What Kind of.music Do They Play at Santa Baby

Music enthusiast FlourishAnyway introduces some fun competition into the holidays by ranking cover versions of popular Christmas songs.

Some of the best-known Christmas songs have been covered by a variety of artists. We look at Eartha Kitt's classic tune "Santa Baby" and rank 14 contenders. Who do YOU prefer?

TerriC via Pixabay, Free Domain, modified by FlourishAnyway

"Santa Baby" Is a Sexy Christmas Classic

Clear the room, friends. The ol' gal in this Christmas ditty is trying to sexualize Santa. (The kids aren't listening, are they?) Although the song's narrator swears she's been an angel all year long, I get the impression that Santa's new best friend knows her way around the North Pole, if you know what I mean.

No wonder this tune was once banned in some areas in the South. The greedy girl describes how well-behaved she's been, then Santa's sassy gal pal slips him her holiday wish list, seeking to persuade the old fart to lavish her with a variety of over-the-top gifts. These include:

• a sable,
• a light blue 1954 convertible,
• a yacht,
• the deed to a platinum mine,
• a duplex,
• Tiffany's decorations for her tree, and
• a ring (diamond, no doubt).

The 1953 tune was co-written by Philip Springer and Joan Javits, the niece of liberal Republican Sen. Jacob K. Javits of New York. Although Eartha Kitt originally sang this sexy Christmas song and made it a classic, many artists have since released cover versions of "Santa Baby." Do you ever wonder, "Who sang it best?" Here's your chance to step up and compare.

"Who Sang It Best?": Here's How It Works

With many artists singing the same Christmas tunes, the sleigh this year is overloaded. Let's rank them and cross some off the list.

In the "Who Sang It Best?" series, we start with the original version of popular songs that have been covered multiple times. Then we present a set of contenders, artists who have released cover versions in any genre. Some cover versions honor the original artist's style while others are reinterpretations.

Since the original song version is typically considered "the standard," we don't include it in our overall rankings. Instead, we display it first for comparison, with up to 14 contenders presented next in ranked order. Vote on your preferences:

• Do you prefer the original song or a cover version?
• Which of the cover versions do you prefer?

"Santa Baby" by Eartha Kitt (1953)

Many of us only recognize Eartha Kitt for singing "Santa Baby" and for her role as Catwoman in the 1960s "Batman" television show. We are oblivious to the fact that she was an accomplished Broadway performer who spoke four languages and sang in 11. The Emmy Award-winning actress was also both defamed and blacklisted by the CIA after embarrassing the First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson, at a White House function. Kitt uttered anti-Vietnam comments that made the First Lady cry, and as a result, the songstress/actress became virtually unemployable in the US for about a decade.

Ah, but the song. Most of us at least recognize her for that.

Eartha Kitt delivers a sexy rendition that is hard to match. Her voice is velvety—not too sweet and delicate, yet not too smoky and experienced. This is a tongue-in-cheek Christmas song, so in order to pull it off without sounding ridiculous, a singer must dial up the sexuality without sounding raunchy. After all, it is Santa.

Eartha's voice projects a narrator who is a woman of class rather than the streets. The narrator feels entitled to the good things in life even if she cannot afford them herself. Thus she uses her womanly assets to obtain what she wants.

Read More From Spinditty

Using her purrfect voice, Eartha Kitt convincingly teases Santa, then sends him home to Mrs. Claus—at least for tonight.

1. "Santa Baby" by Daniela Andrade (2013)

Out of all the cover versions, this one by YouTube sensation Daniela Andrade has the best chance of ensuring that Santa complies with the narrator's wish list requests. Andrade is a young Canadian woman who has amassed a large following on YouTube since she first began posting in 2009. The singer-songwriter has since released several EPs.

