Season's Greetings !
踏入每年的十二月, 聖誕節氣紛已在各地展現, 尤其是商業社會, 各樣的聖誕訊息像雪花四遍, 燈飾佈置, 禮物廣告, 五光十色, 聖詩歌曲, 不絕於耳。
曲與詞由英國作詞家 Tommie Conner 撰寫, 由 Jimmy Boyd 主唱, 於1952年7月15日完成録製, 在發行前早已交給各電台作介紹, 但是經試播後, 卻引來社會的議論, 聲稱歌曲的名字不妥, 看來好像是母親與聖誕老人有染的內容, 令致一些較保守的電台拒絕播放, 與及受到波士頓的 Roman Catholic Church 譴責。
後來經樂評業界的一些文章解釋, 這個聖誕老人是小孩的父親; 再經唱片公司前赴 "Council of Churches 教堂委員會" 再一解釋, 得到他們的背書及公佈, 認為是適合家庭的聖誕歌曲。幾個星期後, 售出達二百萬張, 至聖誕節前已售出近六千萬張。
Jimmy Boyd - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus 1952
I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus
Underneath the mistletoe last night.
She didn't see me creep
Down the stairs to have a peek
She thought I was tucked
Up in my bedroom fast asleep.
Then, I saw Mommy tickle Santa Claus
Underneath his beard so snowy white.
Oh, what a laugh it would have been,
If Daddy had only seen
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night!
Jimmy Boyd 1939年生於美國 Mississippi 密西西比州, 父親是棉花採摘工人, 辛勞養育全家21個兒女。祖父是小提琴手, 父親亦是善於口琴與結他彈奏, 全家生活在音樂的氣紛之下, 父子幾人常以歌舞自娛和一些社區活動表演。
他两歲時, 全家人要遷往南加州; 除父親外, 他們兄弟妺一眾和母親均乘搭火車; 父親因金錢拮据, 不夠盤川購票同行, 唯有全程在路上以搭順風貨運火車的方法, 前往與家庭相聚。Jimmy 九歲已得到父親傳授結他彈奏, 當父親沒有工作時, 帶他四出表演討活。
一次得到電台的經理邀請, 在每星期六晚上的一小時節目中演出, 每次酬金50元, 這給全家很大的幫助, 及後開始他的演藝事業, 在電台和電視節目亮相。
"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus""登上1952年12月27日的 "BILLBOARD POP SINGLE CHART" 榜首位置, 當年原唱歌手的 Jimmy Boyd 祇是13歲另347天。
在十位最年輕的榜首歌星紀錄當中, Jimmy Boyd 是排名第4位。
"TELL ME A STORY" 是他登上榜首後翌年和 Frankie Laine 合唱一首登上榜第四位的歌曲, 及後開始走進他的演藝事業。他更打破了 Las Vegas 拉斯維加斯的表演法例, 當年祇有13歲, 當局特准他在 Sand's Hotel 的 "Copa Room" 演出, 成了最年輕又未成年的演藝人, 能夠與巨星如 Frank Sinatra 和他一眾的 "Rat Pack 鼠兄弟" 同時期在當地不同酒店、賭場的舞台演出; 自此又和不少演藝名人, 在各地或一些電視綜藝節目同献藝。
FRANKIE LAINE AND JIMMY BOYD - "TELL ME A STORY"
Tell me story, tell me story
Tell me story, remember what you said
You promised me you said you would
You got to give in, so I'll be good
Tell me a story then I'll go to bed
Oh, worry, worry, weary ends my day
Comes the time to go home without my raise in pay
Home by the fire where a man can just relax
Slippers there by the chair, not a worry, not a care
Along comes Junior swinging his little axe
Tell me a story, tell me a story
Tell me a story, remember what you said
Tell me about the birds and bees
How do you make a chicken sneeze?
Tell me a story then I'll go to bed
Came home so late one evening last July
Played a little poker the time had passed me by
Shoes in my hand and my darlin' wife in bed
Up the stairs sayin' a prayer
Then a voice comes through the air
Hi you there, daddy
Remember what you said
Tell me a story, tell me a story
Tell me a story, remember what you said
Tell me how your eye got black
Because the doorway hit you back
Tell me a story then I'll go to bed
Once upon a time I remember long ago
Don't go back in history, your memory's kinda slow
Stop your noisy talkin' until I finish with my tale
Once upon a, upon a what
Upon your back, you'll get a swat
Tell me about the fish you caught
That's was bigger than a whale
Tell me a story, tell me a story
Tell me a story, remember what you said
You promised me, you said you would
You gotta give in, so I'll be good
Here's a tale you'll never forget
(Tap, tap, tap)
Ouch, my tails all red
And now get up to bed
Ha, ha come on daddy, tell me a story, hee, hee
Tell me story, remember what you said
You promised me you said you would
You got to give in, so I'll be good
Tell me a story then I'll go to bed
Oh, worry, worry, weary ends my day
Comes the time to go home without my raise in pay
Home by the fire where a man can just relax
Slippers there by the chair, not a worry, not a care
Along comes Junior swinging his little axe
Tell me a story, tell me a story
Tell me a story, remember what you said
Tell me about the birds and bees
How do you make a chicken sneeze?
Tell me a story then I'll go to bed
Came home so late one evening last July
Played a little poker the time had passed me by
Shoes in my hand and my darlin' wife in bed
Up the stairs sayin' a prayer
Then a voice comes through the air
Hi you there, daddy
Remember what you said
Tell me a story, tell me a story
Tell me a story, remember what you said
Tell me how your eye got black
Because the doorway hit you back
Tell me a story then I'll go to bed
Once upon a time I remember long ago
Don't go back in history, your memory's kinda slow
Stop your noisy talkin' until I finish with my tale
Once upon a, upon a what
Upon your back, you'll get a swat
Tell me about the fish you caught
That's was bigger than a whale
Tell me a story, tell me a story
Tell me a story, remember what you said
You promised me, you said you would
You gotta give in, so I'll be good
Here's a tale you'll never forget
(Tap, tap, tap)
Ouch, my tails all red
And now get up to bed
Ha, ha come on daddy, tell me a story, hee, hee
他有两段婚姻在1960和1980年, 但祇能維持两年和四年而已; 自此, 他過着餘下的獨居生活, 至2009年3月7日因癌病離世, 享年70歲。他自幼開始, 一生帶給人們的歡樂, 最後以一顆 Jimmy Boyd 的名人星, 鑲嵌在荷李活大道 7021 Hollywood Boulevard 當中的 "Hollywood Walk of Fame" 路上, 作嘉許和紀念這位對演藝甚有貢献的巨星。 Jimmy Boyd (January 9, 1939 – March 7, 2009)
John Mellencamp - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - 1987
