Story Behind The Song

I was asked to perform a Christmas song for a local PBS Show called Backstage Pass along with other artists featured on the show. But all the best traditional Christmas songs had been taken so I wrote this for the show and it was a big hit with the studio audience.

Song Description

Santa gets arrested for crawling on a roof and having no ID but when they bring him to the judge in Night court the judge dares him to prove he's the real Santa and Santa does so by telling him about his childhood puppy "Buddy" and gives him a special gift that reaches his cold heart.

Lyrics

Sants's In Jail
music/lyrics by Rusty Wright

Chorus:
Christmas is sure to fail
Santa is stuck in jail
Mrs. Clause freaked and the elves are on the street
Tryin' to raise money for bail.
Christmas is sure to fail
If we can't get Santa out a jail.

1st verse:
Santa was on his way with a whole lotta stuff in his sleigh
But at the very first stop he was spotted by a cop who said,
"Man, what you doin' up on that rooftop?"
If you ain't got no ID, you're gonna have to come along with me.

Repeat Chorus

2nd verse:
So they took him to the judge in the middle of the night
an the judge said, "Yea, I think you're nuts all right"
But I'll give you one chance to prove me wrong
Make me believe you're the real Santa Clause
An if you can do that right, I'll let you sleep it off at home tonight.

Santa hunkered down low. He put his finger on the side of his nose
An he started hummin' Christmas carols real low

...he said,

"When you were five years old your name was Greg
You left me milk and cookies and a note that said,
Dear Santa, all I really want is a puppy
I'll love him forever and I'll name him Buddy,
And so you did for fifteen years till Buddy passed away
and you cried many tears and you lost your faith like so many do
But I got a little somethin' to tell you that's true
The love you give never really goes away
And it all comes back on Christmas day
So here's a little somethin' that I want to give to ya"

And Santa handed him a puppy named Buddy Jr.

3rd verse:
Well the judge sat back and his face turned white
His lip started quiverin' there were tears in his eyes
He looked at that puppy wrapped up in his sleeves and said,
"GOOD GOD A MIGHTY, I BELIEVE!!!"
Bailiff, set that man free. He's got things to do. It's Christmas eve!

Last Chorus:
Christmas is sure to succeed
Santa has been set free
Everythings all right cause the judge saw the light
Now everybody got to believe
And as he rode off out of sight, he said,
"A Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!"

END