He emerged in the 1970s and at the time he was considered to be one of the few musicians of real talent who carried the tradition of the classic jazz tenor saxophone in the style of Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins as well as Zoot Sims and Don Byas forward. He began playing in various rhythm & blues outfits in Providence (Rhode Island), but subsequently shifted to jazz and the tenor saxophone. In 1976 he moved to New York City at, in part the recommendation of Roy Eldridge. He there joined Benny Goodman for a period of time. During this time, he also developed an alcohol problem.,[1] In the early 1980's he had formed his own quintet and toured all over the world. By then free from his drinking habit, in 1982 he had matured sufficiently to be able to break away from the spell of mainly Ben Webster and Zoot Sims, of whom he had been criticized of imitating. From this point on both his playing and his tone was very much his own.
Living in New York City, he toured all around the world during the 1980's, playing Japan and all over Europe. He was in particular a recurrent visitor to the UK, Sweden and the Grand Parade du Jazz, held in Nice, France. By the early 1990's he was ready for a next step and by 1994 when he released Organic Duke, he had developed a quite singular style: a large, well rounded but still focused tone and improvising, ostensibly still based on the swing idiom (especially Ellington), but incorporating more modern elements. During this period, he relocated to London, and formed his current quartet, featuring John Pearce (p), Dave Green (b) and Steve Brown (dr). He is currently active touring all over Europe.
He has had over forty albums as a lead most on the Concord Records label.
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Scott Hamilton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stopped off at the North Pole to spend a holiday
I called on dear old Santa Claus
To see what I could see
He took me to his workshop
And told his plans to me, so
[Chorus]
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
He's making a list and checking it twice
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is comin' to town
He sees you when you're sleepin'
He knows when you're a wake
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 comin' to town
With little tin horns and little toy drums
Rooty toot toots and rummy tum tums
Santa Claus is comin' to town
And curly head dolls that toddle and coo
Elephants, boats, and kiddie cars too
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Then kids in Girl and Boy land will have a jubilee
They're gonna build a Toyland all around the Christmas tree
So! You better watch out, you better not cry
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Now Santa is a busy man, He has no time to play
He's got millions of stockings to fill on Christmas day
You'd better write your letter now
And mail it right away
Because he's getting ready
His reindeer's and his sleigh. So
[Chorus]
With little tin horns and little toy drums
Rooty toot toots and rummy tum tums
Santa Claus is comin' to town
And curly head dolls that toddle and coo
Elephants, boats, and kiddie cars too
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Then kids in Girl and Boy land will have a jubilee
They're gonna build a Toyland all around the Christmas tree
So! You better watch out, you better not cry
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
The lyrics of Scott Hamilton's "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" is about someone who had a "lovely trip along the Milky Way" and decided to stop by at the North Pole to spend some time with Santa Claus. The singer visits Santa Claus in his workshop and Santa tells him about his plans for Christmas. The song then goes on to warn children to be on their best behavior because Santa Claus is "making a list and checking it twice" and he knows who has been naughty or nice. The song also highlights some of the toys that Santa would bring such as little tin horns, curly head dolls, elephants, boats, and kiddie cars. The chorus repeats the warning to children that they should watch out, not cry or pout because Santa Claus is coming to town.
The meaning of the song is to encourage children to behave well because Santa Claus is coming to town and he knows when they are naughty or nice. The song has been popular for generations and is still a favorite around the world during the Christmas season.
Line by Line Meaning
I just came back from a lovely trip along the Milky Way
After traveling the Milky Way, I made a stop at the North Pole for a little vacation.
Stopped off at the North Pole to spend a holiday
I took a little break at the North Pole to enjoy myself.
I called on dear old Santa Claus
During my visit, I met with the legendary Santa Claus himself.
To see what I could see
I wanted to explore and learn more about Santa's workshop and his plans for the upcoming holiday season.
He took me to his workshop
Santa graciously showed me around his workshop.
And told his plans to me, so
During the tour, Santa shared with me some of his plans for the festive season.
You better watch out, you better not cry
It's important that you behave yourself, as Santa is coming to town and he'll be able to see if you've been good or bad.
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
It's best to not be grumpy or stubborn, as I'm warning you that Santa Claus is on his way.
Santa Claus is comin' to town
The great Santa Claus is soon to arrive, bringing gifts and joy for all.
He's making a list and checking it twice
Santa Claus is working hard to make sure he has the names of all the good boys and girls, and double-checking it, too.
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice
Santa is making his list and checking it twice to find out who has been good and who has been bad this year.
He sees you when you're sleepin'
Santa is so magical, he can even see you when you're sleeping.
He knows when you're awake
Santa has a keen sense of knowing when you're awake and alert.
He knows if you've been bad or good
Santa is all-knowing and aware of your good and bad behavior throughout the year.
So be good for goodness sake
It's important to be kind and well-behaved, just for the sake of being good and doing what's right.
With little tin horns and little toy drums
All the festive toys and musical instruments the elves have made are now ready to be delivered by Santa Claus.
Rooty toot toots and rummy tum tums
The toys include a variety of delightful musical instruments that make joyful sounds of all kinds.
And curly head dolls that toddle and coo
Among the toys ready to be delivered are adorable dolls with curly hair, who can toddle and even make sweet cooing noises.
Elephants, boats, and kiddie cars too
Lots of toys are being prepared for children everywhere, including boats, toy cars, and even charming elephants.
Then kids in Girl and Boy land will have a jubilee
All the girls and boys will be filled with delight and happiness when they receive their toys from Santa Claus.
They're gonna build a Toyland all around the Christmas tree
The children will be so excited about their new toys that they will create their own imaginary world, bringing Toyland to life under the Christmas tree.
Now Santa is a busy man, He has no time to play
Despite his greatness, Santa is a very busy man and doesn't have time to slow down and play around too much.
He's got millions of stockings to fill on Christmas day
Santa's main focus and job is to deliver lots of presents, and he has millions of stockings he needs to fill on Christmas Day.
You'd better write your letter now
It's important to write your letter to Santa soon, as he needs time to read and consider all the requests before delivering the presents.
And mail it right away
To make sure your letter arrives on time, be sure to mail it as soon as possible.
Because he's getting ready
Santa is hard at work, preparing for the big day.
His reindeer's and his sleigh. So
Santa is not alone on this journey, as his trusty reindeer and sleigh will be right there with him.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind