About The Song
“Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)” is a Christmas song first recorded by Gene Autry for Columbia Records in 1947. Most publishing sources credit the song to Gene Autry and Oakley Haldeman, though some later references also list Harriet Melka as a co-writer. Autry cut the master at Columbia’s Hollywood studios on August 28, 1947, and Columbia issued it that autumn as single 37942, pairing “Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)” with “An Old Fashioned Tree” on the flip side. Copyright entries show the song being published in November 1947 through Gene Autry’s own music publishing company.
The idea for the song came from the 1946 Santa Claus Lane Parade in Los Angeles (now the Hollywood Christmas Parade). Riding his horse Champion ahead of Santa’s float, Autry noticed that the children lining Hollywood Boulevard were not calling out his name but shouting, “Here comes Santa Claus!” again and again. He mentioned the phrase to music publisher Oakley Haldeman, and the two developed it into a Christmas song. Autry’s official site and later biographies repeat this parade story as the origin of both the title and the concept. The lyric mixes the secular Santa Claus imagery with a Christian message, closing one verse with the line about “peace on Earth” for those who “follow the light.”
Before Autry entered the studio, guitarist and songwriter Johnny Bond prepared a demo at home. According to Holly George-Warren’s biography of Autry, Bond recorded the song with a drink in his hand, and the clink of ice cubes on the acetate suggested the idea of adding sleigh bells to the finished record. When Autry cut his version on August 28, 1947, the arrangement featured his vocal with accompaniment from Johnny Bond on guitar, members of the Cass County Boys on vocals and bass, and a small studio ensemble with violin, accordion, horns and jingle bells. The single was released in time for the 1947 holiday season and quickly established Autry’s connection with Christmas music.
Lyrically, “Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)” is a simple narrative designed to be easily remembered by children. The opening lines announce Santa’s arrival “right down Santa Claus Lane,” followed by references to reindeer, sleigh bells, stockings and bedtime. Later verses introduce the religious element, promising that “peace on Earth will come to all if we just follow the light” and urging listeners to “give thanks to the Lord above, ’cause Santa Claus comes tonight.” This combination of Santa imagery and church language is one of the features that distinguishes the song from some of Autry’s other holiday hits.
On release, Autry’s recording performed strongly on the national charts. Contemporary Billboard data and later reconstructions list the 1947–48 single as reaching No. 5 on the U.S. country (then “folk”) chart and No. 9 on the Best Sellers in Stores pop chart. The record sold in the millions over its first few Christmas seasons and has since been recognized as a gold record. The song also became a recurrent holiday favorite, returning to seasonal airplay lists over many years and, in the streaming era, entering modern charts such as the Billboard Holiday 100 and Rolling Stone’s Top 100 songs during December.
Autry re-recorded “Here Comes Santa Claus” at least twice. A 1953 Columbia session produced a new version with the King Sisters and updated orchestration, released on the EP Christmas Fun, and he cut another version in 1957 for his own Challenge label. These later recordings appeared on Christmas LPs and reissue compilations, but the original 1947 Columbia single remains the best-known and most frequently licensed version. Gene Autry’s own site notes that this first recording effectively launched his parallel identity as a “Christmas cowboy,” later reinforced by hits such as “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
Over time, “Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)” has become a standard in the holiday repertoire. It has been recorded by many artists, including Doris Day, Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters, Elvis Presley, the Ray Conniff Singers, Willie Nelson and numerous others in pop, country and choral styles. Autry’s original version, however, continues to serve as the reference point for the melody, tempo and general feel of the song. Alongside “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Frosty the Snowman,” it is one of the key tracks that link Gene Autry’s singing-cowboy career with the enduring catalogue of mid-20th-century Christmas music.
Video
Lyric
Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus
Right down Santa Claus Lane
Vixen and Blitzen and all his reindeers
Pullin’ on the reins
Bells are ringin’, children singin’
All is merry and bright
So hang your stockings and say your prayers
‘Cause Santa Claus comes tonightHere comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus
Right down Santa Claus Lane
He’s got a bag that’s filled with toys
For boys and girls again
Hear those sleigh bells jingle jangle
Oh, what a beautiful sight
So jump in bed and cover your head
‘Cause Santa Claus comes tonightHere comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus
Right down Santa Claus Lane
He doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor
He loves you just the same
Santa Claus knows we’re all God’s children
That makes everything right
So fill your hearts with Christmas cheer
‘Cause Santa Claus comes tonight
See upcoming country shows
Get tickets for your favorite artists
You might also like
Frosty The Snowman
Christmas Songs
Love Language
SZA
Nobody Gets Me
SZAHere comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus
Right down Santa Claus Lane
He’ll come around when chimes ring out
That it’s Christmas morn’ again
Peace on Earth will come to all
If we just follow the light
So let’s give thanks to the Lord above
‘Cause Santa Claus comes tonightHere comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus
Right down Santa Claus Lane
Vixen and Blitzen and all his reindeers
Pullin’ on the reins
Bells are ringin’, children singin’
All is merry and bright
Hang your stockings and say your prayers
‘Cause Santa Claus comes tonight