Daniela Andrade's cover is slower than some others. It's sweet and not overdone. There are no unnecessary instrumentals and background sound effects to distract from her magical voice. She'll have you convinced that the narrator is sitting on Santa's lap, fully expecting the jolly old guy to deliver the goods on Christmas morning. And if you've never heard of Daniela Andrade, this song will leave you wanting to hear more from her.

2. "Santa Baby" by Ariana Grande (Featuring Liz Gillies) (2013)

Perhaps it's because these women were so young at the time—oh, to be 20 again!—that their breathy duet comes across as alluring and playful without being tacky. In serenading Santa, the former Nickelodeon stars paint a narrator who seems to understand that one's appearance and voice can be effective persuasion tools.

This is certainly not the same Ariana Grande that we hear on "Dangerous Woman" (2016) and "God Is a Woman" (2018). That Ariana can use her voice as well as her body as a high-powered weapon.

Because Ariana Grande's talent has only grown with time, she should re-release this Christmas song as a solo performer. Forget the fake trombone sounds, channel Eartha from beyond, and lean into it a little more. Ariana has the vocal chops to easily top Eartha's classic.

3. "Santa Baby" by Gwen Stefani (2017)

It used to be said that the release of a Christmas album was a signal that a singer's career was on the downswing, but these days everyone is doing it. In 2017, Grammy Award-winning pop star Gwen Stefani released a Christmas album, You Make It Feel Like Christmas.

In this version of "Santa Baby," I can hear the creative influence of Gwen Stefani's country superstar partner, Blake Shelton, and I like it. I hear the influence, for example, in the way she draws out some of her words (e.g., "good guuurl" and "all yeeear") and in the background instrumentals. Gwen Stefani's voice is filled with just enough sugar to make Santa fulfill the narrator's gift requests without overdoing the spice.

4. "Santa Baby" by Macy Gray (2003)

You probably didn't consider Macy Gray when it comes to "Santa Baby" covers, but this woman sings like no one else today. The Grammy Award winner's style is sometimes compared to that of jazz legend Billie Holliday.

Macy Gray's distinctively raspy voice takes center stage in her version of "Santa Baby." Whereas other singers may portray the narrator as girlish and less assertive, Macy Gray chooses to represent her as confident. At one point, Gray's narrator seems to tell Santa what to bring her rather than ask him (e.g., "Santa honey, one little thing I really need: the deed to a platinum mine"). If you're a fan of old-school jazz, then do yourself a favor and listen to Macy Gray's version of "Santa Baby."

5. "Santa Baby" by Kylie Minogue (2010)

In her cover version of "Santa Baby," Australian-British singer and actress Kylie Minogue has a voice that drips with sexuality. I wanted to remind them both that Santa is still married.

As Big Band sounds play prominently, Kylie Minogue's voice oozes with the charm of a pinup girl who is trying too hard to reassure Santa that she's been a good girl all year. (If he was thinking with his noggin, then he wouldn't buy it!) Throughout the song, Marilyn Monroe-like giggles, umms, and oohs punctuate the narrator's requests.

If sex appeal is what you're looking for, then Kylie Minogue cranks it way up. However, I'd prefer to hear the nuances of her actual voice (which is quite good) rather than hearing the results of her acting talent.

6. "Santa Baby" by Cynthia Basinet (1997)

You might know this version as the one sung by 1950s blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe. Problem is, the iconic actress never recorded "Santa Baby." Wait, what?

Here's how it happened. Cynthia Basinet is an actress, singer, and former lover of Jack Nicholson. She recorded a cover version of "Santa Baby" for him as a gift in 1997. Thanks to the internet, her work was miscredited to Marilyn Monroe. Thereafter, the whole world became confused. Cynthia Basinet released an EP in 2001 under the name "C. Basinet," but unfortunately, that did little to correct the error. Her cover version will probably always be known as Marilyn's.

As solid as Basinet's voice is, I can't see how anyone confused her vocals for those of the 1950s film star who famously sang "Happy Birthday" to JFK in front of an audience of thousands. Those vocals were sultry and intimate, as if Marilyn was going to lick him on the spot, whereas Basinet's cover doesn't ooze with this brand of sex appeal.

