Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you festive songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, we celebrate the holiday season with a contemporary take on Eartha Kitt’s 1953 classic, "Santa Baby," performed by pop phenomenon Sabrina Carpenter and best-selling country artist Shania Twain.
A song that echoes the sentiments of 1949’s “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” “Santa Baby” tells the story of girls appealing directly to Santa Claus for some of the finer things in life — a sable coat, a blue convertible, a yacht, a deed to a platinum mine and, finally, “a ring.” Carpenter and Twain claim to have been angels all year, so they don't think they're asking for a lot.
They sing, “Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing, a ring / I don’t mean on the phone / Santa cutie, hurry down the chimney tonight.”
The duo performed “Santa Baby” during the Netflix variety special, "A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter," which premiered on December 6.
A blockbuster hit for Kitt in 1953, “Santa Baby” has been covered by dozens of artists over the past 71 years. They include Madonna, Taylor Swift, Natalie Merchant, Kylie Minogue, The Pussycat Dolls, LeAnn Rimes, Faith Evans, Kellie Pickler, Gwen Stefani, Miss Piggy, and even Michael Bublé, who chose to address his benefactor as “Santa Buddy.”
Written by Joan Javits and Philip Springer, “Santa Baby” is reportedly one of the few Christmas hits penned by a woman.
Born in Quakertown, PA, in 1999, Carpenter earned her first acting gig as an 11-year-old on an episode of Law & Order. She gained stardom on the Disney Channel series Girl Meets World (2014–2017), which eventually led to her rapid ascent as a singer, songwriter, actress and style icon. She is currently nominated for six Grammy awards, including Best Album, Best Song, Best New Artist, Best Record, Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance.
A native of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, the 59-year-old Eilleen Regina (Shania) Twain is one of the best-selling music artists of all time and the top-selling female artist in country music history. She has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and earned the moniker, the "Queen of Country Pop." She's claimed five Grammy Awards from 18 nominations.
Please check out the video of Carpenter and Twain performing “Santa Baby” during the Netflix special. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…
“Santa Baby”
Written by Joan Javits and Philip Springer. Performed by Sabrina Carpenter and Shania Twain.
Santa baby, 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, and 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 as good
If you’ll 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, and hurry down the chimney tonight
Santa honey, one little thing I really need, the deed
To a platinum mine
Santa baby, hurry down the chimney tonight
Come and trim my Christmas tree
With some decorations bought at Tiffany
I really do believe in you
And 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, hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry down the chimney tonight
Credit: Screen capture via YouTube / LetsGoShania.