track

Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) - 1947 Version

1947Released
2:30

Did You Know?

Interesting facts and trivia about Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) - 1947 Version. By Songfacts®.

Gene Autry wrote this Christmas classic about his experience riding his world-famous horse, Champion, in the annual Santa Claus Lane Parade (now known as the Hollywood Boulevard Christmas Parade). Seems Autry was just a few positions in front of Old Saint Nick in the 1946 parade. While he was riding, the kids could not care less about the Singing Cowboy or his trusty steed - they were screaming, "Here comes Santa Claus, Here comes Santa Claus!" (Or "Santy Claus," as Autry pronounces it.)

When Autry was asked to record the Christmas song "An Old Fashioned Tree," it spurred him to work on the idea for his own festive tune celebrating Santa's arrival. After he wrote the lyrics, he gave them to composer Oakley Haldeman, who was also the head of his publishing company, to add the music. With Columbia A&R chief "Uncle" Art Satherley in tow, Haldeman brought the tune to country singer Johnny Bond to record a demo. Legend has it, Uncle Art sipped a cocktail near the microphone while Bond sang, and the tinkling ice cubes heard in the background inspired them to add sleigh bells to Autry's version.

Autry first released this, backed by "An Old Fashioned Tree," on October 6, 1947 in plenty of time for Christmas. The single landed in the Top 10 of the country and pop charts, opening a new avenue in his career as a holiday hitmaker. With "Here Comes Santa Claus" under his belt, plenty of songwriters pitched him ideas for Christmas tunes, hoping for another yuletide hit. One of them was Johnny Marks, who presented him with "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer." Autry initially turned him down, but his wife convinced him to reconsider. The single went to #1 on the pop chart in 1949 and sold 2.5 million copies the first year, on its way to 25 million. He also issued popular renditions of "O Little Town Of Bethlehem" and "Frosty The Snowman."

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Song Analysis

Key, BPM (tempo) and time signature of Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) - 1947 Version.
C♯Key
MajorMode
4/4Time Signature
97BPM

Album

The album Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) - 1947 Version is released on.

Released By

The record label that has released Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) - 1947 Version.
Columbia/Legacy
Originally Released 1947, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956 Sony Music Entertainment Inc., (P) 2003 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.

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