In the Christmas song, Cynthia Basinet's voice is appropriately forefront. While her version merits the prominent place it has in our culture, one must wonder whether its popularity is partially due to its misattribution to Marilyn. I hate to say it, but Basinet's version leaves room for other contenders to bypass it.

7. "Santa Baby" by Shakira (2009)

Colombian-born Shakira has some of the most viewed videos on YouTube, but she produces an unusual vocal delivery of "Santa Baby" in this public performance at Rockefeller Center. We'll handicap her some major bonus points because this was a recording of a live TV broadcast.

While it's not an altogether unpleasant production, Shakira allows her voice to play second to the instrumentals. Further, her voice jumps around, as if the Grammy Award-winning musician cannot decide on how to portray the narrator—soft and sexy or full, throaty, and with gusto? Someone needs to step up and tell her that she's effing Shakira and can do better than this.

8. "Santa Baby (Buddy)" by Michael Bublé (2011)

Canadian singer Michael Bublé is a man of another era, and in this jazz-infused rendering of "Santa Baby," he seems to summon the spirit of Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra, maybe both.

Bublé does a noticeable gender twist in this holiday song cover by making the narrator requesting a long list of expensive gifts a guy rather than a young woman. The Grammy Award-winning singer swaps out several lyrics. For example, "Santa baby" is replaced with a variety of casual friend-related terms: "buddy," "dude," "pally," and "poppy."

Additionally, the male narrator modifies some of his requests to include:

• a Rolex,
• Canucks (hockey) tickets on the first line, and
• money ("cha-ching").

No one could find fault with this singer's gorgeous voice, and if you're very adaptable, you'll get used to a man singing "Santa Baby." However, I found this point distracting (e.g, what did he just call Santa?). No offense, but I don't need to think too deeply about a song's Christmas lyrics as I'm baking cookies, trimming the tree, and fa-la-la-la-la-ing through the season.

9. "Santa Baby" by Madonna (1987)

Call her the Material Girl, the Queen of Pop, or a living legend. Rolling Stone magazine called Madonna one of "The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time" as well as one of "The 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time."

The iconic, ever-evolving pop star recorded this 1987 version of "Santa Baby" early in her career. In it, Madonna exploits her voice to play the role of dumb blonde to the point of caricature. She depicts the "Santa Baby" narrator as a pouty, bubblegum-smacking gal who "ba doop-ee-doos" her way through her wish list. While this cover is just a hair shy of silly, there are two positive points that can be made:

1. At least one can play this version in front of the kids.
2. Madonna's recording of this song benefitted the Special Olympics.

10. "Santa Baby" by Kellie Pickler (2007)

After catching the eye of the public as an American Idol contestant, country singer Kellie Pickler released several albums before fading from the national music spotlight in 2013–14. By 2017, however, she found success as a daytime talk show host.

In this offering of "Santa Baby," Pickler's vocals are pleasant but not outstanding, and they have a nasal twinge. What really stands out, however, is a believability factor. This is not simply a country cover of the holiday classic. It has a very downhome feel.

I felt challenged to believe that Pickler's countrified narrator would be asking for a duplex, a '54 convertible, and decorations from Tiffany's. If you've grown up in the South, then you know that she would more likely include wishes for a doublewide mobile home, a pickup truck, and a shopping spree to the local Walmart. Unfortunately, Kellie Pickler's voice and this song's lyrics didn't mesh.

11. "Santa Baby" by Taylor Swift (2007)

Taylor Swift is a phenomenon in country and pop music. One of the best-selling music artists of all time, she's racked up Grammys, an Emmy, and a whole host of other awards. And at only 21 years of age, she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2010.

However, for all the things that Taylor Swift does well, this 2007 cover of "Santa Baby" is not her best work. She's given the song a country spin, but as she cheerfully belts out the lyrics, Swift not only struggles to adequately hit the high notes but she also fails to persuade both Santa and her audience that she deserves all the expensive bling.

Based on this performance, Santa will be doing a flyby over the narrator's house this year.

12. "Santa Baby" by The Pussycat Dolls (2006)

Now defunct, The Pussycat Dolls is one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Were they in a rush to go somewhere when they recorded this song? Between the unusually fast pace and hurried ending, their sloppy cover version doesn't do justice to Eartha Kitt's 1953 classic.

Add to that the laughing, missed high notes, and blaring instrumentals. You'd swear that the background music was the intended focal point of the song, rather than the vocals.

This cover version is towards the bottom of the rankings for good reasons. Do you sense that the wheels are starting to coming off the bus?

13. "Santa Baby" by Colbie Caillat (2012)

The Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter recorded her EP, Christmas in the Sand, with a nod to all the warm weather places that celebrate the holidays. Although I wanted to like this perky version of "Santa Baby" from the EP, Colbie Caillat's performance of it seemed simply off, lackluster.

As she "boo doo bee doos" her way through the song, there's little flirtiness in the way Caillat presents her version of the song's narrator, almost as if the narrator is a girl-next-door who is relying instead on Santa's goodwill or good judgment to determine her gift-worthiness. Caillat seems to have missed the point of Eartha Kitt's classic tune: The narrator is a greedy, spoiled woman who will do what she needs to do to receive the bounty of costly gifts on her wish list, even if that's something as naughty as flirting with Santa.

14. "Santa Baby" by Britney Spears (2012)

Someone told Britney Spears that this recording was the real thing, right? Her flat, tone-deaf rendition drags and sounds like the pop princess is singing into a brush in front of her bathroom mirror. In the morning.

Questions & Answers

Question: Do you think a competition during the Christmas Season for the best version of Santa Baby is in the spirit of the holiday?

Answer: To me, it's not that deep. You may be overthinking it. However, if you want to analyze the morality of this, I guess we can.

These artists are not singing Christmas songs exclusively for the good of humankind, as much as we'd like to believe that. They are in fact:

1) professional singers who

2) try to separate us listeners/consumers from our hard-earned money using

3) a marketed product (i.e., a recording) made with tools (i.e., vocals/instrumentals) of variable quality.

Certainly, the musicians get pleasure from doing something they love and from spreading holiday cheer. However, we need to remember that these are professionals we're ranking here, not kids in the Christmas pageant at the local church. I do not fault the singers for making money from their talents. In fact, I applaud their skills and entrepreneurial spirit. We must all feed our families with whatever talents we have. However, as potential consumers, we should be able to compare the efforts of one singer versus another before parting with our money.

One surely wouldn't expect these singers to forego their profits during the Christmas season because making money from such joyful yuletide songs is not in keeping with the spirit of the holidays. One certainly wouldn't buy ALL the different versions of a song just because it's Christmastime and one wants to forego hurt feelings among the singers. These professional musicians are good at what they do, have put themselves in the public eye, and are accustomed to feedback.

Sadly, not everyone gets a trophy. Not everyone comes in first. Not everyone even delivers their personal best. This is true even in December. We shouldn't be expected to suspend competition or criticism of a person's professional efforts, especially when you and I might invest (or waste) precious money purchasing a song, an entire EP of an artist, or a ticket to a Christmas concert.

We don't set aside competition, capitalism, or any other genuine ranking principle in life just because it's Christmastime. But if it makes you feel better, on other "Who Sang It Best?" articles I have avoided listing cover versions by young, nonprofessional singers, even if they have over 1 million YouTube views for a song.

I also realize, of course, that everyone has different opinions. THANK YOU for letting yours be known.

© 2018 FlourishAnyway

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on March 30, 2020:

Peggy - She's pretty fabulous. Thanks for stopping by this lonely Christmas article during the off-season.

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on March 29, 2020:

People with good voices do justice to just about any song, but I like the original with Eartha Kitt the best.

