck's version of Santa Claus Is Coming to Town reminds us of the magic of Christmas and the joy that anticipation of the holiday brings. The lyrics suggest an increased sense of responsibility for how children act as Santa and his team prepare for their arrival. The presence of Santa Claus and his ability to see who has been good or bad is highlighted in the chorus and is a threat that motivates children to behave themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
I just came back from a lovely trip along the Milky Way
I journeyed through space and time
Stopped off at the North Pole to spend a holiday
I made a stop at the Northernmost point to relax
I called on dear old Santa Claus
I spoke with the beloved figure of Christmas
To see what I could see
To learn about his magical world
He took me to his workshop
He gave me a tour of his workshop
And told his plans to me, so
He shared his intended activities with me
You better watch out, you better not cry
It is advisable to behave and avoid crying
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
One should not sulk, and here's why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Santa is coming to visit
He's making a list and checking it twice
Santa is keeping track of who's been good or bad
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice
He will know who deserves gifts or not
He sees you when you're sleepin'
Santa is aware when you are asleep
He knows when you're awake
He knows when you are up and about
He knows if you've been bad or good
He is aware of your behavior
So be good for goodness sake
One should behave for their own good
Oh! You better watch out, you better not cry
It is crucial to behave and not cry
With little tin horns and little toy drums
There are small musical instruments like horns and toy drums
Rooty toot toots and rummy tum tums
There will be cheerful and musical noises
And curly head dolls that toddle and coo
There will be dolls with curly hair that move and make sounds
Elephants, boats, and kiddie cars too
There will be toys like elephants, boats, and cars
Then kids in Girl and Boy land will have a jubilee
Children will celebrate happily
They're gonna build a Toyland all around the Christmas tree
They will create a Toyland around the tree
Now Santa is a busy man, He has no time to play
Santa has lots to do and no time for leisure
He's got millions of stockings to fill on Christmas day
He needs to fill many stockings on a specific day
You'd better write your letter now
It is a good idea to send a letter early
And mail it right away
Send it immediately
Because he's getting ready
He is preparing for his trip
His reindeer's and his sleigh. So
His mode of transportation is ready
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Coots, Haven Gillespie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind