"Must Be Santa" is a Christmas song written by Hal
Moore and Bill Fredericks and first released in November 1960
by Mitch Miller on Columbia. A cover version by Tommy
Steele reached Number 40 on the UK Singles Chart in the same
year.
Based on a German drinking song, (the Schnitzelbank song)
"Must Be Santa" is structured as a call and response, with the
lead singer posing the question of who has a certain feature, with a chorus
responding that Santa Claus has said feature. After every other
verse, the list of features mentioned up to that point is reiterated,
followed by the chorus of "must be Santa" repeated three times and
ending with "Santa Claus."
Example:
Lead
singer: Who laughs this way, ho ho ho?Chorus: Santa laughs this way, ho ho ho!All: Ho ho ho, cherry nose, cap on head, suit that's red...
