Phil Spector (born Harvey Phillip Spector in The Bronx, New York City, on 2… Read Full Bio ↴Phil Spector (born Harvey Phillip Spector in The Bronx, New York City, on 26 December 1939; died 16 January 2021) was an American former record producer, musician, and songwriter who developed the Wall of Sound, a music production formula he described as a Wagnerian approach to rock and roll. Spector is remembered as amongst the most influential figures in pop music history and as the first auteur of the music industry for the unprecedented control he had over every phase of the recording process. In 2009, he was convicted for the 2003 murder of the actress Lana Clarkson. He died in prison.

The originator of the Wall of Sound production technique, Spector was a pioneer of the 1960s girl group sound (The Ronettes and The Crystals a.o.) and produced over twenty-five Top 40 hits between 1960 and 1965 alone. After this initial success, Spector later worked with artists including Ike and Tina Turner, John Lennon, George Harrison, and the Ramones with similar acclaim.

He produced the Beatles' Academy Award-winning album Let It Be, and the Grammy Award-winning Concert for Bangladesh by former Beatle George Harrison. In 1989, Spector was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. The 1965 song You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin', produced and co-written by Spector for The Righteous Brothers, is listed by BMI as the song with the most U.S. airplay in the 20th century.

Dubbed the "First Tycoon of Teen", Spector's records helped engender the role of the studio as an instrument, the integration of pop art aesthetics into music (art pop), and the art rock genre. His multi-artist compilation album "A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records" (1963) is widely considered to be the finest Christmas record of all time. Spector's honors include the 1973 Grammy Award for Album of the Year for co-producing Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh (1971), a 1989 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and a 1997 induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Spector number 63 on their list of the greatest artists in history.

The 2003 shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson in his Alhambra, California home led to his being charged with murder in the second degree. After a 2007 mistrial, he was convicted in 2009 and given a prison sentence of 19 years to life. Spector died in prison due to complications of the COVID-19 virus.

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Phil Spector 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.

Then, I saw Mommy tickle Santa 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

Then, I saw Mommy tickle Santa 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

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" describe a child witnessing their mother kissing Santa Claus underneath the mistletoe on Christmas Eve. The child sneaks down the stairs and watches his mother tickle the bearded man in the red suit, only to realize that it was his father dressed up in the Santa Claus costume. The child understands that it was only a game of love between the parents, but also realizes that it was a secret game that should not be revealed.

The song explores the theme of parental love and the innocence of childhood. The lyrics conjure up images of the excitement and magical wonder of Christmas as seen through the eyes of a child. The child's joy and amazement at the thought of seeing Santa Claus is juxtaposed with his shock at seeing his mother's apparent infidelity. However, as the song draws to a close, the child understands that it was all in good fun and that his parents are deeply in love.

Line by Line Meaning

I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus
The singer witnessed their mother kissing someone (dressed as) Santa Claus.

Underneath the mistletoe last night.
The mother and Santa Claus were beneath a mistletoe, a holiday tradition where people kissing underneath it is considered good luck.

She didn't see me creep
The singer snuck around unnoticed to observe the situation.

Down the stairs to have a peep;
The artist went down the stairs to get a glimpse of the mother and Santa Claus.

She thought that I was tucked
The mother assumed the artist was fast asleep in bed.

Up in my bedroom fast asleep.
The singer's mother assumed they were sleeping soundly in their bedroom.

Then, I saw Mommy tickle Santa Claus
After witnessing the kiss, the singer saw the mother tickling Santa Claus.

Underneath his beard so snowy white;
Santa Claus is known for having a white beard, which the mother was playfully touching.

Oh, what a laugh it would have been
The situation would have been humorous if the father had witnessed the mother kissing Santa.

If Daddy had only seen
The artist considers how the father would have reacted if he saw the mother kissing Santa Claus.

Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night
The main event that the song is describing, where the mother was seen kissing Santa Claus underneath the mistletoe.

Lyrics © REGENT MUSIC CORPORATION
Written by: Thomas Patrick Connor

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

木倉谷哲也

3y↑3

Lyrics:

I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus
Underneath the mistletoe last night
She didn’t see me creep
Down the stairs to have a peek
She thought that I was tucked up
In my bedroom fast asleep

Then, I saw Mommy tickle Santa 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

Then, I saw Mommy tickle Santa 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 saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus)

All comments from YouTube:

The K&B FAMILY

2y↑7

When it's 2021 and this album gets you in the Holiday Spirit every single time!

HotWax93

7y↑15

This album is not only one of the greatest Christmas albums ever made (and probably my favorite), but also one of the greatest in all of rock & roll history. I have it on both vinyl and CD. Although the CD is digitally remastered, the vinyl is pressed from the original masters on 180g. I just hope that Psycho Phil didn't make the copy in this picture another loudness war casualty.