The King Cole Trio was formed in 1937 in Los Angeles by Nat King Cole. The … Read Full Bio ↴The King Cole Trio was formed in 1937 in Los Angeles by Nat King Cole. The trio consisted of Nat on piano, Oscar Moore on guitar, and Wesley Prince on double bass. The trio played in Los Angeles throughout the late 1930s and recorded many radio transcriptions. Nat's role was that of piano player and leader of the combo.

During World War II, Wesley Prince left the group and Cole replaced him with Johnny Miller. The King Cole Trio signed with the fledgling Capitol Records in 1943.

In 1947, Irving Ashby replaced Oscar Moore. The trio split up in 1955 after Nat's solo career took frontstage.

The Christmas Song
King Cole Trio Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Will find it hard to sleep tonight
They know that Santa's on his way
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
And every mother's child is gonna spy
To see if reindeer really know how to fly

And so I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety-two
Although it's been said many times, many ways
Merry Christmas to you

And so I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety-two

Although it's been said many times, many ways
Merry Christmas to you

Overall Meaning

The Christmas Song by King Cole Trio is a classic holiday tune that is sung around the world during Christmas time. The song opens with "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose," imagery that conjures up the warmth and coziness of the holiday season. The second line speaks to the chill of winter, giving the listener a sense of the stark contrast between the warmth of the fire and the coldness of the air. The third line mentions the singing of Yuletide carols by a choir, which is a common tradition during Christmas time. The fourth line, "And folks dressed up like Eskimos," describes how people dress warmly to fend off the winter chill.

The song then goes on to mention a turkey, mistletoe and tiny tots with their eyes all aglow. Children can hardly contain their excitement on Christmas Eve, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive with lots of toys and goodies. The last few lines of the song are a simple phrase offering Merry Christmas to everyone from the young to the old.

To sum up, the song is a beautiful and nostalgic ode to the holiday season, with its evocative lyrics and cozy imagery. It is a timeless classic that has endured for several generations and will continue to do so for years to come.

Line by Line Meaning

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Imagine a warm fire where chestnuts are being roasted, to make you feel cozy and comfortable

Jack Frost nipping at your nose
It's very cold outside, so much so that your nose is freezing

Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
A choir is singing Christmas songs, adding to the festive atmosphere

And folks dressed up like Eskimos
People are dressed in heavy winter clothes, like Eskimos, to keep themselves warm

Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe
During Christmas, it's typical to have a big turkey dinner and decorate with mistletoe

Help to make the season bright
These things make the holiday season more cheerful and festive

Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow
Children are excited and cannot contain their happiness and enthusiasm for Christmas

Will find it hard to sleep tonight
Kids will have trouble sleeping, eagerly anticipating the arrival of Santa Claus

They know that Santa's on his way
Children believe that Santa Claus is coming to deliver their presents

He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
Santa Claus has filled his sleigh with lots of presents and treats for the children

And every mother's child is gonna spy
All the children, without exception, will stay awake in order to try and catch a glimpse of Santa Claus and his reindeer

To see if reindeer really know how to fly
The children want to witness firsthand the magic of Santa's flying reindeer

And so I'm offering this simple phrase
With genuine affection, I'm sharing these words with you

To kids from one to ninety-two
To young children and everyone else who can appreciate the joy of the holiday season

Although it's been said many times, many ways
Even though it's a common message that has been expressed in various ways

Merry Christmas to you
I wish you and your loved ones a very happy and joyous Christmas

Lyrics © TUNECORE INC
Written by: Mel Torme, Robert Wells

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@QWERTY-ye5im

1y↑2

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos
Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe
Help to make the season bright
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow
Will find it hard to sleep tonight
They know that Santa's on his way
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
And every mother's child is gonna spy
To see if reindeers really know how to fly
And so I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety-two
Although it's been said many times, many ways
Merry Christmas to you
And so I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety-two
Although it's been said many times, many ways
Merry Christmas to you

All comments from YouTube:

@kagemaru259

No one will ever sing this song better than Nat King Cole.

@SofiaLps-crazy-about-lps

4y↑85

This recording is such a gift!! I can hear Nat King Cole's actual VOICE, not autotune. Thank you for posting this!

