Stewart's music career began in 1962 when he took up busking with a harmonica. In 1963, he joined The Dimensions as a harmonica player and vocalist. In 1964, Stewart joined Long John Baldry and the All Stars before moving to the Jeff Beck Group in 1967. Joining Faces in 1969, he also maintained a solo career releasing his debut album that year. Stewart's early albums were a fusion of rock, folk music, soul music, and R&B. His third album, 1971's Every Picture Tells a Story, was his breakthrough, topping the charts in the UK, US, Canada and Australia, as did its ballad "Maggie May". His 1972 follow-up album, Never a Dull Moment, also reached number one in the UK and Australia, while going top three in the US and Canada. Its single, "You Wear It Well", topped the chart in the UK and was a moderate hit elsewhere.
After Stewart had a handful more UK top ten hits, the Faces broke up in 1975. Stewart's next few hit singles were ballads with "Sailing", off the 1975 UK and Australian number-one album, Atlantic Crossing, becoming a hit in the UK and the Netherlands (number one), Germany (number four) and other countries, but barely charting in North America. A Night on the Town (1976), his fifth straight chart-topper in the UK, began a three-album run of going number one or top three in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia with each release. That album's "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" spent almost two months at number one in the US and Canada, and made the top five in other countries. Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977) contained the hit "You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" as well as the rocker "Hot Legs". Blondes Have More Fun (1978) and its disco-tinged "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" both went to number one in Canada, Australia and the US, with "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" also hitting number one in the UK and the top ten in other countries. Stewart's albums regularly hit the upper rungs of the charts in the Netherlands throughout the 70s and in Sweden from 1975 onward.
After a disco and new wave period in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Stewart's music turned to a soft rock/middle-of-the-road style, with most of his albums reaching the top ten in the UK, Germany and Sweden, but faring less well in the US. The single "Rhythm of My Heart" was a top five hit in the UK, US and other countries, with its source album, 1991's Vagabond Heart, becoming, at number ten in the US and number two in the UK, his highest-charting album in a decade. In 1993, he collaborated with Bryan Adams and Sting on the power ballad "All for Love", which went to number one in many countries. In the early 2000s, he released a series of successful albums interpreting the Great American Songbook.
In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him the 17th most successful artist on the "Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists". A Grammy and Brit Award recipient, he was voted at No. 33 in Q Magazine's list of the Top 100 Greatest Singers of all time. As a solo artist, Stewart was inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and he was inducted a second time into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Faces.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Stewart
Studio albums
An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down (1969)
Gasoline Alley (1970)
Every Picture Tells a Story (1971)
Never a Dull Moment (1972)
Smiler (1974)
Atlantic Crossing (1975)
A Night on the Town (1976)
Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977)
Blondes Have More Fun (1978)
Foolish Behaviour (1980)
Tonight I'm Yours (1981)
Body Wishes (1983)
Camouflage (1984)
Every Beat of My Heart (1986)
Out of Order (1988)
Vagabond Heart (1991)
A Spanner in the Works (1995)
When We Were the New Boys (1998)
Human (2001)
It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook (2002)
As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook, Volume II (2003)
Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III (2004)
Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Volume IV (2005)
Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time (2006)
Soulbook (2009)
Once in a Blue Moon: The Lost Album (2010)
Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook Volume V (2010)
Merry Christmas, Baby (2012)
Time (2013)
Another Country (2015)
Blood Red Roses (2018)
The Tears of Hercules (2021)
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He's making a list
And checking it twice
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake
Oh, you better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake
Santa Claus is coming to town
Santa Claus is coming to town
In Rod Stewart's version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town, the lyrics remind people to be on their best behavior because Santa Claus is on his way to town. The first verse sternly warns children and adults alike that they better not cry or pout because Santa Claus is making a list and checking it twice, which will reveal who is naughty or nice. The song highlights the religious concept of divine judgment; Santa Claus assumes God's omniscient role and knows everything about everyone, including their deeds and thoughts.
The second verse continues to warn listeners that Santa Claus is always watching, even when they're sleeping or awake. He knows if they have been good or bad, so they better be good for goodness sake. The repetition of the phrase "be good" emphasizes good behavior as a prerequisite to receiving gifts from Santa Claus. The lyrics also promote the idea that goodness is its reward, and being good brings pleasure, happiness, and spiritual satisfaction to individuals.
In summary, the song teaches the importance of good behavior and self-discipline, reminding people that their actions have consequences, and it is smart always to do the right thing. It encapsulates the spirit of Christmas, urging people to be kind and thoughtful toward one another, especially during the holiday season.
Line by Line Meaning
You better watch out
Be cautious and aware of your actions
You better not cry
Hold back on expressing negative emotions
Better not pout
Do not sulk or express discontent
I'm telling you why
I'm providing you with the reason
Santa Claus is coming to town
The mythical figure who gives presents to children during the festive period is arriving in town
He's making a list
He's creating a catalog
And checking it twice
Ensuring accuracy and completeness of the catalog
Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice
Will determine who has been good or bad
He sees you when you're sleeping
He contains the knowledge of the state you're in when sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He's aware of the time you spend awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
He possesses the information on whether you've been kind or malevolent
So be good for goodness sake
Act fairly and kindly as it is the right thing to do
Santa Claus is coming to town
The mythical figure who gives presents to children during the festive period is arriving in town
Oh, you better watch out
Be cautious and aware of your actions
You better not cry
Hold back on expressing negative emotions
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Do not sulk or express discontent, as I am informing you about the reason
Santa Claus is coming to town
The mythical figure who gives presents to children during the festive period is arriving in town
He sees you when you're sleeping
He contains the knowledge of the state you're in when sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He's aware of the time you spend awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
He possesses the information on whether you've been kind or malevolent
So be good for goodness sake
Act fairly and kindly as it is the right thing to do
Santa Claus is coming to town
The mythical figure who gives presents to children during the festive period is arriving in town
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Coots, Haven Gillespie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind