The Beach Boys • Little Saint Nick

Christmas Song of the Day: Little Saint Nick, by The Beach Boys.

Yesterday was Blue Christmas by Elvis.

Little Saint Nick is a song by the Southern California superstar band The Beach Boys.

It was Christmas time 1963, before the British Invasion had hit, or even been heard of. The radio airwaves were dominated by teen idols like Ricky Nelson, Bobby Vinton, Bobby Vee, and girl groups like the Ronettes and the Supremes. But during 1963, a new sound had emerged, the “California Sound,” which mostly meant the new super group on the scene — they called themselves The Beach Boys.

In 1962 and 63 they had exploded on to the scene with 6 Top 40 hits back to back, such as Surfin’ Safari, Surfin’ USA, Little Surfer Girl, and Little Deuce Coupe. They would go on to sell 100 million records, one of the most popular groups of all time. And now at Christmas time, if you turn on the radio, you’d be hearing their newest song playing — Little Saint Nick. It was released as a single on December 9, 1963. Written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, it is a Christmas-themed hot rod song about Santa Claus and his sleigh. It was written in a similar vein as the group's past song Little Deuce Coupe, which had been released In July of 1963.

The single peaked at number 3 on Billboard magazine's special seasonal weekly Christmas Singles chart. Its B-side was an á capella version of The Lord’s Prayer. The following year, in November 1964, an alternate mix of Little Saint Nick appeared as the opening track on The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album.

Little Saint Nick was recorded on October 20, 1963 at Western Studio in Hollywood. The idea for the song was partly inspired by record producer Phil Spector’s plans to record a Christmas album. Wilson recalled: "I wrote the lyrics to it while I was out on a date and then I rushed home to finish the music." Some of its rhythm and structure derives from the group's Little Deuce Coupe, also co-written by Wilson and released as a single six months earlier. Love was not originally listed as the co-writer of Little Saint Nick. His credit was awarded after a 1990 lawsuit (every music story must involve lawyers - what would we do without them! (Don’t answer that!)

The fun Lyrics:

Little Saint Nick

Merry Christmas Saint Nick

Christmas comes this time each year

[Verse 1]

Well, way up north where the air gets cold

There's a tale about Christmas that you've all been told

And a real famous cat all dressed up in red

And he spends the whole year working out on his sled

[Chorus]

It's the little Saint Nick

[Verse 2]

Just a little bobsled we call it old Saint Nick

But she'll walk a toboggan with a four speed stick

She's candy-apple red with a ski for a wheel

And when Santa hits the gas, man, just watch her peel!

[Chorus]

It's the little Saint Nick

[Bridge]

Run, run, reindeer

He don't miss no one

Well, the song has that unmistakable Beach Boys sound and the distinctive harmonies that only they could create. Fortunately, the record makes it’s way back to the radio every Christmas, and gives us fond nostalgia about simpler times.

Sometimes, like maybe after hearing Blue Christmas too many times (I’m joking of course — it’s hardly possible to hear it too often!); but sometimes one just needs a lighthearted song to make you smile and tap your feet a little. This song does just that, which is why we keep hearing from it time after time. Take a moment below to check it out in case you haven’t heard it lately.

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Enjoy listening to The Beach Boys below.

Here are some favorite tracks from Spotify, as well as a couple of classic videos:

First, The Beach Boys on Spotify:

Little Saint Nick