Born in tiny North, South Carolina to Mamie Kitt, who was of Cherokee and African-American descent, and an American father (surname Kitt) of German and Dutch descent, she was raised by her maternal aunt Anna Mae Riley, whom she believed was her mother up until after Riley's death, when she was sent to live in New York City with her real mother.
Kitt began her career as a member of the Katherine Dunham Company and made her film debut with them in Casbah (1948). A talented singer with a distinctive voice, her hits include Let's Do It, C'est Si Bon (It's So Good), Just an Old Fashioned Girl, Monotonous, Love for Sale, I'd Rather Be Burned as a Witch, Uska Dara, Mink, Schmink, Under the Bridges of Paris, and arguably her most recognizable hit, the sexily sung Christmas song Santa Baby. She sang quite a few songs in French, a language she picked up during her years performing in Europe, but she never lost her American accent, which made her French songs sound rather amusing to native French speakers. She dabbled in other languages as well, which she demonstrated in many of the live recordings of her cabaret performances.
In 1950, Orson Welles gave her her first starring role, as Helen of Troy in his staging of Dr. Faustus. A few years later, she was cast in the revue New Faces of 1952, introducing "Monotonous", "C'est Si Bon" and "Santa Baby", three songs with which she continues to be identified. During her run, 20th Century Fox filmed a version of the play. Welles and Kitt allegedly had a torrid affair during her run in Shinbone Alley, which earned her the nickname by Welles as "the most exciting woman in the world". In 1958, Kitt made her feature film debut opposite Sidney Poitier in The Mark of the Hawk. Throughout the rest of the 1950s and early 1960s, Kitt would work on and off in film, television and on nightclub stages. In the late 1960s television series Batman, she played Catwoman after Julie Newmar left the role. This was the role for which she would best be remembered, owing to her purring feline drawl.
In 1968, however, Kitt encountered a substantial professional setback after she made anti-war statements during a White House luncheon that reportedly made First Lady Lady Bird Johnson weep uncontrollably. Professionally exiled from the U.S., she devoted her energies to overseas performances before returning to New York in a triumphant turn in the Broadway spectacle Timbuktu! (a version of the perennial Kismet set in Africa) in 1978. In the musical, one song gives a 'recipe' for mahoun, a preparation of cannabis, in which her sultry purring rendition of the refrain "constantly stirring with a long wooden spoon" was distinctive.
In 1984, she returned to hit music with a dance song, Where Is My Man; the first certified Gold record of her career. Kitt found new audiences in nightclubs across the country, including a whole new generation of gay male fans, and she responded by frequently giving benefit performances in support of HIV/AIDS organizations.
In 2000, Kitt again returned to Broadway in the short but notable run of the revival of the 1920s-themed, The Wild Party, opposite Mandy Patinkin and Toni Collette. In 2003, she replaced Chita Rivera in Nine. In recent years she had also appeared as the Wicked Witch in the North American national touring company of The Wizard of Oz.
One of her more unusual roles was as Kaa the python in a 1994 BBC Radio adaptation of The Jungle Book. Kitt lent her distinctive voice to the role of Yzma in Disney's The Emperor's New Groove and also did other voiceover work such as the voice of Queen Vexus on the animated TV series My Life as a Teenage Robot. She continued her role as Yzma on the spin-off TV series of The Emperor's New Groove, The Emperor's New School.
In recent years, Kitt's annual appearances in New York made her a fixture of the Manhattan cabaret scene. She took the stage at venues such as the Ballroom and, more recently, the Café Carlyle to explore and define her highly stylized image, alternating between signature songs (such as "Old Fashioned Millionaire"), which emphasized a witty, mercenary world-weariness, and less familiar repertoire, much of which she performed with an unexpected ferocity and bite that presented her as a survivor with a seemingly bottomless reservoir of resilience - her version of Here's to Life, frequently used as a closing number, was a sterling example of the latter. This side of her later performances is reflected in at least one of her recordings, Thinking Jazz, which preserves a series of performances with a small jazz combo that took place in the early 1990s in Germany, and which includes both standards (Smoke Gets in Your Eyes) and numbers (such as Something May Go Wrong) that seem more specifically tailored to her talents; one version of the CD includes as bonus performances a fierce, angry Yesterdays and a live take of "C'est Si Bon" that good-humoredly satirizes her sex-kitten persona.
Personal life
Kitt was married to John William McDonald, an associate of a real-estate investment company, from 1960 to 1965. They had one child, a daughter, Kitt (b. 1962, married Charles Lawrence Shapiro); and two grandchildren, Jason and Rachel Shapiro.
Eartha Kitt died of colon cancer on Christmas Day, December 25, 2008.
Santa Baby
Eartha Kitt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Been an awful good girl
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight
Santa baby, a '54 convertible too, light blue
I'll wait up for you, dear
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight
Think of all the fellas that I haven't kissed
Next year, I could be just as good
If you check off my Christmas list
Santa baby, I want a yacht and really that's not a lot
Been an angel all year
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight
Santa honey, one little thing I really need, the deed
To a platinum mine
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight
Santa cutie, and fill my stocking with a duplex and checks
Sign your "X" on the line
Santa cutie, and hurry down the chimney tonight
Come and trim my Christmas tree
With some decorations bought at Tiffany
I really do believe in you
Let's see if you believe in me
Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing, a ring
I don't mean on the phone
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry, tonight
Eartha Kitt's Santa Baby is a classic Christmas song, sung from the perspective of a woman who is asking Santa Claus for various luxury gifts - a sable, a convertible, a yacht and a platinum mine among other things. She claims to have been an angel all year long and hopes that Santa will fulfill her Christmas wish list. The lyrics provide evidence of the lavish materialistic desires of society during the time period (1953) the song was written, but it also highlights the importance of generosity and giving (from Santa Claus). The song is written in a seductive tone, with the repetition of "Santa baby" in each verse, serving as a playful and flirty request to fulfill her extravagant desires. The lyrics also make comedic jabs, with the line "I really do believe in you, let's see if you believe in me".
