Santa Baby

Album

Eartha Kitt (EP)

Label

RCA Victor

Genre

Christmas

Composer(s)

Joan Javits;Philip Springer;Tony Springer

Entered Chart

Dec 25, 2021

Peak Date

Jan 2, 1954

Released

1953

Recorded

1953

Catalog #

RCA Victor

B-Side

Under the Bridges of Paris"

Eartha Kitt was a sultry nightclub performer who earned a record deal with RCA in 1953. Trying to play up her image as a sophisticated vamp, RCA had her record a French song called "C'est Si Bon (It's So Good)," which put her on the radar. At the end of 1953, Joan Javits, who was the niece of US Senator Jacob Javits, wrote "Santa Baby" for Kitt with Philip Springer, and it became a holiday hit and Kitt's most famous song. Javits came up with the lyric "Santa baby, just slip a sable under the tree, for me," and Springer quickly came up with the music. Along with "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," this was one of the first Christmas novelty songs. Christmas songs written at the time tended to be nostalgic looks at the holiday or kid's songs, but this one took a different approach, with Kitt singing about how she's been good all year and expects some very expensive gifts to appear, including a fur coat, a new coat and even a yacht. This girl has expensive taste. This song is credited to Joan Javits, Philip Springer and his brother Tony Springer, although Tony had no part in writing the song. In an interview with the digital sheet music supplier Musicnotes, Philip explained that since he and Joan worked for ASCAP publishing, they credited Tony, who was associated with publishing rival BMI, in order to get the song recorded. It worked, but BMI made a mess when they had Javits publish five different versions of the lyrics the following year, which confused people and kept the song from being widely recorded. In 1981, the copyright term expired on the song and Javits sold her share of the rights to Springer, giving him control of the song. For years, he tried to get artists to record it, and in 1987 Madonna recorded it for the charity album A Very Special Christmas. Springer didn't make any money from this version, as he had to donate all his royalties to the Special Olympics, but Madonna's version brought the song back into the spotlight and it has been a Christmas standard ever since, providing significant revenue for Springer. The song has been used on a number of TV specials and appeared in the movie Driving Miss Daisy. Artists to cover the song include Taylor Swift, Natalie Merchant, Kylie Minogue, The Pussycat Dolls, LeAnn Rimes, Faith Evans and Kellie Pickler. What about Tony Springer? His cousin David Wexler tells us that he was a lawyer turned painter. He was known as the Village Painter, in reference to the Village in New York City. Tony died in 1995. It was only a matter of time before an ad agency used this song in a literal sense; in 2014 a version by Tammy Infusino appeared in a Kmart spot showing five pregnant women dancing to the song in their Joe Boxer pajamas.

Santa baby, just slip a sable under the tree for me
Been an awful good girl
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa baby, a '54 convertible too, light blue
I'll wait up for you, dear
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Think of all the fun I've missed
Think of all the fellas that I haven't kissed
Next year, I could be just as good
If you check off my Christmas list

Santa baby, I want a yacht and really that's not a lot
Been an angel all year
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa honey, one little thing I really need, the deed
To a platinum mine
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa cutie, and fill my stocking with a duplex and checks
Sign your "X" on the line
Santa cutie, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Come and trim my Christmas tree
With some decorations bought at Tiffany
I really do believe in you
Let's see if you believe in me

Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing, a ring
I don't mean on the phone
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry down the chimney tonight