Boyd recorded the song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" for Columbia Records, when he was 13. It became a hit, selling over two and a half million records in its first week's release and Boyd's name became known internationally. Columbia Records executives were baffled at the song's popularity. They had already presented Boyd with two gold records. Boyd's record went to #1 on the charts again the following year at Christmas, and continues to sell as a Christmas song. It has reportedly sold more than sixty million copies since its initial release.
Boyd owned horses, so Columbia presented him with a silver mounted saddle. Inscribed in the silver plate on the back of the saddle were the words, "Presented by Columbia Records to Jimmy Boyd commemorating his 3,000,000 record of 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus'".
When first released, Boyd's record was banned in Boston by the Roman Catholic Church on the grounds it mixed sex with Christmas. Boyd made worldwide news when he went to Boston and met with the leaders of the Church to explain the song. The following Christmas the ban was lifted.
Boyd recorded several more hit records: teaming up with Frankie Laine in the spring of 1953 on "Tell Me a Story" (written by Terry Gilkyson), which reached #4, and "The Little Boy And The Old Man" (#24), and with Rosemary Clooney that summer on "Dennis the Menace," which reached #25.
Dennis The Menace
Jimmy Boyd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, the things he says and the things he does
Will make you shake with fright
(Beware of) Dennis the menace
Oh, you'd better be on your toes
There is bound to be a calamity no matter where he goes
His mom and dad get nervous
They never know what will happen next
A cyclone, flood or rot
Dennis the menace, though he makes your hair turn gray
When he looks at you with those eyes of blue
He'll steal your hear away
Last night I got a spanking
I don't know what to think
'Cause all I did was fill my water pistol full of ink
Now I ask you did mommy have to yell at me like that
Just because I watered all those flowers on her hat
My daddy love to ride in planes
'Way high up in the sky
He didn't see my roller skates
And oh boy, did he fly
We were playing train with daddy's chair
Me and another kid
My daddy said, "now, break it up"
So that's just what we did
Dennis, the menace, he's a bundle of dynamite
Oh, the things he says and the things he does
Will make you shake with fright
(Beware of) Dennis the menace
The lyrics of the song "Dennis the Menace" by Jimmy Boyd talks about the mischievousness of a young boy named Dennis. The singer describes him as a "bundle of dynamite" who makes people shake with fright due to his actions and words. People around him, including his parents, are always on their toes because calamity seems to follow him wherever he goes. The singer also mentions that Dennis's parents get nervous when he's too quiet because they never know what will happen next.
The second verse of the song talks about some of Dennis's antics which include filling his water pistol with ink which resulted in him getting a spanking from his mom. Another incidence the singer narrates is how Dennis's father fell when he didn't see his roller skates. The song paints a vivid picture of a young boy who is always up to something and never settles down. Despite the chaos he creates, it's hard not to be charmed by him when he looks at you with his "blue eyes" and steal your heart away.
Overall, the song "Dennis the Menace" is a fun and playful tune that highlights the misadventures of a young boy who seems to find trouble at every turn.
Line by Line Meaning
Dennis, the menace, he's a bundle of dynamite
Dennis is full of energy and always up to something mischievous.
Oh, the things he says and the things he does
His actions and words are unpredictable and often cause trouble.
Will make you shake with fright
His behavior can be scary and intimidating to others.
(Beware of) Dennis the menace
Be cautious of Dennis's unpredictable and potentially dangerous behavior.
Oh, you'd better be on your toes
You need to be alert and ready for anything when Dennis is around.
There is bound to be a calamity no matter where he goes
Dennis's presence is guaranteed to cause chaos and disaster.
His mom and dad get nervous
Dennis's parents are always worried about what he might do next.
Whenever he's too quiet
Even when Dennis is quiet, his parents know he could be causing trouble.
They never know what will happen next
Dennis's parents can never predict what he might do next.
A cyclone, flood or rot
Dennis's actions can cause large-scale destruction and disaster.
Dennis the menace, though he makes your hair turn gray
Dennis's behavior is stressful and can cause premature aging.
When he looks at you with those eyes of blue
Despite his mischievous behavior, his innocent appearance can be disarming.
He'll steal your heart away
Despite his troublesome nature, you can't help but be charmed by Dennis.
Last night I got a spanking
Dennis is reflecting on a recent punishment he received.
I don't know what to think
Dennis is unsure if his punishment was warranted.
'Cause all I did was fill my water pistol full of ink
Dennis caused mischief by filling his toy gun with ink instead of water.
Now I ask you did mommy have to yell at me like that
Dennis questions if his mother's reaction was excessive.
Just because I watered all those flowers on her hat
Dennis is reflecting on a previous incident where he caused trouble for his mother.
My daddy love to ride in planes
Dennis's father enjoys flying in airplanes.
'Way high up in the sky
He likes to fly at high altitudes.
He didn't see my roller skates
Dennis's father was unaware of his son's roller skates.
And oh boy, did he fly
Dennis's father had a mishap because of the roller skates.
We were playing train with daddy's chair
Dennis and another child were playing with his father's chair as if it were a train.
So that's just what we did
They stopped playing with the chair when requested by Dennis's father.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AL HOFFMAN, DICK MANNING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind