Santa Baby (3:24)

“Santa Baby” is a 1953 Christmas song written by Joan Javits (the niece of Senator Jacob K. Javits), Philip Springer, and Fred Ebb.[1] Although Tony Springer[2] is listed as co-writer, he was a legal fiction created for purposes of membership in the performing rights organization BMI.

The song is a tongue-in-cheek look at a Christmas list sung by a woman who wants the most extravagant gifts like sable, yachts, and decorations from Tiffany’s.

“Santa Baby” was originally sung and recorded in 1953 by Eartha Kitt. The song was a huge hit for Kitt, and she later said that it was one of her favorite songs to record. A sequel, “This Year’s Santa Baby”, was recorded by Kitt in 1954, to no commercial success; Kitt also reprised the original song for a 1963 re-recording with a more uptempo arrangement (Madonna’s popular rendition for the 1987 charity album A Very Special Christmas is based on this latter version). The song was featured in the 1989 film Driving Miss Daisy.