Santa Claus Is Back in Town

The song, set in a basic twelve-bar blues layout with three verses, consists of an elaborate double entendre in which the singer, identifying himself as Santa Claus but having no sleigh, reindeer or sack of toys, promises to arrive in "a big black Cadillac" with the intent of "coming down (a young woman's) chimney" Christmas Eve.^[5]

The song appeared on the original RCA Victor LP, Elvis' Christmas Album, the 1958 reissue, the 1970 RCA Camden reissue, the UK release of the Camden version, CDS 1155, the 1975 Pickwick reissue, and the 1985 RCA Special Products rerelease. The song also appeared on the 1982 RCA Memories of Christmas compilation, the 1994 BMG album If Every Day Was Like Christmas^[6] the 2003 BMG Christmas Peace collection, and the 2006 BMG Elvis Christmas album. The song was featured on the 2008 Presley album Christmas Duets in a duet with Wynonna Judd.

The song is the opening track on the 2017 album Christmas with Elvis and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

"Santa Claus Is Back In Town" was recorded on September 7, 1957, at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California. The musicians on the session were:

• Elvis Presley – vocals
• Scotty Moore – guitar
• Bill Black – bass
• D. J. Fontana – drums
• Dudley Brooks – piano
• Millie Kirkham and The Jordanaires (Gordon Stoker, Neal Matthews Jr., Hoyt Hawkins, and Hugh Jarrett) – backing vocals

Many musical artists have covered the song. Notably, Dwight Yoakam featured the song on his 1997 Christmas album Come On Christmas and released it as a single. The single reached #60 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

The song was covered by Nashville band, The Royal Court of China and featured, along with Floyd Cramer, Elvis Presley's original band, D. J. Fontana, Scotty Moore, Jimmy "Orion" Ellis, and The Jordanaires on MWC America Records. This was the last recording the original members appeared on together.

Another notable version was by Robert Plant and The Honeydrippers, as performed on Saturday Night Live on December 15, 1984.^[7] Jonny Lang covered it on 1997's A Very Special Christmas 3.^[8] Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul covered the song for the 2018 film The Christmas Chronicles.^[9][10]

Lainey Wilson performed the song live on the NBC holiday TV special Christmas at Graceland, which aired on Wednesday, November 29, 2023.^[11]

The recording was a top ten hit on the UK Singles Chart and a top five hit on the Billboard Christmas Singles chart. The single was certified Platinum by the RIAA.^[12]

• Iron Man 3 (2013)
• Fred Claus (2007)
• Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
• C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005)
• The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
• Bad Santa 2 (2016)
• The Christmas Chronicles (2018)

• Guralnick, Peter. The King of Rock 'n' Roll: The Complete 50's Masters, insert booklet. RCA 66050–2, 1992.
• Guralnick, Peter. From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential '60s Masters, insert booklet. RCA 66160–2, 1993.
• Guralnick, Peter (1994). Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley. Little Brown GBR. ISBN 978-0-316-91020-0.
• Hopkins, Jerry (1971). Elvis: A Biography. ISBN 978-0-671-20973-5.
• Wolfe, Charles. Elvis Presley: If Every Day Was Like Christmas, liner notes. BMG Australia Limited, 7863664822, 1994.

• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: 20 Essential Rock and Roll Holiday Songs.