@the78prof72

4y↑15

You're very welcome....glad that you like it.

@clarencewillingham3030

2y↑18

There is no auto tune on any of the recordings, there were 3 recordings all together. The most popular version is the last one recorded in the early 60s. On that version there's reverb added to his vocals, the pitch of the strings are played in a higher key, and his voice is deeper due to age and smoking, but he sounds incredible on all 3.

@genethebeatlesfan2359

1y↑9

Autotune didn't even exist.

@c_m_b_3110

1y↑3

The fact that you think autotune existed when he was alive...

@electrictroy2010

1y↑2

What a difference 15 years makes (1946 original versus 1961 remake)

.

@jazzrecordingsandarchives9198

1y↑20

Hands down the best version. Oscar Moore on guitar, and Nat’s voice is light and delightful.

@grega1972

2y↑8

Nats voice is so much loftier on this version almost like he was in your living room at the piano playing ....I prefer THIS version ....

@crazynoob159

22w↑2

Getting ‘round that time of the year again, gotta hear this every holiday season

@gipseyrose1

2y↑2

oh , my parents
It wasn't Christmas without this song for them ,, R.I.P.

@jessebarajas2723

1y↑4

No one sings this song better then Nat.. God Bless him 😇

@bobphillips4911

1y↑5

A great recording but Nat re-recorded it after he was informed that the lyric should have been " reindeer really know how to fly" as opposed to
" reindeers" . These original copies must now be really sought after and therefore worth a great deal.

@jamesallen327

5y↑33

I have always loved this version as my favorite. Wonderful background information, too! Thank you!

@sariety7304

3y↑20

THE ACTUAL VERSION THANK YOU SO MUCH ITS SO MUCH BETTER

@MisterSuitcase2004

2y↑4

This is a classic.

@harrison444

4y↑18

I can never hear the pianos in the newer versions, thank you for posting this!

@the78prof72

4y↑4

Glad that you like it.

@MAGNUM05

1y↑2

My favorite version of this song.

@markmontgomery3097

5y↑26

IT'S NOT THE CHRISTMAS SONG IF IT'S NOT NAT KING COLE. NO TWO ABOUT IT.

@turdfurgusson

3y↑3

I would count any Mel Torme recording of this song as legitimate as well. He was the one who wrote it.

@TheAudivisioner

4y↑21

I have the original 78 RPM pressing.
And it's still playable.

@ntkmw8058

2y↑3

You should make it an heirloom and pass it down to generations to come

@fromthesidelines

4y↑13

Recorded on August 19, 1946.

@nibsin

3y↑1

@ntkmw8058

3y↑1

I thought it was for Christmas lol not summer

@fromthesidelines

Nat recorded the song in advance for the upcoming Christmas season (and beyond).

@lrn_news9171

1y↑2

I had no idea that this recording was this old, I thought it was from the early 50s

@John_Fugazzi

3y↑18

Altogether Cole did four versions of this song. It was his idea to add the strings in Aug. 1946, just two months after the Trio recording. Capitol objected over the extra cost but Nat insisted, and it was a major hit and instant classic. It sounds to me like the strings were added to the original Trio recording. Can anyone verify this or that, in fact, it was a totally new recording?

@the78prof72

3y↑7

Listen to the first 30 seconds of each and you'll hear a very noticeable difference in both the piano and vocals.

@John_Fugazzi

3y↑3

I hear it. So it was an entirely new recording. Thank you.

@jamesmontague1622

3y↑2

There was also a legend that Nat heard the playback of the very first version ( without strings ) and was very unhappy, to put it mildly. After a little chat with label management, they went back to the proverbial drawing board. This may be an official second version.

@brucescott4261

3y↑1

@@jamesmontague1622 ...This is the second version recorded on August 19th, 1946 at WMCA Studios in New York City. Charlie Grean conducted the string choir. Released on October 14th, 1946.

@electrictroy2010

1y↑2

TRIVIA : The original recording w/o orchestra was never officially released. It was only in 1990 that it was accidentally leaked

.