Hanamedaka from JPN on August 11, 2019:

Exactly, it's summer, funny~(^-^;　Thanks for the reply!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on August 11, 2019:

Hanamedaka from Japan - I love that you're so into Christmas in August. This is one of my favorite holiday songs. Have a great weekend.

Hanamedaka　from JPN on August 10, 2019:

I love this song very much, so ! sang Santa Baby, too !

I want you to listen my Santa Baby (^-^)

Robert Sacchi on December 23, 2018:

You're welcome and enjoy the season.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on December 23, 2018:

Bob - She sure is known for the role, although it was short-lived! Thanks for commenting and have a wonderful holiday.

Robert Sacchi on December 23, 2018:

A great list and critiques. Another thing that shows Eartha Kitt's voice presence is mentioning her as Cat Woman. She only portrayed the character one time on Batman and she was sharing villain time with The Joker (Caesar Romero). In the '70s she was in the play "Timbuktu". I remember the TV ads for it and I can still hear her saying, "Welcome to Timbuktu".

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on December 14, 2018:

Liz - Until I researched this article, I always assumed it was Marilyn, too, without thinking about it. Thanks for stopping by!

Liz Westwood from UK on December 14, 2018:

I had no idea there were so many covers of this song. But then again, in my poverty-stricken musical knowledge I would have put this one down to Marilyn Monroe! Another interesting compilation here.

Sorry I am late commenting. I didn't get the notification for this article.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on December 12, 2018:

Shanon - Marilyn actually never released this song but someone who has been mistaken as her (see #5 on the list) did release it. Thank you for stopping by. Merry Christmas.

Shanon on December 11, 2018:

I still think Marilyn Monroe sings Santa Baby the best. It's also rare to find luckily I have it on a record.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on December 06, 2018:

Tim - Uh, oh! Maybe he should skip the good people of Boone this year or just do a drop and run? Doing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer as my next song, and there are some doozies. I had no idea! Stay warm! - Flourish

Tim Truzy from U.S.A. on December 06, 2018:

Hi, Flourish, around Boon we received five inches of snow last night. If Santa wanted to slide down a chimney, the mountains is where he needed to go last night here, but he may have found some unhappy residents waiting.

Just revisited your article to listen to some of these songs again, really, really, cool, Flourish.

Tim

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on December 05, 2018:

Shauna - Your commentary was funny. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have a great pre-holiday week. We had snow flurries today, but they didn't last -- just enough to get folks in the holiday spirit.

Shauna L Bowling from Central Florida on December 05, 2018:

Flourish, I think Daniela Andrade is the only one who did this song justice, next to Eartha Kitt, of course. Her singing voice is so smooth and clear. I was surprised at her speaking voice. It's much lower than her musical voice.

I couldn't even make it through Madonna's version. Was she trying to sound like a wind-up doll? Very irritating.

And Michael Buble - shame on him for even attempting "Santa Baby"! He made a complete fool of himself. I had to click out of his video as well.

All in all, this was a lot of fun, Flourish. Thanks for posting it!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on December 03, 2018:

Linda - I appreciate your stopping by. Hope you were familiar with the song in the first place! After playing it (different versions) repeatedly it's almost a theme in my house. Next song! Hope your holiday season is off to a great start. Merry Christmas!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on December 03, 2018:

Paula - Oh, think of all those former Disney princess tv stars. Glad she got up again.

Suzie from Carson City on December 03, 2018:

Perhaps Britney recorded it during her infamous "melt-down" period!! LOL. I'm glad the poor little thing bounced back. It's gotta be really hard for all those kids who grew up in the public/entertainment business. That's just not normal! Many of them have fallen out.

Linda Crampton from British Columbia, Canada on December 03, 2018:

You've come up with a great idea for an article, Flourish. Thanks for an entertaining and informative description of the music.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on December 03, 2018:

Hi, Paula, Eartha doesn't appear because I grouped all the contenders together so people could vote on a favorite contender. Way up top readers can vote on whether they like Eartha or a contender. I did that because many people tend to like the original no matter who sang the original song.

