"Santa Baby" is a 1953 Christmas song written by Joan Javits (the niece of Senator Jacob K. Javits) and Philip Springer. Although Tony Springer is listed as co-writer, he was a legal fiction created for purposes of membership in the performing rights organization BMI

Broadcast Music Incorporated

Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...

.

The song is a tongue-in-cheek

Tongue-in-cheek

Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...

 look at a Christmas list sung by a woman who wants extravagant gifts such as sable

Sable

The sable is a species of marten which inhabits forest environments, primarily in Russia from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, in northern Mongolia and China and on Hokkaidō in Japan. Its range in the wild originally extended through European Russia to Poland and Scandinavia...

s, yacht

Yacht

A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...

s, and decorations from Tiffany's

Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany & Co. is an American jewelry and silverware company. As part of its branding, the company is strongly associated with its Tiffany Blue , which is a registered trademark.- History :...

.

Original recording

"Santa Baby" was originally recorded by Eartha Kitt

Eartha Kitt

Eartha Mae Kitt was an American singer, actress, and cabaret star. She was perhaps best known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 hit recordings of "C'est Si Bon" and the enduring Christmas novelty smash "Santa Baby." Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the...

 with Henri René

Henri René

Henri René was an American-born German producer, conductor and arranger. René mother's was German and his father French; while young, his family moved to Germany, and René studied at the Royal Berlin Academy of Music. Returning to the U.S. in the mid 1920s, he began appearing with several...

 and his orchestra in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 on October 6, 1953. It was released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-5502 (in the USA), and by EMI

EMI

The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...

 on the His Master's Voice label as catalog number B 10728. The song was a huge hit for Kitt, and she later said that it was one of her favorite songs to record; she reprised it in the 1954 film New Faces

New Faces (film)

New Faces is a 1954 American film adaptation of the musical revue New Faces of 1952 directed by Harry Horner and sketches directed by John Beal...

. Kitt also reprised the original song in a 1963 re-recording for Kapp Records

Kapp Records

Kapp Records was an independent record label started in 1954 by David Kapp, brother of Jack Kapp . David Kapp founded his own label after stints with Decca Records and RCA Victor Records. Kapp licensed its records to London Records for release in the UK.In 1967, David Kapp sold his label to MCA Inc...

, with a more uptempo arrangement. (Madonna

Madonna (entertainer)

Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...

's popular rendition for the 1987 charity album A Very Special Christmas

A Very Special Christmas (album)

A Very Special Christmas is the first in a series of Christmas-themed compilation albums produced to benefit Special Olympics. The album was released in 1987, and production was overseen by Jimmy Iovine for A&M Records...

is based on this latter version.) In 1954, Eartha Kitt

Eartha Kitt

Eartha Mae Kitt was an American singer, actress, and cabaret star. She was perhaps best known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 hit recordings of "C'est Si Bon" and the enduring Christmas novelty smash "Santa Baby." Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the...

 recorded a new version of the song with new lyrics titled "This Year's Santa Baby", to no commercial success. Writers listed did not change. The song was featured in the 1989 film Driving Miss Daisy

Driving Miss Daisy

Driving Miss Daisy is a 1989 American comedy-drama film adapted from the Alfred Uhry play of the same name. The film was directed by Bruce Beresford, with Morgan Freeman reprising his role as Hoke Colburn and Jessica Tandy playing Miss Daisy...

.

Cover versions

"Santa Baby" has been covered

Cover version

In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...

 in recorded and live performances by many artists throughout the years, including Maria Muldaur

Maria Muldaur

Maria Muldaur is a folk-blues singer who was part of the American folk music revival in the early 1960s...

, Everclear

Everclear (band)

Everclear is a rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1992 best known for their radio hits spanning more than a decade. For most of its existence, Everclear has consisted of Art Alexakis , Craig Montoya , and Greg Eklund . Eklund replaced original drummer Scott Cuthbert in 1994...

, RuPaul

RuPaul

RuPaul Andre Charles , best known as simply RuPaul, is an American actor, drag queen, model, author, and singer-songwriter, who first became widely known in the 1990s when he appeared in a wide variety of television programs, films, and musical albums. Previously, he was a fixture on the Atlanta...

, Kate Ceberano

Kate Ceberano

Kate Ceberano is an Australian singer. She achieved success in the soul, jazz and pop genres as well as in her brief forays into musicals with Jesus Christ Superstar and film...

, Homer & Jethro, Taylor Horn

Taylor Horn

Taylor Ashley Horn is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress from Kentwood, Louisiana. She now goes by the stage name of Princess Bambi Monroe....

