Bonnie Pointer and June Pointer first formed a secular singing duo in the late '60s and began performing in clubs around the San Francisco Bay area; Anita Pointer and Ruth Pointer later joined them. The Pointer Sisters hooked up with David Rubinson who was a record producer affiliated with Bill Graham. They would perform onstage with the flamboyant Sylvester of The Cockettes, and they'd done some work as background singers on recordings by Elvin Bishop, Boz Scaggs, Cold Blood and other San Francisco Bay Area groups.
Their big breakthrough was a cover of an Allen Toussaint composition originally recorded in 1970 by Lee Dorsey, the song was "Yes We Can Can" released by The Pointer Sisters in March 1973. The girls' voices were added over funky backing tracks laid down with the help of Rubinson's contacts like Tower of Power guitarist Willie Fulton. They sang live around a single mic, with Anita handling lead, and upon release the record soon hit Number 11 on Billboard's pop chart and Number 12 on the R&B chart. In 1974 the group surprised white audiences when they broke the color barrier in at The Grand Ol' Opry when performing their Country Grammy award winning country song "Fairytale" in Nashville. "How Long (Betcha Got A Chick On The Side)" was a 1975 #1 R&B hit from their Steppin LP, with classic funky keys of Herbie Hancock on clavinet & wicked guitar stylings of Wah Wah Watson...
Bonnie Pointer left the group in 1977 for a solo career, and in 1978, the remaining sisters switched labels to Planet & production duties went to Richard Perry who modernized their sound away from a nostalgia based act into a more contemporary look & sound for the 1980's.
They produced the album Energy, with a classic country flavored updates of Sly Stone's "Everybody Is A Star", and a rendition of another Allen Toussaint song called "Happiness". The Perry streak included 1984's Break Out, which did exactly that going triple platinum and winning two Grammys for the singles Automatic and "Jump (for My Love)". This period in the early 80's ostensibly represents the group's commercial peak as a charting act. Their last big hit was Neutron Dance from the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack.
As the '80s wound down, June Pointer recorded two solo albums, and later left the trio by 2001. Anita also did some solo project work, and had a minor hit with a song called, "Overnight Success."
Anita and Ruth still perform concerts under the group's name. Ruth's daughter, Issa Pointer, is the trio's newest member. June suffered a stroke on February 27, 2006. While hospitalized, she was diagnosed with cancer, which had metastasized in her breast, colon, liver and bones. She died at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California on April 11, 2006 at the age of 52.
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
The Pointer Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Santa Claus is comin' to town
He's making a list, he's checking it twice
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Santa Claus is comin' to town
He knows you when you're sleepin'
And he knows when you're a wake
And he knows if you've been bad or good
So you better be good for goodness sake
Oh! You better be good for goodness sake
You better watch out, you better not cry
You better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Santa Claus is comin' to town
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
I said oh all around the Christmas tree
You better watch out, you better not cry
You better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town, oh yeah
Santa Claus is comin' to town, yeah yeah
Santa Claus is comin' to town
With little tin horns and little toy drums
Rooty toot toots and a rummy tum tums
And curly head dolls that toddle and coo
Elephants, boats, and a kiddie cars too
Santa Claus is comin' to town, oh yeah
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Santa Claus is comin' to town (oh oh oh oh)
Santa Claus is comin' to town (you better watch out)
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Santa Claus is comin' to town (oh oh oh oh)
Santa Claus is comin' to town
The lyrics to The Pointer Sisters' version of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" act as a playful warning to children to behave themselves before the arrival of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. The song serves as a reminder that Santa Claus will be watching, and he knows when children are being naughty or nice. The opening verse of the song is directed at children, with the singer warning them not to cry or pout because Santa Claus is coming to town. The second verse focuses on Santa Claus himself, who is described as making a list and checking it twice to see who has been bad or good.
The third verse emphasizes the all-seeing power of Santa Claus. He knows when children are asleep, and he knows when they're awake. The lyrics suggest that Santa Claus is a supernatural figure who has the power to see and know everything. The final verse describes the joy and excitement that comes with the arrival of Santa Claus. Children will have a jubilee, and they'll build a Toyland all around the Christmas tree. The verses are accompanied by a cheerful melody that captures the festive spirit of the holiday season.
Line by Line Meaning
You better watch out, you better not cry
Behave yourself and don't cry
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Don't sulk because I'm about to tell you the reason
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Santa Claus is on his way
He's making a list, he's checking it twice
He's creating a list of good and bad behavior and checking it twice
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice
He's going to discover who's been behaving well and who hasn't
He knows you when you're sleepin'
He's aware of when you're snoozing
And he knows when you're a wake
And he knows when you're conscious
And he knows if you've been bad or good
He's aware of your deeds, good or bad
So you better be good for goodness sake
Therefore, you better do good for the sake of goodness
Oh! You better be good for goodness sake
Oh! You definitely better be good for the sake of decency
Then kids in girl and Boy land will have a jubilee
Children all over the land will be overjoyed
They're gonna build a Toyland all around the Christmas tree
They will construct a Toyland around the Christmas tree
I said oh all around the Christmas tree
I'm emphasizing that it's all around the Christmas tree
With little tin horns and little toy drums
With small tin horns and toy drums
Rooty toot toots and a rummy tum tums
With rooty toot toots and rummy tum tums
And curly head dolls that toddle and coo
And dolls with curly hair that toddle and coo
Elephants, boats, and a kiddie cars too
Including elephants, boats, and even small cars for children
Santa Claus is comin' to town, oh yeah
Santa Claus is definitely arriving
Santa Claus is comin' to town, yeah yeah
Santa Claus is unquestionably coming
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Santa Claus is on his way
Santa Claus is comin' to town (oh oh oh oh)
Santa Claus is on his way (oh oh oh oh)
Santa Claus is comin' to town (you better watch out)
Santa Claus is on his way (and you better be careful)
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Santa Claus is on his way
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Santa Claus is on his way
Santa Claus is comin' to town (oh oh oh oh)
Santa Claus is on his way (oh oh oh oh)
Santa Claus is comin' to town
Santa Claus is on his way
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Coots, Haven Gillespie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind