The Fontane Sisters (actually sisters-Marge, Bea and Geri Rosse) came from … Read Full Bio ↴The Fontane Sisters (actually sisters-Marge, Bea and Geri Rosse) came from New Milford, New Jersey.
By the late 40s the girls were singing with Perry Como on his radio show, followed him to TV and sang on many of his records from 1949 through 1953, many of which were monster hits. The Fontane's were also signed to an artist's contract with RCA which was Perry's label.
At least 4 of their recordings landed on the Billboard Top 30 charts.

In 1954 the Fontanes left RCA and signed with Randy Wood's Dot Records. Their first single for the label was a remake of an early 20th century hit HAPPY DAYS AND LONELY NIGHTS. The record charted at number 18 in Billboard and their hit string began. One of their follow up releases, HEARTS OF STONE, not only established them as recording stars, but also topped the Billboard charts. By the end of their chart career in 1959, the Fontanes had placed 24 singles on the Billboard Pop charts. A number of others were also listed on the Cashbox charts at a time when they ran to 40 or 50 places while Billboard charts had between 20 and 30 positions.

Nuttin' for Christmas
The Fontane Sisters Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(verse)
I broke my bat on Johnny's head; somebody snitched on me.
I hid a frog in sister's bed; somebody snitched on me.
I spilled some ink on Mommy's rug,I made Tommy eat a bug,
Bought some gum with a penny slug; somebody snitched on me. Oh,(chorus)
I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas.Mommy and Daddy are mad.
I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas,'Cause I ain't been nuttin' but bad.(verse)
I put a tack on teacher's chair, somebody snitched on me.

I tied a knot in Susie's hair; somebody snitched on me.
I did a dance on Mommy's plants, climbed a tree and tore my pants.
Filled the sugar bowl with ants; somebody snitched on me. So,(repeat chorus)
(verse)I won't be seeing Santa Claus; somebody snitched on me.
He won't come visit me because somebody snitched on me.
Next year I'll be going straight, next year I'll be good, just wait.
I'd start now but it's too late; somebody snitched on me. Oh,(repeat chorus)

(coda)So, you better be good, whatever you do,
'Cause if you're bad I'm warning you,You'll get nuttin' for Christmas.

Overall Meaning

The Fontane Sisters' classic Christmas song "Nuttin' for Christmas" is an amusing confession of all the naughty things the singer has done throughout the year, resulting in a lack of Christmas presents. The lyrics are comical, describing mischief such as breaking a bat over someone's head, hiding a frog in their sister's bed, and spilling ink on their mother's rug. The singer also admits to more misbehavior, such as putting tacks on chairs and tying knots in hair, resulting in a lack of gifts from their parents. The song concludes with a warning to listeners to behave, or they too will get "nuttin' for Christmas."

The song's lyrics resonate with many listeners, who can relate to the frustration of being caught and punished for their misbehavior. The humorous lyrics and catchy chorus make the song instantly recognizable and a popular addition to Christmas playlists. While the song is lighthearted, it also serves as a reminder to children that their actions have consequences.

Line by Line Meaning

I broke my bat on Johnny's head; somebody snitched on me.
I used my bat to hit Johnny's head, and someone reported me.

I hid a frog in sister's bed; somebody snitched on me.
I secretly put a frog in my sister's bed, but someone told on me.

I spilled some ink on Mommy's rug,I made Tommy eat a bug,Bought some gum with a penny slug; somebody snitched on me. Oh,
I accidentally spilled ink on Mommy's rug, I made Tommy eat a bug, and I used a counterfeit penny to buy gum; someone told on me for all of it.

I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas.Mommy and Daddy are mad.I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas,'Cause I ain't been nuttin' but bad.
I'm not getting any presents for Christmas this year because my parents are angry with me for my bad behavior.

I put a tack on teacher's chair, somebody snitched on me.
I placed a tack on my teacher's chair and someone reported me.

I tied a knot in Susie's hair; somebody snitched on me.
I tied a knot in Susie's hair without her knowledge and someone told on me.

I did a dance on Mommy's plants, climbed a tree and tore my pants.Filled the sugar bowl with ants; somebody snitched on me. So,
I danced on my mom's plants, climbed a tree and ripped my pants, and put ants in the sugar bowl; someone reported me for all of it.

I won't be seeing Santa Claus; somebody snitched on me.He won't come visit me because somebody snitched on me.
I won't have a visit from Santa this year because someone reported all of the bad things I have done.

Next year I'll be going straight, next year I'll be good, just wait.I'd start now but it's too late; somebody snitched on me. Oh,
I promise to behave well next year, but it's too late to start now because someone already reported all the bad things I've done.

So, you better be good, whatever you do,'Cause if you're bad I'm warning you,You'll get nuttin' for Christmas.
The song warns listeners that if they behave badly, they won't receive Christmas gifts, just like the singer.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network
Written by: Roy C. Bennett, Sid Tepper

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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