, Shakira

Shakira

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...

, Madonna

Madonna (entertainer)

Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...

, Britney Spears

Britney Spears

Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...

, Jhene

Jhene

Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo , is an American Pop/R&B singer/song writer. She was formerly signed to T.U.G./Epic Records, but left to continue her education. She was also well known as "Lil' Fizz's cousin", however, she is not related to him...

, Macy Gray

Macy Gray

Macy Gray is a Grammy Award-winning American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress, famed for her distinctive raspy voice, and a singing style heavily influenced by Billie Holiday and Betty Davis.Gray has released five studio albums, with her fifth studio album, The Sellout,...

, Natalie Merchant

Natalie Merchant

Natalie Anne Merchant is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She joined the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and left it to begin her solo career in 1993.-Early life:...

, Faith Evans

Faith Evans

Faith Renée Evans is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, Evans relocated to Los Angeles during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B...

, Gino Frisella, Boney James

Boney James

Boney James, is a saxophonist, songwriter and producer who popularized urban jazz...

, Kylie Minogue

Kylie Minogue

Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...

, Ste van Holm

Ste van Holm

Ste van Holm is a Danish musician and video artist living in North Zealand, Denmark....

, The Pussycat Dolls, LeAnn Rimes

LeAnn Rimes

LeAnn Rimes is an American country/pop singer. She is known for her rich vocals and her rise to fame as an eight-year-old champion on the original Ed McMahon version of Star Search, followed by the release of the Patsy Cline-intended single "Blue" when Rimes was only age 13, resulting in her...

, Kellie Pickler

Kellie Pickler

Kellie Dawn Pickler is an American country music artist and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol, eventually finishing in sixth place. In 2006, she signed to 19 Recordings and BNA Records as a recording artist, releasing...

, Mae West

Mae West

Mae West was an American actress, playwright, screenwriter and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned seven decades....

, Paloma Faith

Paloma Faith

Paloma Faith is a British singer-songwriter and actress. In 2009, she released her debut single "Stone Cold Sober", then her debut album, Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?, which was certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry. Her debut album stayed within the top 40 album...

 and Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift

Taylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America...

, as well as in an Ally McBeal

Ally McBeal

Ally McBeal is an American legal comedy-drama series which aired on the Fox network from 1997 to 2002. The series was created by David E. Kelley, who also served as the executive producer, along with Bill D'Elia...

episode by the title character (Calista Flockhart

Calista Flockhart

Calista Kay Flockhart is an American actress who is primarily recognized for her work in television. She is best known for playing the title character in the Fox comedy-drama series Ally McBeal for which she won a Golden Globe Award...

), by Chris Mitchell, and by The Swingle Singers

The Swingle Singers

The Swingle Singers are a mostly a cappella vocal group formed in 1962 in Paris, France by Ward Swingle with Anne Germain, Jeanette Baucomont, Jean Cussac and others. Christiane Legrand, the sister of composer Michel Legrand, was the group's lead soprano through 1972. Until 2011 the group...

 as well as Girls' Generation

Girls' Generation

Girls' Generation is a nine-member South Korean electropop girl group formed by S.M. Entertainment in 2007. The nine members are: Taeyeon , Jessica, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona and Seohyun...

. Miss Piggy

Miss Piggy

Miss Piggy is a Muppet character who was primarily played by Frank Oz on The Muppet Show. In 2001, Eric Jacobson began performing the role, although Oz did not officially retire until 2002....

 sang the song in the film It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie

It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie

It's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie is a 2002 television film that aired on NBC on November 29, 2002. The film is directed by Kirk Thatcher, written by Tom Martin and Jim Lewis and stars the Muppets and was filmed at Lionsgate Studios. The film revolves a plot similar to "It's A Wonderful...

and recorded another version for the album A Green and Red Christmas. The song was also recently covered by Adrianna Tate-Duncan

Adrianna Tate-Duncan

Adrianna "Ade" Tate-Duncan is a fictional character on The CW television series 90210, the fourth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise...

 (Jessica Lowndes

Jessica Lowndes

Jessica Lowndes is a Canadian actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Adrianna Tate-Duncan on TV series 90210.-Personal life:Jessica Suzanne Lowndes was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...

) on 90210

90210 (TV series)

90210 is an American teen drama television series developed by Rob Thomas, Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs, and the fourth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise created by Darren Star. 90210 is the first series produced by CBS Productions under the company's re-launch, but is now produced by CBS...

 in the episode 'Holiday Madness' which aired on December 6, 2010 and it will also be sung by Santana Lopez

Santana Lopez

Santana Lopez is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Naya Rivera, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Santana was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan...

