"Must Be Santa" by Bob Dylan

It seems like a while since a truly classic Christmas song came along, and it might be a while longer. But Bob Dylan has taken a shot at it with his new polka-inspired Christmas ditty from his 2009 Christmas In the Heart album. Amazingly, this is his 47th album and Dylan has promised to give his entire royalties in perpetuity to the charity Feeding America. Dylan was born into a Jewish family and had a famous spell as a born-again Christian, but this holiday song is about secular merriment, not religious celebration. It's fun, it's spirited, it's Christmas; a future holiday classic --- we can only hope.

The video for "Must Be Santa" is a delight too: a raucous drunken Christmas party led by a strangely attired Dylan, complete with dancing, fights, bottles thrown, accordion playing, and an appearance by jolly St. Nick himself.

Video for "Must Be Santa" by Bob Dylan:


Lyrics to "Must Be Santa" by Bob Dylan:

Who's got a beard that's long and white?
Santa's got a beard that's long and white
Who comes around on a special night?
Santa comes around on a special night

Special Night, beard that's white
Must be Santa
Must be Santa
Must be Santa, Santa Clause

Who wears boots and a suit of red?
Santa wears boots and a suit of red
Who wears a long cap on his head?
Santa wears a long cap on his head

Cap on head, suit that's red
Special night, beard that's white
Must be Santa
Must be Santa
Must be Santa, Santa Clause

Who's got a big red cherry nose?
Santa's got a big red cherry nose
Who laughs this way "Ho, Ho, Ho?
Santa laughs this way "Ho, Ho, Ho"

Ho Ho Ho, cherry nose
Cap on head, suit that's red
Special night, beard that's white
Must be Santa
Must be Santa
Must be Santa, Santa Clause

Who very soon will come our way?
Santa very soon will come our way
Eight little reindeer pull his sleigh?
Santa's little reindeer pull his sleigh

Reindeer sleigh, come our way
Ho Ho Ho, cherry nose
Cap on head, suit that's red
Special night, beard that's white
Must be Santa
Must be Santa
Must be Santa, Santa Clause

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen,
Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon,
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen,
Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton

Reindeer sleigh, come our way
Ho Ho Ho, cherry nose
Cap on head, suit that's red
Special night, beard that's white
Must be Santa
Must be Santa
Must be Santa, Santa Clause