The first interesting fact about the song is that it was written by Joan Javits, niece of Senator Jacob K. Javits, Phil Springer, and Tony Springer, and was originally recorded by Eartha Kitt in 1953. In addition, the song was a major hit when it was released, and has since been covered by multiple artists including Madonna, Kylie Minogue, and Ariana Grande. Santa Baby was also used in the hit movie "Elf" (2003) starring Will Ferrell. The iconic opening of the song "Santa baby, just slip a sable under the tree for me” was originally written by Joan Javits while she was taking a taxi on a hot summer day in New York City.
Another fascinating fact about the song is that Eartha Kitt's rendition was reportedly banned by the Roman Catholic Church in Spain because the song was considered improper for young listeners. The song was also temporarily banned from radio stations in the United States after a group of listeners wrote in and complained that the lyrics were sexually suggestive.
Lastly, the song has been praised for the way it highlights Eartha Kitt's sultry singing voice, with the lyrics providing an opportunity for the singer to show off her sultry vocal range. The chord progression is fairly straightforward, with the song being played in the key of C Major. The chords for the song are C, Dm7, G7, Em7b5/A7, Dm, G7 and F in the chorus. In the verse, the chords used are also C, Dm7, G7 and Em7b5/A7. The melody of the song is simple and catchy, making it an easy and enjoyable listen for audiences of all ages.
Line by Line Meaning
Santa baby, just slip a sable under the tree for me
Dear Santa Claus, if you could place a luxurious fur coat under my Christmas tree, I'll be extremely grateful as I have been on my best behavior this whole year!
Been an awful good girl
I have behaved exceptionally well the whole year and deserve a nice gift for Christmas!
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight
Please Santa, come down the chimney promptly tonight!
Santa baby, a '54 convertible too, light blue
I wish to have a convertible car with the year of 1954 and the color blue that I can flaunt in front of my friends!
I'll wait up for you, dear
I will stay awake until you come!
Think of all the fun I've missed / Think of all the fellas that I haven't kissed / Next year, I could be just as good / If you check off my Christmas list
I have missed out on many opportunities this year, and I could do much better next year if you can grant me my wishes from my Christmas list.
Santa baby, I want a yacht and really that's not a lot / Been an angel all year
I desire a yacht, but that's not too much to ask for as I have been a well-behaved human being throughout the year!
Santa honey, one little thing I really need, the deed / To a platinum mine
Dearest Santa, I long to have the ownership of a platinum mine, which would be my most cherished present this year!
Santa cutie, and fill my stocking with a duplex and checks / Sign your 'X' on the line / Santa cutie, and hurry down the chimney tonight
Hey, Santa Babe, I want you to fill my stocking with a duplex and some checks that you should sign on the dotted line, then hurry down the chimney without any delay!
Come and trim my Christmas tree / With some decorations bought at Tiffany / I really do believe in you / Let's see if you believe in me
Santa, can you come and decorate my Christmas tree with some fancy decorations bought from Tiffany's? I believe in you and your power to make my wishes come true!
Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing, a ring / I don't mean on the phone / Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight / Hurry down the chimney tonight / Hurry, tonight
Oops, I forget to add something to my present list, Santa. I want a ring, not a phone call! Please rush down the chimney tonight as I'm excited to receive my gifts!
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, TAMIR MUSIC, Qanawat, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Joan Ellen Javits, Philip Springer, Tony Springer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TheRealForrestGeorge
[Verse 1]
Santa baby, just slip a sable under the tree
For me
Been an awful good girl
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight
[Verse 2]
Santa baby, a '54 convertible too
Light blue
I'll wait up for you dear
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight
[Chorus]
Think of all the fun I've missed
Think of all the fellas that I haven't kissed
Next year I could be just as good
If you'll check off my Christmas list
[Verse 3]
Santa baby, I want a yacht
And really that's not a lot
Been an angel all year
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight
[Verse 4]
Santa honey, one little thing I really need
The deed
To a platinum mine
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight
[Verse 5]
Santa cutie, and fill my stocking with a duplex
And checks
Sign your 'X' on the line
Santa cutie, and hurry down the chimney tonight
[Chorus]
Come and trim my Christmas tree
With some decorations bought at Tiffany
I really do believe in you
Let's see if you believe in me
[Verse 6]
Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing
A ring
I don't mean on the phone
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight
[Outro]
Hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry, tonight
@ferociousgumby
She's the best because she doesn't over-sing it. Most singers just squirm around and strain to sound seductive. She doesn't have to try. Her voice is like velvet.
@thejupiter2574
She was / still is 'purrrrrrr fect' She will always be my favorite Catwoman
@borganon3022
ferociousgumby exactly.
@yourname9840
ferociousgumby velvet is a perfect description for her voice
@DragonHeir92
This comment, yes! I love the vocal lilt she does, whimsical and flirty.
@Jobe-13
ferociousgumby Yep
@kayla3618
Eartha Kitt sings THE BEST version of Santa Baby. This is not up for discussion.
@beautifulfoster4458
Ofc this is her song❤❤❤
@jaysonseraile
She jus sings it so easily.....
@galinadodd2318
It's her song. The rest are cover versions.