 (Naya Rivera

Naya Rivera

Naya Marie Rivera is an American actress and singer known for her role in the musical comedy television series Glee, as cheerleader Santana Lopez.-Early life:...

) on an upcoming episode of Glee

Glee (TV series)

Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...

.

Vanessa L. Williams

Vanessa L. Williams

Vanessa Lynn Williams is an American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal generated by her having posed for nude photographs published in Penthouse magazine...

, Patti LaBelle

Patti LaBelle

Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...

, and Eartha Kitt

Eartha Kitt

Eartha Mae Kitt was an American singer, actress, and cabaret star. She was perhaps best known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 hit recordings of "C'est Si Bon" and the enduring Christmas novelty smash "Santa Baby." Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the...

 performed the song in the 2001 animated Christmas TV special entitled Santa Baby!.

The version recorded by the Pussycat Dolls

Pussycat Dolls

The Pussycat Dolls are an American pop girl group and dance ensemble based in Los Angeles; currently consisting of Lauren Bennett, Vanessa Curry, Kristal "Lyndriette" Smith, Tiffany "Taz" Zavala, Kia Hampton and Paula Van Oppen. The Pussycat Dolls were founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995...

 entered the Top 70 Billboard charts

Billboard charts

The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...

 in the Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

, peaking at #21. Although it was a b-side the song picked up radio airplay in the Philippines. This version also appeared as track 1 on CD 1 of The Perfect Christmas 2006 album.

Rev Run

Joseph Simmons

Joseph Ward Simmons , known by the stage name Rev. Run or DJ Run, is one of the founding members of the influential hip hop group Run–D.M.C., and a practicing minister, known as Reverend Run. Simmons was born in Hollis, Queens, New York. He is the younger brother of Daniel "Danny" Simmons, Jr...

 re-recorded this song for 1997's A Very Special Christmas, Vol. 3

A Very Special Christmas 3

A Very Special Christmas 3 is the third in a series of Christmas-themed compilation albums produced to benefit Special Olympics. The album was released on 23 September 1997, and production was overseen by Bobby Shriver, Al Cafaro, and Linda Feder for A&M Records.-Track listing:# "I Saw Three...

with different lyrics. The track also features several guest performers such as Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg

Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...

, Mase

Mase

Mason Durell Betha , better known by stage name Mase who was previously known as Murda Ma$e, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor and inspirational speaker...

, Salt and Pepa, Onyx, Keith Murray

Keith Murray (rapper)

Keith Murray is an American rapper and a member of the rap trio Def Squad, which includes fellow rappers Redman and Erick Sermon.-Music career:...

, and Puff Daddy.

Les Paul

Les Paul

Lester William Polsfuss —known as Les Paul—was an American jazz and country guitarist, songwriter and inventor. He was a pioneer in the development of the solid-body electric guitar which made the sound of rock and roll possible. He is credited with many recording innovations...

 performed the song live in December 2006.

In December 2007, Kylie Minogue

Kylie Minogue

Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...

's version of the song reached #76 in the UK due to download sales. It was first released as a b-side to her 2000 single "Please Stay

Please Stay

"Please Stay" is a song by Australian singer and songwriter Kylie Minogue, for her seventh studio album Light Years . The song was written by Minogue, Richard Stannard, Julian Gallagher and John Themis, while it was produced by Stannard and Gallagher. The song was chosen as the fourth single off...

" (released in December of that year), which charted #10 in the UK. The song was also inclueded as a b-side to her version of the Christmas classic "Let It Snow". Both were released during December 2010 on iTunes. On the 23 December 2010, Kylie released the video for Santa Baby via YouTube

YouTube

YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....

. Minogue's version of the song is featured in the 2006 film, The Holiday

The Holiday

The Holiday is a 2006 American romantic comedy film written, produced and directed by Nancy Meyers. Distributed by Columbia Pictures and Universal Studios, it stars Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet as two lovelorn women from opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean, who temporarily exchange homes to...

.

In 2007's This Christmas starring R&B singer Chris Brown and Lauren London

Lauren London

Lauren Nicole London is an American film and television actress, model, and occasional music video actress. Beginning her career in music videos and later transitioning into film and television, London earned recognition for her performances in the film ATL as well as the television shows 90210...

 "Santa Baby" was performed by Lina in the opening credits.

The song was released by UK girl group, Sugababes

Sugababes

The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...

 as their 2009 Christmas promo single. The Dollyrots

The Dollyrots

The Dollyrots are an American pop punk band composed of Kelly Ogden and Luis Cabezas . They have released three studio albums and are currently signed to the Blackheart Records label.-Formation:...

 recorded a cover for the 2009 compilation album A Blackheart Christmas.