@vinylsingleman

4y↑17

Thank you for posting this. Thank you for always posting the original versions.

@kaya-lu8es

3y↑2

Love this song 😍

@TheAudivisioner

4y↑6

Recorded during a grueling New York Summer heatwave.

@kheopsosu

4y↑7

old time is so better than now...

@RockinEd

4y↑16

to think that Mel Torme wrote on a 95 degree day

@kinglud999

3y↑2

It was Robert Wells who wrote the first 4 lines in the hot sun and Mel came over to his place later that same day where they collaborated to finish it.

@caste0822

3y↑3

Esta canción me trae los mejores recuerdos 😀

@shreksmustyfeet2217

37w

I have a playlist of all my favorite christmas songs on amazon music. This song was on there. But then amazon music decided to update the song to the 1961 version which sounds way worse. I miss this nice little quaint song that used to be in my playlist.

@QWERTY-ye5im

1y↑2

@handsome526

24w

Hey girl wassup ✌️🕶️, good morrow to you my fair maiden 🏰

@chrismulwee4911

2y↑4

This is the second recording, actually. The first recording, also by KCT had no strings, or so I've heard. Update:
45Prof, here is the VERY originalhttps://www.youtube.

@the78prof72

...as explained in this video's written description.

@chrismulwee4911

@@the78prof72 Sorry, didn't notice. My eyesight is a little off.

@the78prof72

2y↑1

No problem....mine has reached that point, too. ;-)

@enriquelopez9803

3y↑9

This done in such good taste. Nelson Riddle was the arranger? Is there much of a difference on the Carmichael arrangement? I need to go back and listen to that one. Also, the Torme versions seem to have slightly different notes in the melody and reharmonizations. I always assumed that the Torme versions would have been closer to the original intention that Torme had when he composed it, but I see now that this is definitely the “original” as Torme got the song to Cole to record it first. Smart move, this recording and the subsequent Cole versions are outstanding. Thanks for putting this on YouTube.

@fromthesidelines

1y↑1

Charles Grean was the arranger/conductor for this one.

@enriquelopez9803

1y↑1

@@fromthesidelines Charles Green? Thank you for letting me know! Then, since this version is really the definitive one (which the unique, tasteful passing chords), Charles Green must have played an important part in the original conception of this song. All the other versions from other arrangers don’t measure up to this one.

@fromthesidelines

Nat wanted a string section backing his trio on this version- even though Capitol balked at the extra expense. Nat, however, insisted, and asked Grean for an appropriate background................

@enriquelopez9803

1y↑1

@@fromthesidelines I assume that Nat accompanied himself on the piano on this recording? Or was there a session pianist?

@fromthesidelines

1y↑1

It was Nat at the piano, with the rest of his trio in support.

4 More Replies...

@urbanlegendsandtrivia2023

18w

Which of the four versions was played the most on the radio over the years?

@the78prof72

18w↑2

Over the past 60+ years, probably Nat's commonly reissued 1961 version.

@urbanlegendsandtrivia2023

18w↑1

@@the78prof72 That is what I figured. Thank you.

@leviackerman3331

Is this version available on spotify or apple music?

@Altozano1991

18w

It seems this is the 1961 version, thq 1946 version starts with piano.

@the78prof72

18w

There were two 1946 versions, and this one with the orchestral backing was the hit (please read the video's written description).

@thomascalamo4236

24w↑1

Is this the August 1946 recording?

@the78prof72

24w↑1

Yes it is.

@WhiteCamry

1y↑1

Who played the electric guitar at the end?

@brucescott4261

WhiteCamry ...Oscar Moore.

@tompurnell4545

3y↑1

1960 1961 daring Pollyanna and The Parent Trap Nat King Cole and Haley Mills and Marean O Hara

@coldwar1952

3y↑3

Oscar Moore....

@goodman9394

@zelmoziggy

I prefer his remake.

@vashna3799

4y↑3

The original not the definitive version

@vinylsingleman

4y↑2

It's the definitive version even if the Carmichael-backed version is generally heard now. This version charted at #3 while the 1961 remake never got beyond #65. But radio stations assume people like the more recent version.