Jackson 5 - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (Motown Records 1970)

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"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" is an American Christmas song with music and lyrics by Tommie Connor. The original recording in 1952 was by Jimmy Boyd when he was 13. The song describes a scene where a child creeps down from his bedroom to see his mother kissing "Santa Claus" (presumably his father in a Santa Claus costume) underneath the mistletoe. Boyd's record was condemned by the Roman Catholic Church in Boston when it was released on the grounds that it mixed kissing with Christmas, ignoring the fact that mistletoe, under which many couples kiss, is traditionally hung in many homes during the Christmas season. Boyd was photographed meeting with the Archdiocese to explain the song. After the meeting, the ban was lifted.

The Jackson 5, or Jackson Five, also known as The Jacksons in later years, was an American popular music group. Formed in 1964 under the name the Jackson Brothers, the founding members were Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael. After participating in talent shows and the chitlin' circuit, they entered the professional music scene in 1967, signing with Steeltown Records and releasing two singles with the Steeltown label. In 1969, the group left Steeltown Records and signed with Motown.

Jackson 5 Christmas Album is the first Christmas album, and fourth studio album, by Motown family quintet the Jackson 5, released on October 15, 1970. Included on the Christmas Album is the Jacksons' hit single version of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town". The Jacksons' versions of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" remain frequent radio requests during the Christmas season. The album spent four weeks at the number one position on Billboard magazine's special Christmas Albums chart that the magazine published in December 1970, making it the best-selling Christmas album of that year and also of the year 1972 in the United States. This album was a top seller and had the potential to chart high on the US Billboard Top LPs ranking, but from 1963 to 1973, holiday albums were not allowed to chart in it. The album has been praised by music critics.

In the US, the album was released on CD in 1986. In 2003, Universal Motown re-released the album as part of their 20th Century Masters - The Christmas Collection series. This version of the album was remastered and included the Michael Jackson solo song "Little Christmas Tree" as a bonus track (from the various artists compilation A Motown Christmas, originally released in 1973). In 2009, the album was once again re-released as Ultimate Christmas Collection, with Christmas greetings from four of the band members, remixes, and a medley of songs from the album.

I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus
Underneath the mistletoe last night.
She didn't see me creep
down the stairs to have a peep;
She thought that 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

I saw Mommy kissing kissing Santa Claus
I did I really did see mommy kissing Santa Claus
And I'm gonna tell my daddy

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

Oh, what a laugh it would have been
If Daddy had only seen
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night

I did, I really did see mommy kissing Santa Claus
You got to believe me, you just got to believe me
Come on fellas