A sultry Christmas blues where Santa brings more than just gifts “Santa Claus Is Back in Town” by Elvis Presley
“Santa Claus Is Back in Town” is not your usual jolly holiday carol it’s a gritty, bluesy declaration that Santa is “back,” but arriving not in a sleigh, but in a “big black Cadillac,” and Elvis Presley sings it with a mischievous grin and a knowing wink.
First recorded on September 7, 1957, at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, Elvis Presley’s version of this song opens what would become the beloved Elvis’ Christmas Album. The track was written by legendary songwriting duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who injected plenty of tongue-in-cheek “Santa swagger” into the lyrics. The song made its official release on October 15, 1957, as part of Elvis’s holiday LP.
On the charts, “Santa Claus Is Back in Town” saw interesting success. In the UK, the single (paired with “Santa, Bring My Baby Back to Me”) climbed to No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1957. Later on, a 1980 reissue of the song again entered the UK chart, peaking at No. 41. In the U.S., it was paired with “Blue Christmas” in a 1965 single and reached No. 4 on the Billboard Christmas Singles chart, a point of real seasonal resonance.
What gives this song its lasting power is not just Elvis’s voice, but his playful reinvention of Santa. In the lyrics, he promises that he’s got “no sleigh with reindeer / no sack on my back” instead, he’ll be showing up in style, in a Cadillac, sliding down “your chimney tonight.” The double meaning is clear: this Santa isn’t just bringing toys. It’s a flirtatious, slightly risqué Christmas serenade, blending blues, rock ’n’ roll, and cheeky holiday heat in a way that only Elvis could deliver.
Musically, the recording is tight and soulful. The backing band features Scotty Moore on guitar, Bill Black on bass, D.J. Fontana on drums, Dudley Brooks on piano, and backing vocals by Millie Kirkham and The Jordanaires. Their support gives the track a smooth, bluesy swing not the lush orchestral sound typical of many Christmas songs, but rather something raw, sultry, and slightly dangerous. Elvis’s vocal delivery matches that: he’s smooth but commanding, teasing and sincere all at once.
Beyond its fun and flirtatious surface, the song also carries a subversive energy. In a time when Christmas songs were mostly about peace, joy, and snow, Elvis (with Leiber & Stoller) brought in a darker, more adult edge reminding listeners that desire, love, and even a little rebellion belong in the winter night just as much as stockings and carols.
Over the years, “Santa Claus Is Back in Town” has become a rock-’n’-roll Christmas standard, covered by many artists and appearing on countless holiday compilations. Its swagger and bluesiness set it apart from gentler Christmas fare, and it remains one of Elvis’s most memorable seasonal performances.
For older listeners, especially, this song brings back memories of holiday records played on vinyl, of youthful December evenings, and of a time when Elvis’s voice could turn Christmas into something smoky, soulful, and utterly unforgettable. It’s not just a festive tune it’s a confident declaration, a “Santa with attitude” moment, and a reminder that even the most beloved myths can be reimagined.
In the end, Elvis Presley’s “Santa Claus Is Back in Town” is more than just a Christmas song. It’s a musical wink, a bluesy invitation, and a joyous shake-up of tradition delivered by a king who did things his own way, even at Christmastime.