In 1960, the group known as The Four Lovers evolved into The Four Seasons. Its initial line-up featured Frankie Valli as the lead singer, Bob Gaudio (formerly of The Royal Teens) on keyboards and tenor vocals, Tommy DeVito on lead guitar and baritone vocals, and Nick Massi on bass guitar and bass vocals. Massi was replaced in 1965 by Charles Calello, who was in turn replaced later in 1965 by Joe Long on bass guitar and bass vocals.
Frankie Valli and Tommy DeVito had previously performed with Nick DeVito (Tommy's twin brother) alongside Hank Majewski as the aforementioned Four Lovers. As stated before, the Four Seasons released their first hit, titled "Sherry", in 1962. Under the guidance of producer and songwriter Bob Crewe, The Four Seasons followed up "Sherry" with several well-remembered hits, including "Big Girls Don't Cry", "Dawn", "Walk Like a Man", "Candy Girl" and "Save It for Me". Nick Massi left the Four Seasons in 1965 and was replaced by Joe Long, who became the mainstay on bass and backup vocals until 1976. Several more Top 10 singles followed, including "Let's Hang On", "Working My Way Back To You", "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" and "C'mon Marianne"; but by late 1967, the group's popularity was deteriorating, as public interest moved towards rock with a harder edge and more socially conscious lyrics. The group would, however, enjoy a brief revival in their popularity in the mid-1970s, with the hits "Who Loves You", "Swearin' to God" and their last number one hit "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)". Don Ciccone was a member of the Four Seasons in 1976 and was lead vocal on several songs, such as "Slip Away", "Let's Get It Right" and "Rhapsody". He played lead guitar.
The Four Seasons (group members 1961-1965) were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. Jersey Boys, a musical play based on the lives of The Four Seasons, directed by Des McAnuff (The Who's Tommy, 700 Sundays) premiered at his La Jolla (California) Playhouse and opened on Broadway on November 6, 2005 to generally positive reviews. It won 2006 Tony Awards for Best Leading and Featured Actor in a Musical won by John Lloyd Young & Christian Hoff, Best Light Design in a Musical and Best Musical.
The group's music was one of many influences to the Jersey Shore sound of the 1970's and 1980's. However, by the 1980s, Frankie Valli was the only original group member left. Frankie Valli still tours today, performing many of The Four Seasons classic songs. Nick Massi died in 2000 of cancer. Despite Joe Long's extensive contributions to The Four Seasons, Joe Long remains the only member of the group's “definitive line-up” not inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, most likely because he was not in the original group. Much controversy still exists over this decision, especially in light of the many top-10 hits the group had during his tenure.
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus
Underneath the mistletoe last night
She didn't see me creep
Down the stairs to have a peep
She thought that I was tucked up
In my bedroom, fast asleep
Underneath his beard so snowy white
Oh, what a laugh it would have been
If Daddy had only seen
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night
He saw Mommy kissing(kissing, kissing) Santa Claus
I did! I really did see Mommy kissing Santa Claus
And I'm gonna tell my Dad
(Bell sound)
Then I saw Mommy tickle Santa (tickle, tickle Santa Claus) Claus
Underneath his beard so snowy white
Oh, what a laugh it would have been
If Daddy had only seen
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night
Oh, what a laugh it would have been
If Daddy had only seen
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night
I did! I did! I really did see Mommy kissing Santa Claus
You gotta believe me! You just gotta believe me!
Come on, fellas, believe me! You just gotta believe me! (I told you, I told you)
The lyrics of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" seem to be describing the singer's experience of waking up in his bed and realizing that his mother is not next to him. He decides to go and investigate where she is, and to his surprise, he sees his mother kissing Santa Claus under the mistletoe. Clearly, this is an innocent song that is meant to capture the magic of Christmas and the joy of a child's imagination. The song has been interpreted in various ways over time, some seeing it as a song that upholds the magic of the holiday season while others interpreting it as a case of extramarital infidelity.
One way of interpreting the song is that it is about how children can misunderstand events that are happening around them. Christmas is a time when children's imaginations run wild, and it is not uncommon for children to have vivid dreams and experiences that they later realize did not actually happen. The singer of this song is probably not witnessing an actual act of adultery, but his interpretation of what he sees is colored by his own perceptions.
Another interpretation is that the song is actually about parents pretending to be Santa Claus in order to maintain the innocence of their children. Many parents work hard to maintain the illusion of Santa Claus for their children, and this song could be seen as a celebration of the lengths that parents go to in order to preserve childhood innocence.
Line by Line Meaning
(Kiss sound) Wow! Mommy's kissing Santa Claus!
I'm surprised that Mommy is kissing Santa Claus!
I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus
I witnessed my mother passionately kissing Santa Claus.
Underneath the mistletoe last night
They were standing under the mistletoe while kissing.
She didn't see me creep
Mom was unaware that I was watching them secretly.
Down the stairs to have a peep
I descended the stairs to take a look at what was happening.
She thought that I was tucked up
Mommy believed that I had already gone to bed.
In my bedroom, fast asleep
She assumed that I was in my room, sleeping soundly.
Then I saw Mommy tickle Santa (tickle, tickle, Santa Claus) Claus
I saw Mommy playfully tickling Santa Claus.
Underneath his beard so snowy white
Santa Claus had a white beard and she tickled him under it.
Oh, what a laugh it would have been
It would have been very amusing if my father saw what I saw.
If Daddy had only seen
I wish Daddy witnessed Mommy kissing Santa Claus.
He saw Mommy kissing(kissing, kissing) Santa Claus
Daddy caught them kissing and saw what I had seen.
I did! I really did see Mommy kissing Santa Claus
I am adamant about what I saw and want others to believe me.
And I'm gonna tell my Dad
I plan on telling my father about what I witnessed.
(Bell sound)
Indicates the end of the song.
Oh, what a laugh it would have been
Repetition of the wish that dad saw what happened.
You gotta believe me! You just gotta believe me!
I am pleading with others to believe my story because it's true.
Come on, fellas, believe me! You just gotta believe me! (I told you, I told you)
I am still trying to convince others to believe my account of what happened.
Contributed by Natalie I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.