Santa Baby
| "Santa Baby" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Eartha Kitt | ||||
| B-side | "Under the Bridges of Paris"[1] | |||
| Released | October 2, 1953 | |||
| Format | 7" | |||
| Recorded | July 1953[1] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Label | RCA Victor (47–5502) | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Eartha Kitt singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Santa Baby" is a 1953 Christmas song written by Joan Javits (the niece of Senator Jacob K. Javits) and Philip Springer, sung originally by Eartha Kitt. The song is a tongue-in-cheek look at a Christmas list addressed to Santa Claus by a woman who wants extravagant gifts such as sables, yachts, and decorations from Tiffany's.
Original recording
"Santa Baby" was originally recorded by Eartha Kitt with Henri René and his orchestra in New York City, in July 1953. It was released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-5502 (in the United States),[4] and by EMI on the His Master's Voice label as catalog number B 10728. The song was a huge hit for Kitt, and she later said that it was one of her favorite songs to record; she reprised it in the 1954 film New Faces. Kitt re-recorded the song for Kapp Records in 1963, using a more uptempo arrangement (Madonna's rendition for the 1987 charity album A Very Special Christmas was based on this latter version). In 1954, Kitt recorded a new version of the song with new lyrics titled "This Year's Santa Baby" to no commercial success. Writers listed did not change.
On the Internet, another recording is commonly attributed to Marilyn Monroe who never actually recorded the song. This version of Kitt's song was performed by Cynthia Basinet in 1997.
Certification
| Region | Certification | Certified units/Sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[5] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
*sales figures based on certification alone | ||
References
- 1 2 "The Top 40 Christmas Oldies Songs and Holiday Music – #8". Oldies.about.com. 2012-04-10. Retrieved 2012-06-02.
- ↑ "Interview with Santa Baby Songwriter, Philip Springer". MusicNotes Blog. November 26, 2008. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
- ↑ "Santa Baby | ACE Repertory". ASCAP. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
- ↑ RCA Victor Records in the 20-5000 to 20–5999 series
- ↑ "American single certifications – Eartha Kitt – Santa Baby". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 4, 2017. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH.
