The Twelve Gifts of Christmas
Allan Sherman
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On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me A Japanese transistor radio. On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me Green polka-dot pajamas, And a Japanese transistor radio. (It's a Nakashuma.) On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me A calendar book with the name of my insurance man, Green polka-dot pajamas, And a Japanese transistor radio. (It's the Mark IV model. That's the one that's discontinued.) On the fourth day Of Christmas, my true love gave to me A simulated alligator wallet, A calendar book with the name of my insurance man, Green polka-dot pajamas, And a Japanese transistor radio. (And it comes in a leatherette case with holes in it, so you can listen right through the case.) On the fifth fay of Christmas, my true love gave to me A statue of a naked lady, with a clock where her stomach ought to be, A simulated alligator wallet, A calendar book wiuth the name of my insurance man, Green polka-dot pajamas, And a Japanese transistor radio. (And it has a wire with thing on one end that you can stick right in your ear, and a thing on the other end that you can't stck anywhere, because it's bent) On the sixth day of Christmas, my treue love gave to me A hammered aluminum nutcracker, And all that other stuff, And a Japanese transistor radio. On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me A pink satin pillow that says San Diego, with fringe all around it, And all that other stuff, And a Japanese radio. On the eight day of Christmas, my true love gave to me An indoor plastic birdbath, And all that other stuff, And a Japanese transistor radio, On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me A pair of teakwood shower clogs, And a Japanese transistor radio. On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me A chromium combination manicure scissors and cigarette lighter, And a Japanese transistor radio. On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me An automatic vegetable slicer that works when to see it on television, but not when you get it home, And a Japanese transistor radio. On the twelth day of Christmas, although it may seem strange, On the twelth day of Christmas, I'm going to exchange: An automatic vegetable slicer that works when you see it on television, but not when you get it home, A chromium combination manicure scissors and cigarette lighter, A pair of teakwood shower clogs, An indoor plastic birdbath, A pink satin pillow that says San Diego, with fringe all around it, A hammered aluminum nutcracker, A statue of naked lady, with a clock where her stomach ought to be, A simulated alligator wallet, A calendar book with the name of my insurance man. Green polka-dot pajaas, And a Japanese transistor radio. Merry Christmas Everybody!
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10 facts about this song
Song Basics"The Twelve Gifts of Christmas" is a Christmas novelty song written and performed by American comedian and musician Allan Sherman.
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Release & AlbumIt was released by Warner Bros. Records in November 1963 as part of Sherman's comedy album, "My Son, the Celebrity."
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Twist on TraditionThe song is a comedic parody of the well-known Christmas carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas," but with a decidedly modern and humorous twist.
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Satirical ElementsEach of the gifts mentioned in the song, such as the Japanese transistor radio, green polka dot pajamas, and the automatic vegetable slicer that works when you see it on television, are reflective of the consumer culture of the era.
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AchievementAlthough not as famous as Sherman's smash hit "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh", "The Twelve Gifts of Christmas" did see regular airplay during the holiday season and it continues to be played on novelty and comedy music radio programs during Christmas time.
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Sherman's StyleThe song encapsulates Sherman's signature style, which often involved humorous takes on contemporary culture and parodies of popular songs.
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Iconic VocabularyThe song includes a line referencing a fake turtle, poking fun at the booming popularity of plastic goods during that era.
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The 'Gifts'The twelve gifts listed in the song are, in order: a Japanese transistor radio, a green polka-dot pajama, an automatic vegetable slicer that works when you see it on television, a hammered aluminum nutcracker, a pink satin pillow that says "San Diego" with fringe all around it, an indoor plastic birdbath, a statue of lady with a clock where her stomach ought to be, a simulated alligator wallet, a calendar book with the name of my insurance man, a chromium combination manicure scissors and cigarette lighter, an automatic vegetable slicer that works when you see it on television, and finally, all of the previous gifts packed in a genuine leather imitation suitcase.
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Impact and Relevance TodayEven though the song is a product of its time, it continues to be relevant today as a humorous commentary on the consumerism often associated with the holiday season.
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Allan ShermanApart from being a successful song writer and comedian, Allan Sherman was also a game show producer and voice actor until his untimely death in 1973.
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Citation
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"The Twelve Gifts of Christmas Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 20 Sep. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/28572192/Allan+Sherman/The+Twelve+Gifts+of+Christmas>.
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