Christmas Night In Harlem
paul whiteman & his orchestra featuring bing crosby Lyrics

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(Spoken)
(Jack) Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Glory Halle...
(Johnny) What's all that noise?
(Jack) Hallelujah!
(Johnny) Don't give up with that now
(Jack) Glory Halle...
(Johnny) Who's that over in the corner?
(Jack) Hallelujah!

(Johnny) I believe that's Mr. Teagarden.
Hey what you doin' up there, Man?
Last time I saw you you were sayin' fare thee well to Harlem
(Jack) I done bin wise g'wine an' I ain't g'wine there n'more
(Johnny) You sho' come back the right time it's Christmas up here
(Jack) What d'ya mean up here, it's Christmas ev'rywhere
(Johnny) Yeah, but it ain't all Christmas like it's Christmas in
Harlem
(Jack) No?

(Sung)
(Johnny) Ev'ry gal struttin' with her beau
Through the streets covered white with snow
Happy smiles er'ywhere you go
Christmas night in Harlem

(Jack) Black and tans feelin' mighty good
In that old coloured neighbourhood
Here and now be it understood
Christmas night in Harlem

(Johnny) Ev'ryone is gonna sit up
Until after three
Ev'ryone will be all lit up
Like a Christmas tree

(Jack) Come on now ev'ry coal black Joe
You just lead me t'the mistletoe
With a kiss and a hi-de-ho
Christmas night in Harlem

(Spoken)
(Johnny) Hee Hee, man, Dog, what'd Santa Claus leave in
your stockin'?
(Jack) Let me see, there's an orange, a jar o' ???? and
Man, look at this slide trombone
(Johnny) Yeah, but it might not sound so pretty, let me hear
you tune it

(Sung)
(Jack) Mr Mercer, I'm glad to be
Back in this festivity
(Johnny) Ah, you said it Mr T
It's Christmas night in Harlem
(Jack) Well it's Christmas night in Harlem
Man, you drew the ??????

Overall Meaning

The Paul Whiteman Orchestra's song Christmas Night in Harlem is a celebration of Christmas in Harlem, a neighborhood that was predominantly African-American in the early 20th century. The lyrics describe the festive atmosphere of the neighborhood during the holidays, with couples walking through snow-covered streets, happy smiles all around, and everyone feeling good. The spoken interlude depicts a conversation between two friends, one of whom has returned to Harlem after some time away. The song expresses the joy and sense of community that is felt during the holiday season, with references to mistletoe, oranges, and other traditional Christmas trappings.

The song was recorded on December 2, 1934, and was written by Raymond Scott, who also played piano on the recording. It was sung by Jack Teagarden and Johnny Mercer, two popular jazz musicians of the time. Christmas Night in Harlem was well received and became a popular holiday song, although it did not achieve the same level of success as other Christmas classics of the time, such as White Christmas or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Line by Line Meaning

(Jack) Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Glory Halle...
Jack is expressing his excitement and joy with the repeated phrase 'Hallelujah!'

(Johnny) What's all that noise?
Johnny is asking Jack about the noise he's making with his repeated exclamations of 'Hallelujah'

(Jack) Glory Halle...
Jack continues to express his excitement with the phrase 'Glory Halle...'

(Johnny) Don't give up with that now
Johnny is telling Jack to calm down and stop making noise

(Jack) Hallelujah!
Jack continues to express his excitement with the phrase 'Hallelujah!'

(Johnny) I believe that's Mr. Teagarden. Hey what you doin' up there, Man? Last time I saw you you were sayin' fare thee well to Harlem
Johnny recognizes Mr. Teagarden, and asks him why he's here since the last time they saw each other he was leaving Harlem.

(Jack) I done bin wise g'wine an' I ain't g'wine there n'more
Jack is saying that he's made the wise decision to leave Harlem and not come back

(Johnny) You sho' come back the right time it's Christmas up here
Johnny is telling Jack that he's come back to Harlem at the right time since it's Christmas

(Jack) What d'ya mean up here, it's Christmas ev'rywhere
Jack is questioning Johnny's use of 'up here' to describe Harlem, since Christmas is celebrated everywhere

(Johnny) Yeah, but it ain't all Christmas like it's Christmas in Harlem
Johnny is saying that the Christmas spirit in Harlem is unique and special

(Jack) No?
Jack is questioning Johnny's statement that there's something special about Christmas in Harlem