Pink Martini

Pink Martini

Pink Martini is a 13-member "little orchestra" from Portland, Oregon, formed in 1994 by pianist Thomas M. Lauderdale. They draw inspiration from music from all over the world – crossing genres of classical, jazz and old-fashioned pop.-History:...

 feature the song on their CD Joy to the World released in November 2010.

In December 2010, "Santa Baby" was performed in a commercial for the Soap Opera One Life to Live

One Life to Live

One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...

. In the commercial Kristen Alderson

Kristen Alderson

Kristen DeAnn Alderson is an American actress and occasional singer.-Early life:Alderson was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania to Richard and Kathy Alderson...

, Kelley Missal

Kelley Missal

Kelley Rose Missal is an American actress.- Career :Missal currently portrays Danielle Manning on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. She auditioned for the role in 2009 and was immediately cast after her screen test. Missal and the role were met with critical acclaim...

, Brittany Underwood

Brittany Underwood

Brittany Underwood is an American actress from New Jersey. She is most recognizable for her role as teenager Langston Wilde, Starr Manning's closest and most loyal friend, on the daytime soap opera One Life to Live, a role she originated in 2006.Underwood's first television role was in an episode...

 and Kassie DePaiva

Kassie DePaiva

Kassie DePaiva is an American soap opera actress and singer. She was credited prior to 1996 as Kassie Wesley.-Private life:...

 performed as their on-screen characters Starr Manning

Starr Manning

Starr Irene Manning is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. Portrayed by Kristen Alderson since 1998, Starr is the oldest child of Todd Manning and Blair Cramer, and was originally known for her mischievous behavior, exacerbated by her parents' volatile...

, Danielle Manning, Langston Wilde

Langston Wilde

Langston Wilde Cramer is a fictional character on ABC's daytime drama One Life to Live. She has been played by Brittany Underwood from May 17, 2006 til April 12, 2011...

 and Blair Cramer

Blair Cramer

Blair Cramer is a fictional character on the American daytime drama One Life to Live...

 alongside Nic Robuck, Lenny Platt and David Gregory as James Ford

James Ford

James Ford may refer to:*James A. Ford, American archaeologist*James Ford , benefactor of the Ford Lectures at Oxford University*James Ford , cricketer*James Ford , American newsreader and journalist for WPIX...

, Nate Salinger

Nate Salinger

Nathaniel "Nate" Q. Salinger is a fictional character from the ABC original soap opera One Life to Live. The role is currently portrayed by Lenny Platt since April 12, 2010, and was on recurring status. He was put on contract in late October 2010....

 and Robert Ford

Robert Ford

Robert Ford may refer to:*Robert Ford , the man who killed Jesse James*Robert Ford , poet and Canadian diplomat*Robert Ford , member of the South Carolina Senate...

, respectively. Veteran OLTL Actor Robert S. Woods

Robert S. Woods

Robert Sosebee Woods is an American actor best known for playing Bo Buchanan on the ABC soap One Life to Live, a role for which he won a 1983 Daytime Emmy Award for Lead Actor.-Early life:...

 plays Santa Claus

Santa Claus

Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...

 in the commercial.

Michael Bublé

Michael Bublé

Michael Steven Bublé is a Canadian singer. He has won several awards, including three Grammy Awards and multiple Juno Awards. His first album reached the top ten in Canada and the UK. He found worldwide commercial success with his 2005 album It's Time, and his 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible was...

 covered this song for his 2011 Christmas album Christmas

Christmas (Michael Bublé album)

Christmas is the fifth studio album and first full-length Christmas album by Canadian crooner Michael Bublé. The album was released on October 21, 2011 in Ireland in Brown Thomas Dublin, October 24, 2011 in the United Kingdom, and October 25, 2011 in the United States. On the week ending 10...

, some of the lyrics were changed to give a more masculine feel (such as referring to him as Santa "Buddy" instead of "Baby").

VersaEmerge

VersaEmerge

VersaEmerge is an American rock band consisting of Sierra Kusterbeck and Blake Harnage, originating from Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA, currently signed to the label Fueled by Ramen. They have three EPs - Cities Built on Sand, Perceptions, and the self-titled release. Their debut album, Fixed at...

 covered this song for the Fueled By Ramen

Fueled by Ramen

Fueled by Ramen is an American record label which operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records. The label, founded in Gainesville, Florida, is based in New York City...

Holiday Sale's. It'll be available on iTunes on the 20th of December