Twelve Days of Winter #1. Bob Dylan: Must Be Santa
December 24, 2024
Colin Randall writes; Bob Dylan’s slice of seasonal whimsy Must Be Santa was released in 2009. Its pedigree goes back half a century earlier.
Written by Hal Moore and Bill Fredericks, it was recorded first by Mitch Miller as a Christmas single in 1960 and covered a year later by Tommy Steele and Joan Regan in the UK where it managed modest chart success (numbers 40 and 42 respectively).
Image from 2019: Raph_PH - DylanYoungKilkenny
Apparently developed from a German drinking song, the lyrics adopt a question-and-answer format in which different qualities are ascribed to Father Christmas.
Dylan injects US presidents into a coupling starting with the names of Santa's reindeer; his version follows with the names of several United States presidents (Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen / Carter, Reagan, Bush and Clinton).
For the New York Daily News, it was "sort of unclear if Dylan was aiming to celebrate the holiday, or gently poke fun at the music's Norman Rockwell-esque simplicity [Rockwell was a well-known painter and illustrator]".
If I am honest, I cannot be sure that even at 83, indeed especially at 83 since men tend to grow grumpier as they age, Dylan goes in much for gentle mockery. Taken at face value I’d say it’s infectious and jolly, no more than that, and eminently disposable.
But the reason it is here in my entries for Salut Live's winter compilation is that it is a song brought to my attention by a great friend, Pete Sixsmith.
Sixer told me a few years ago that he simply couldn’t get it out of his head. And nor, once told, could I.
Pete, I should say, is an occasional contributor to Salut! Live - nowhere as near often as we would like - but was also the reason so many people regarded my now defunct Salut! Sunderland as such an astute and literate site albeit for only - or mainly - supporters of one football club. As chance would have it, Pete’s allegiance is shared by most of those who have written here and by both the editor - me - and my deputy, Andrew Curry.
Sixer as Santa with elf-like friend, from last Christmas
Pete is also Santa, a man with absolutely the right bulky build and cheery array of facial hair to equip him for a stream of Christmas gigs, helpfully augmenting his teacher's pension, in shops and restaurants, football stadiums and trains and even in private houses.
This year, major surgery got in the way and this Santa was unable to venture from his Lapland. All, Pete and I are happy to report, seems to have gone well and continues to do so. And that happy or at least highly encouraging outcome. Must be Santa's gift to the deserving.
There’s a Spotify playlist of all of the songs in our 12 Days of Winter series, in case you need to feel festive while cooking, shopping, or driving over the next few days.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0TsxkVmVxprGwlXmtaJEfN?si=BTZTMegtS7GgySU62Bh7uA&pi=e-vML_FQ6DS2mt
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And if you like folk, folk-rock or acoustic music, why not visit the Salut! Live Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2902595146676633/.
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