I was really surprised at how Britney obliterated that song. I expected much better from her. Must have been a bad day or whatever.

Hope you are having a joyous holiday season as well. Merry Christmas!

Suzie from Carson City on December 02, 2018:

Whoa! This is obviously a cute Christmas song that numerous artists chose to record. (Flourish, are you aware that "Ertha Kitt" does not appear in the list for voting?) There's a name that creates a blast from the past. I actually remember her from my own childhood.

I often find it difficult to "choose one" from a group or long list but in this case, I'll go with Britney Spears, because she puts me in mind of the perfect female to sing this particular song.

So, Christmas carolers, songs, music & movies from now until a little after the New Year. All of it keeps the spirit of the season in our hearts and minds.

Enjoy your Holiday Season, Flourish, with all your loved ones and Kitties too! Peace, Paula

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on December 02, 2018:

Nithya - Thanks for putting your opinion out there. I appreciate you stopping by! Have a wonderful holiday season!

Nithya Venkat from Dubai on December 01, 2018:

A wonderful song sung by so many talented singers but I like Gwen Stefani's rendition of the song.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on December 01, 2018:

Shannon - Looks like I do have plenty of material! I'll put that song high on the list.

Shannon Henry from Texas on December 01, 2018:

Can't wait! Hope you do one for "Winter Wonderland" too since it's one of my all time favorites. How could you possibly cover all the Christmas songs? You have enough for this series Christmas edition for years to come. LOL

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on December 01, 2018:

Liz - Since you don't celebrate Christmas, then Happy Yule at the Winter Solstice to you!

Liz Elias from Oakley, CA on December 01, 2018:

P.S. My favorite songs of the season happen to be the fun and mischief type, such as "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer," or the Chipmunks, and a few others that I can't remember right now; there's a tape I have somewhere that parodies some of the popular tunes, by a group who called themselves "The Fallen Angel Choir." Very funny.

(You've probably guessed by that, that I'm in no way religious, and I don't celebrate Christmas; I celebrate the old Pagan holiday of Yule at the Winter Solstice. ;-) )

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on November 30, 2018:

Pamela - Taylor Swift's contribution surprised me, too. Ordinarily, I like her songs, but this came across as not ready for prime time. Surprising! Thanks for stopping off. Hope you're having a happy holiday season so far!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on November 30, 2018:

Heidi - Eartha's awesome, isn't she? I liked the early Madonna stuff much better than that in the ensuing decades. There's something to be said for old school.

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on November 30, 2018:

Tim,

There were cover versions that surprised me in both directions! Previously, I never would have considered Macy Gray for this song.

The next song is, "Mary, Did You Know?" I hope your busy Christmas season has gotten off to a wonderful start. May all the best of the season be yours! Merry Christmas!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on November 30, 2018:

Frances - You have such a lovely way with words. There are some compelling singers on YouTube who use the platform to cut out the middle man and take their talent straight to the people to introduce themselves. Thank you for weighing in. Have a lovely weekend. Merry Christmas!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on November 30, 2018:

Liz - Now that hadn't crossed my mind! Honest to goodness! I'll have to adapt the polls from here on out! Merry Christmas!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on November 30, 2018:

Shannon - I've played this more times in the last few days than in the last few years, I think! My husband is a patient man, but even he is wondering when we can move on to a new song. Next one is, "Mary, Did You Know?"

Pamela Oglesby from Sunny Florida on November 30, 2018:

I had no idea this many people sang this particular song. Several of them were quite good. I didn't like Taylor Swift's version although I like her in other songs. Very interesting article.

Heidi Thorne from Chicago Area on November 30, 2018:

Eartha Kitt, of course. But being stuck in the 80s, have to say I'd vote for Madonna next. Can't wait to see your future "Who Sang It Best?" posts!