(Johnny) Ev'ry gal struttin' with her beau Through the streets covered white with snow Happy smiles er'ywhere you go Christmas night in Harlem
Johnny is describing the scene in Harlem on Christmas night, with couples walking through snow-covered streets and happy people everywhere

(Jack) Black and tans feelin' mighty good In that old coloured neighbourhood Here and now be it understood Christmas night in Harlem
Jack is saying that people of all races are feeling great in the colorful neighborhood of Harlem, especially on Christmas night

(Johnny) Ev'ryone is gonna sit up Until after three Ev'ryone will be all lit up Like a Christmas tree
Johnny is saying that everyone is going to stay up late until 3am and be very happy, like a lit-up Christmas tree

(Jack) Come on now ev'ry coal black Joe You just lead me t'the mistletoe With a kiss and a hi-de-ho Christmas night in Harlem
Jack is asking a black man to lead him to the mistletoe so he can share a kiss and some cheer with him, as a way to celebrate Christmas in Harlem

(Johnny) Hee Hee, man, Dog, what'd Santa Claus leave in your stockin'? (Jack) Let me see, there's an orange, a jar o' ???? and Man, look at this slide trombone (Johnny) Yeah, but it might not sound so pretty, let me hear you tune it
Johnny and Jack are joking around about what Santa Claus left in Jack's stocking, and Jack shows him a slide trombone. Johnny suggests that Jack might not be able to play it well, and asks him to tune it first

(Jack) Mr Mercer, I'm glad to be Back in this festivity (Johnny) Ah, you said it Mr T It's Christmas night in Harlem (Jack) Well it's Christmas night in Harlem Man, you drew the ??????
Jack is happy to be in the festive atmosphere of Harlem and is talking to Mr. Mercer, and Johnny confirms that it's Christmas night in Harlem. Jack asks Johnny to clarify what he means by 'you drew the ??????'

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MITCHELL PARISH, RAYMOND SCOTT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@brucec2635

21w

One of my splitting wood songs, ALL YEAR LONG!!!

@fromthesidelines

4y↑2

Recorded on April 17, 1934.

@michaelkehoe1072

Merry Christmas

@RaymondScottArchives

13y↑12

Raymond Scott wrote this song in 1934, at age 25 — it was his first hit.

@avalon235

12y↑1

The earlier version was cut in 1934. the flip side was Fare-Thee- Well Harlem. Band roster: Johnny Mercer, Jack Teagarden, vocal ; Paul Whiteman and his orchestra, Matt Malneck, director

@esti0esti

14y↑1

@RatPfink66 Thanks - always wondered what that last line was ! I love Johnny Mercer's voice on this . . . and Jack's trombone . . . Great piece !

@Perririri

5y↑2

1:16 - Mr T has entered the chat

@RatPfink66

14y↑1

Anybody know Raymond Scott, the composer-leader-electrical engineer...He wrote this. Mitchell "Stardust" Parish added lyrics. "Man, you drooled a bib-full." :D

@Perririri

5y↑1

1:44 - Coloured also means Latin@s

@markharrington8988

5y↑1

Wow.

@2ndviolinist

5y↑1

Sums it up just about right. Thank you for listening.

@knibscratch

12y↑2

This is the best version of this song,I have it on CD but there is no reference to Whiteman on it,any idea what is said right at the end of the song, I could never make it out? I have a later version by Teagarden & Mercer with amended lyrics for a more enlightened age, sounds more 1940's.

@michaeldodds4163

7y↑1

According to discogs it was released in 1940

@꿈큰아이

악기 소리가 꼭 아기가 울음소리 같은데요 의도한걸까요?

@horarwgt

14y

This 1934 record reached #6 for Whiteman -- that JUNE! Paul was the only artist to ever score a hit with this song.

@BillyBritton2

9y↑2

That last line I believe, after much research and rehearing is "Man you drew the pistol." Not sure the exact meaning, but theory is "Man you are HOT as a pistol." In regards to Mercer's music/singing. Or it may mean you "lay down" on someone. Same as drawing down on them. Most likely though is "You're hot as a pistol." ps. see "MrGospell-Housemusic reply.

@RatPfink66

4y↑1

Thanks for the detective work, but here's why Im sticking with "bib-full."
1) It directly references the old saw, ''you said a mouthful."
2) The Oakland Tribune claimed the expression was common Broadway slang, that turned up in the 1920 hit show Sally, by Kern, Wodehouse and Bolton. (8/28/25, p. 35, via newspapers.com)