The Andrews Sisters were a group of singing sisters: LaVerne Andrews (contr… Read Full Bio ↴The Andrews Sisters were a group of singing sisters: LaVerne Andrews (contralto; July 6, 1911-May 8, 1967), Maxene Andrews (high harmony; January 3, 1916-October 21, 1995) and Patty Andrews (lead; February 16, 1918-January 30, 2013). All were born in Minnesota, United States to a Greek immigrant father and a Norwegian American mother.

“Patty Andrews, the lead singer of the Andrews sisters group was born in Mound, Minnesota on February 16, 1918 in a house that occupied the property where The Gillespie Center stands today.

During the 1920’s Laverne, Maxene and Patty Andrews spent their summers in Mound, living with their parents in a house across the street from the grocery store that was owned by Pete and Ed Sollie, bachelor uncles of the three girls. (Today, Green T Accounting occupies the Sollie grocery store building and The Gillespie Center is on the land where the Andrews Sisters’ house once stood.)” - From a commentary by Tom Rockvam that appeared in The Laker Newspaper during 2005.

They started their career as imitators of an earlier successful singing group, the Boswell Sisters. After singing with various dance bands and touring on Vaudeville, they first came to national attention with their recordings and radio broadcasts in 1937. Their music entertained Allied troops worldwide during World War II, sold war bonds, appeared in several films (including a few Abbott and Costello features), and performed for soldiers serving overseas. Their first film with Abbott and Costello, the pre-war comedy Buck Privates, introduced their best-known recording, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" which would win Best Song at the Academy Awards.

They also recorded many songs with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and other popular artists of the era. Their popularity was such that after the war they discovered that some of their records had actually been smuggled into Germany after the labels had been changed to read "Hitler's Marching Songs."

After a brief hiatus after the war, the sisters regrouped, performing in clubs throughout the United States and Europe. They broke up in 1953, with Patty's choice to go solo. Their last appearance together was in 1962 on The Dean Martin Show. Laverne, who had cancer, retired soon after; she died five years later, in 1967 at the age of 55.

After a long silence, the two surviving sisters had something of a comeback when Bette Midler recorded a cover of their song "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." Maxene and Patty appeared both together and separately throughout the 1970s, with Maxene releasing a solo album in 1986. Their most notable comeback; however, was in the Sherman Brothers' nostalgic World War II musical: "Over Here!" which premiered on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in 1974. The musical featured the two then living sisters (Maxene and Patty) and was written with them in mind for the leads. It launched the careers of many, now notable theater and film icons (John Travolta, Marilu Henner, Ann Reinking, et al). Ironically it was the last major hurrah of the sisters and was cut short due to a frivolous lawsuit initiated by Patty's husband to the show's producers.

Throughout their long career, the sisters had sold over 60 million records. The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998.

The last of the three sisters Patty Andrews died of natural causes at her home in Northridge, California on January 30, 2013, just 17 days before her 95th birthday. The sisters were interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California, close to their parents.

I'd Like to Hitch a Ride With Santa
The Andrews Sisters Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's a new little boy in the neighborhood
And last night it started to snow
He brought out his sleigh and was all set to play
But the gang didn't say hello

So I made friends with a poor, little tyke
And he said to me
"Do you know what I'd like?"

I'd like to hitch a ride with Santa Claus
Wouldn't that be something to see?
I'd like to hitch a ride with Santa Claus
Dodging the clouds, waving at crowds

I'd crack the whip and keep a watch for weathervanes
I'd help him with his bag and check each Christmas tag
Or maybe I could handle the reins

I'd like to hitch a ride with Santa Claus
Wouldn't they be jealous of me?
You couldn't say I ran away because
After we roam, he'll drive me home

And when they see me Christmas morning
What'll they say with a look of delight?
"There goes the boy that rode with Santa Claus last night"

I'd crack the whip and keep a watch for weathervanes
I'd help him with his bag and check each Christmas tag
Or maybe I could handle the reins

I'd like to hitch a ride with Santa Claus
Wouldn't they be jealous of me?
You couldn't say I ran away because
After we roam, he'll drive me home

And when they see me Christmas morning
What'll they say with the look of delight?
"There goes the boy that rode with Santa Claus last night"

"There goes the boy that hitched a ride with Santa Claus last night"

Overall Meaning

In "I'd Like To Hitch A Ride With Santa Claus," The Andrews Sisters sing about a young boy who is new to the neighborhood and eagerly awaiting Christmas. However, when he tries to join his peers for some holiday cheer, they reject him. Undeterred, he shares his dream of hitching a ride with Santa Claus to see the world from the sky and help deliver gifts. The boy imagines holding onto the reins, cracking a whip, and keeping watch for weathervanes. He envisions helping Santa carry his bag and verify each Christmas tag, or even taking a turn steering the sleigh. The chance to ride with Santa Claus would be an adventure of a lifetime that would make him the envy of all his friends. And yet, the journey wouldn't end with delivering presents; Santa would kindly drive the boy home to his family. The song is a joyful portrayal of childhood wonder and the magic of the holiday season.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a new little boy in the neighborhood
A new kid recently moved to the area

And last night it started to snow
It snowed the night before

He brought out his sleigh and was all set to play
The boy had a sled and was ready to have fun in the snow

But the gang didn't say hello
The other children didn't acknowledge him

So I made friends with a poor, little tyke
I became friends with the new kid

And he said to me
The new kid spoke to me

"Do you know what I'd like?"
The new kid asked me if I knew what he wanted

I'd like to hitch a ride with Santa Claus
The new kid wants to ride with Santa Claus

Wouldn't that be something to see?
The new kid thinks it would be amazing

Dodging the clouds, waving at crowds
The new kid imagines riding with Santa Claus through the sky and waving at people

I'd crack the whip and keep a watch for weathervanes
The new kid would help Santa Claus by being a lookout for weather conditions

I'd help him with his bag and check each Christmas tag
The new kid would assist Santa Claus with delivering presents by checking tags and carrying bags

Or maybe I could handle the reins
The new kid imagines being in charge of Santa's sleigh

Wouldn't they be jealous of me?
The new kid thinks others would be envious if he got to ride with Santa Claus

You couldn't say I ran away because
The new kid wouldn't have to worry about getting in trouble for leaving home

After we roam, he'll drive me home
Santa Claus would take the new kid back home after their adventure

And when they see me Christmas morning
Others would see the new kid on Christmas Day

What'll they say with a look of delight?
They would be happy to see the new kid

"There goes the boy that rode with Santa Claus last night"
They would talk about how the new kid rode with Santa Claus

"There goes the boy that hitched a ride with Santa Claus last night"
Others would refer to the new kid as the one who rode with Santa Claus

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHNNY BURKE, JAMES VAN HEUSEN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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