If you’ve ever found yourself screaming about cherry noses and reindeer in a crowded bar or at a chaotic family gathering, you’ve likely encountered the specific madness of the lyrics for must be santa. It isn’t just a song. It's a high-speed, call-and-response endurance test that has been confusing and delighting listeners for over sixty years.
Most people know the Bob Dylan version, which is basically a fever dream captured on film. But the history of these lyrics goes way deeper than a Nobel laureate in a wig.
The Drinking Song Roots You Didn’t Expect
Believe it or not, this Christmas staple is actually a "contrafactum." That’s a fancy musicologist term for taking a melody from one song and slapping new words on it. In this case, songwriters Hal Moore and Bill Fredericks looked at a traditional German drinking song called "Schnitzelbank" and thought, "Yeah, this would work for Santa Claus."
The original "Schnitzelbank" is a pedagogical tool and a game. It uses a poster with pictures—a bench, a chair, a tall man—and the leader asks, "Ist das nicht eine Schnitzelbank?" (Is this not a carving bench?). The crowd roars back, "Ja, das ist eine Schnitzelbank!"
Moore and Fredericks kept that exact DNA. Instead of carving benches, they went with:
- Call: Who’s got a beard that’s long and white?
- Response: Santa’s got a beard that’s long and white!
It’s simple. It’s effective. And honestly, it’s designed to be sung by people who have had a few too many glasses of eggnog.
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Why the Mitch Miller Original Still Slaps
The song first hit the airwaves in November 1960 via Mitch Miller. If you aren't a boomer or a music history nerd, Mitch Miller was the king of the "Sing Along." He had a massive TV show where a bouncing ball would literally jump over the lyrics on the screen.
His version of "Must Be Santa" is peak 1960s wholesome. It’s bouncy, polished, and features a choir that sounds like they’ve never had a bad day in their lives. This version cemented the "cumulative" structure of the song. Every time you finish a verse, you have to recap the previous ones in reverse order. It’s like "The Twelve Days of Christmas," but at double the speed and with significantly more yelling.
Bob Dylan and the Presidential Reindeer
Fast forward to 2009. Bob Dylan releases Christmas in the Heart. Most critics thought it was a prank. Then they heard his take on "Must Be Santa," and the world collectively lost its mind.
Dylan didn't just cover the song; he turned it into a polka-rock riot inspired by the Texas band Brave Combo. He also took some creative liberties with the lyrics for must be santa during the reindeer roll call.
In the traditional version, you get the standard lineup: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen. Dylan, being Dylan, decided to mix in some 20th-century political history. His version goes:
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"Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen / Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon / Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen / Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton."
It’s bizarre. It shouldn’t work. Yet, it’s become the definitive version for a new generation. The music video—directed by Nash Edgerton—features Dylan in a long blonde wig, a fistfight, and someone jumping through a window. It perfectly captures the chaotic energy the lyrics demand.
The Raffi Factor: Teaching Kids the Response
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum is Raffi. For many parents and kids, the 1976 version from Singable Songs for the Very Young is the gold standard.
Raffi keeps it clean. No presidents, no window-jumping. But he utilizes the call-and-response format as a brilliant developmental tool. It teaches kids sequence and memory. By the time you get to the final verse, you’re reciting:
- Reindeer sleigh
- Come our way
- Ho ho ho
- Cherry nose
- Cap on head
- Suit that's red
- Special night
- Beard that's white
It’s basically a rhythmic memory palace.
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The Mystery of the "Special Night"
There’s a slight lyrical variation that fans argue about. Is it "Who comes around on a special night?" or "Who comes around on a snowy night?"
The original 1960 sheet music and the Mitch Miller recording lean heavily into "special night." However, because the song has been passed down like folklore, many school choir versions and local covers have swapped it for "snowy night."
Strictly speaking, if you’re looking for the "authentic" lyrics, stick with "special." It keeps the mystery of Santa's arrival intact without pinning it on a weather report.
How to Win Your Next Holiday Singalong
If you’re planning to perform this or just want to not look like an idiot at the office party, there are three things you have to nail:
- The Tempo: The song must accelerate. If the last "Santa Claus!" isn't at least 20% faster than the first one, you’re doing it wrong.
- The Pointing: Since it's based on "Schnitzelbank," you should technically be pointing to the features as you sing them. Point to your chin for the beard, your head for the cap, and your nose for the "ho ho ho" (well, point to your belly for that one).
- The Shout: The "Must be Santa!" lines aren't meant to be sung pretty. They are meant to be shouted.
The enduring appeal of the lyrics for must be santa is that they don't ask you to be a good singer. They ask you to be a loud one. Whether you're following the Mitch Miller choir, Raffi’s gentle guidance, or Bob Dylan’s presidential polka, the goal is the same: communal, noisy joy.
To get the most out of your holiday playlist, compare the Dylan and Mitch Miller versions side-by-side. You'll notice how the same words can feel like a Sunday school lesson or a barroom brawl depending on the accordion player's mood. Start by practicing the "reindeer-to-beard" reverse sequence, as that's where most people trip up during the third verse.