In 1960, the group known as The Four Lovers evolved into The Four Seasons, with Frankie Valli as the lead singer, Bob Gaudio (formerly of The Royal Teens) on keyboards and tenor vocals, Tommy DeVito on lead guitar and baritone vocals, and Nick Massi on bass guitar and bass vocals.
The Four Seasons and the Beach Boys were virtually the only American groups whose successful careers were not derailed when the Beatles and the British Invasion bands hit the States in 1964. In fact, 1964 ranks as the Four Seasons' biggest year of all, despite the insurgency from abroad, which attests to their durability and appeal among America's teenagers. That appeal stemmed from the Four Seasons' ability to complement spotless Italian-American doo-wop harmonies with the forceful falsetto and three-octave range of lead vocalist Frankie Valli - the other members were Bob Gaudio on keyboards and tenor vocals, Tommy DeVito on lead guitar and baritone vocals, Gerry Polci on drums, and Nick Massi on bass guitar and bass vocals. Frankie Valli and Tommy DeVito previously performed with Nick DeVito (Tommy's twin brother) and Hank Majewski as the Four Lovers. later on the Four Season where heavley shaped by the songwriting of band member Bob Gaudio, with arrangements and production that drew upon everything from Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" to the danceable beat of Motown's pop/R&B singles. During a hitmaking streak that spanned the years 1962-68, the Four Seasons netted two dozen Top Forty singles, including the Number One hits "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Walk Like a Man" and "Rag Doll." They've sold over 100 million records worldwide, making them the most successful white doo-wop group in rock and roll history.
At their peak, the Four Seasons made recordings that expressed the tough-but-tender sensibility of their home turf in the Northeast much in the way the Beach Boys encapsulated the world of Southern California in harmony and song. In the words of Billy Joel, a longtime fan who grew up listening to them on Long Island, "The Four Seasons had wonderful chord progressions, beautiful writing, terrific production fantastic harmony, records that really spoke to us."
The band released their first hit "Sherry" in 1962. Under the guidance of producer/songwriter Bob Crewe, The Four Seasons followed up "Sherry" with several well-remembered hits, including "Big Girls Don't Cry", "Walk Like a Man" and "Candy Girl". In the mid 1960s, the British Invasion slowed down their career somewhat, but the Four Seasons released several more big hits in 1964, such as "Dawn", "Rag Doll", which was the first single on WABC Radio, New York to be "pick hit of the week" one week and the number 1 single the following week, "Big Man in Town", "Ronnie" and "Save It for Me". Nick Massi left the Four Seasons in 1965 and was replaced by Joe Long who became the mainstay on bass and backup vocals until 1976. Several more Top 10 singles followed, including "Let's Hang On", "Working My Way Back To You", "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", and "C'mon Marianne"; but by late 1967, the group's popularity was deteriorating, as public interest moved towards rock with a harder edge and more socially conscious lyrics. The band would, however, enjoy a brief revival in their popularity in the mid 1970s, with the hits "Who Loves You", "Swearin' to God", and their last number one hit "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)".
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
The Four Seasons 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
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
He saw Mommy kissing(kissing, kissing) Santa Claus
I did! I really did see Mommy kissing Santa Claus
And I'm gonna tell my Dad
(Bell sound)
Then I saw Mommy tickle Santa (tickle, tickle Santa Claus) 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 did! I did! I really did see Mommy kissing Santa Claus
You gotta believe me! You just gotta believe me!
Come on, fellas, believe me! You just gotta believe me! (I told you, I told you)
The Four Seasons' song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" tells the story of a young child who sees their mother kissing Santa Claus. The song is sung in the first person, from the perspective of the child who is watching this scene unfold. The lyrics express the child's shock and surprise at what they are witnessing, as well as their anticipation of telling their father what they saw.
There are different interpretations of the song. Some people believe that the child is imagining the whole scene, while others think it’s a playful way of presenting Santa Claus to children as a figure of fun and not to be taken too seriously. Regardless of how one interprets the song, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" has become a beloved holiday classic that has been recorded by many different artists over the years.
The song was written by songwriter Tommie Connor in 1952, and it was first recorded by Jimmy Boyd. It was a controversial song at the time, as some people thought it was promoting infidelity, while others found it to be a harmless bit of fun. The song was eventually banned by some radio stations in Boston and other cities, but it still managed to become a hit.
Line by Line Meaning
(Kiss sound) Wow! Mommy's kissing Santa Claus!
Mommy is kissing Santa Claus, which surprises and amazes the singer.
I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus
The singer observes Mommy kissing Santa Claus.
Underneath the mistletoe last night
Mommy and Santa Claus were kissing under the mistletoe last night.
She didn't see me creep
The artist sneaked down the stairs undetected by Mommy.
Down the stairs to have a peep
The artist wanted to peek at Mommy and Santa Claus while they were kissing.
She thought that I was tucked up
Mommy thought that the singer was already sleeping in bed.
In my bedroom, fast asleep
Mommy thought that the singer was fast asleep in their bedroom.
Then I saw Mommy tickle Santa (tickle, tickle, Santa Claus) Claus
The artist watched Mommy tickling Santa Claus after they finished kissing.
Underneath his beard so snowy white
Mommy tickled Santa Claus's beard, which was white like snow.
Oh, what a laugh it would have been
The situation would have been funny if Daddy had seen Mommy kissing and tickling Santa Claus.
If Daddy had only seen
The singer wishes Daddy had witnessed Mommy kissing and tickling Santa Claus.
He saw Mommy kissing(kissing, kissing) Santa Claus
The artist tells us that Daddy saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus.
I did! I really did see Mommy kissing Santa Claus
The singer insists that they saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus even though Daddy doesn't believe them.
And I'm gonna tell my Dad
The singer intends to tell Daddy what they saw.
(Bell sound)
The sound of a bell indicates a transition to a new scene or act.
Oh, what a laugh it would have been
The situation would have been funny if Daddy had seen Mommy kissing and tickling Santa Claus.
If Daddy had only seen
The artist wishes Daddy had witnessed Mommy kissing and tickling Santa Claus.
I did! I did! I really did see Mommy kissing Santa Claus
The singer is persistent in saying that they really saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus.
You gotta believe me! You just gotta believe me!
The singer is pleading with others to believe what they saw.
Come on, fellas, believe me! You just gotta believe me! (I told you, I told you)
The artist is trying to convince their friends to believe what they saw and repeats what they said earlier to support their claim.
Contributed by Natalie I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.