The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

The song of the day for Tuesday, December 18, 2018, is “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.”
Today is the fifth day of The Twelve Days of a Tony Bennett Christmas.

About This Song

“Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” was written in 1934 by John Frederick Coots and Haven Gillespie. The song had a spectacular debut. it was first sung on Eddie Cantor’s radio show in November 1934. On the day after the broadcast, there were 100,000 orders for the sheet music; by Christmas, over 400,000 copies of the sheet music had been sold.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” with The Count Basie Big Band for the 2008 album A Swingin’ Christmas.

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

“Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” as well as A Swingin’ Christmas, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

On the First Day of Tony Bennett Christmas, Friday, December 14, 2012, the song of the day is Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.

Painting by Tony Bennett for the American Cancer Society Christmas card for 2010
Painting by Tony Bennett for the American Cancer Society Christmas card for 2010

About Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

This favorite Christmas song was written in 1934 by John Frederick Coots and Haven Gillespie, who also wrote You Go To My Head, featured on The Beat of My Heart. It was first played on Eddie Cantor’s radio show in November 1934; on the very next day, over 100,000 orders for the sheet music were placed, with more than 400,000 copies sold by Christmas of that year.

About This Version

This version is from the delightful A Swingin’ Christmas with the Count Basie Big Band, released in 2008.  Produced by Phil Ramone, this song features the Quartet of Lee Musiker (p), Gray Sargent (d), Paul Langosch (b) and Harold Jones (d).

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (feat. Count Basie Big Band)

Listen to Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (feat. Count Basie Big Band) on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Count Basie Big Band · 2008

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, as well as the entire A Swingin’ Christmas with the Count Basie Big Band, is available from iTunes.