Tim Truzy from U.S.A. on November 30, 2018:

Rated on musical talent, Flourish, no one approaches the emotion and sincerity Kitt brings to the song. My next favorite versions would be Macey and Gwin. These versions are convincing without sounding childish and demonstrate the vocal range to show that it is meant to be a mature piece of music. Taylor, who I adore, makes the song sound more like someone not to be considered seriously. well, the nasal sound ruins it for me in Kelley's version.

I love this play list, Flourish. Wonderful work. I hope we will be seeing more from you before Christmas comes around, but I want to wish you and yours a blessed, peaceful, and lovely Merry Christmas!

Sincerely,

Tim

Frances Metcalfe from The Limousin, France on November 30, 2018:

Eartha Kitt has always been a favourite singer of mine, she has that sort of voice between innocent playfulness and downright naughty (been trying to perfect that one for years). I liked Daniela Andrade too - just the right amount of breath left in the voice to seduce, but to be honest I don't think I'd really give any of the others houseroom!

Liz Elias from Oakley, CA on November 30, 2018:

Can't really say any of them, because I never liked this song to start with. LOL

Shannon Henry from Texas on November 30, 2018:

They sure are. LOL. In Texas, you may be right about asking Santa for a truck. But only the best and biggest with all the fancy bells and whistles, of course. ;) Say, mine is in dire need of an upgrade.

P.S. Thanks a lot. Now I can't get this song out of my head!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on November 30, 2018:

Bill - She's a very talented, stylistically adaptable singer. Merry Christmas!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on November 30, 2018:

Clive - Eartha will always be an incredible force. Merry Christmas!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on November 30, 2018:

Shannon - Wow, that's a surprise, but I love the discussion. I spent my growing up years in South Carolina. Lots of proud folks fit the lowbrow description including a number of my relatives. Those trucks are really expensive. Merry Christmas!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on November 30, 2018:

Linda - Eartha is tough to beat!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on November 30, 2018:

Ann - No one's said it to me yet either this year!

Shannon Henry from Texas on November 30, 2018:

I love this idea. I often think of various versions to songs, especially classics like this one. Of course, the original version is usually the best. No exceptions for this particular song. Some of your versions here are pretty good, though. I liked Gwen's version. I'll pass on the Buble version, for sure. It's meant to be flirty, not a bromance. And I have to disagree with you about Kellie Pickler's version. It's one of my favorite versions. Plus, in the line of work I've done and do now, I can tell you there are plenty of folks in the south who do not and would not wish for a double wide because it's the thing to do. To be fair, though, there are probably just as many redneck types who would fit that stereotype. But we work in plenty if high end homes with sophisticated decor. Some of them are very country and Western in style. So yeah, I disagree with your assessment and I'll even vote for it as best version. It's the first one that came to my mind at the start of this article, anyway. LOL

Linda Lum from Washington State, USA on November 30, 2018:

Flourish, I had no idea that there had been so many covers. Country doesn't work, gender-switch doesn't either. Give me the original any time--I'm old fashioned.

Ann Carr from SW England on November 30, 2018:

Merry Christmas to you too! You're the first to wish me that & the first I've said it to!

Ann

Clive Williams from Jamaica on November 30, 2018:

Eartha Kitt...no one else. She has the voice of a Goddess. Influential, sexual and stimulating.

Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on November 30, 2018:

Nobody even approaches Eartha Kitt, but it I had to pick someone, it would be Gwen Stefani!

FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on November 30, 2018:

Ann - Thank you for weighing in so quickly. I have wanted to do this for a long time, and this is one of my favorite songs, so I figured it was an appropriate place to start! I was surprised when I did my research. I discovered some talented contenders I didn't previously know were out there! Merry Christmas!

Ann Carr from SW England on November 30, 2018:

What a great idea this is! For me, it's Eartha Kitt any day. The accent itself is worth it; she has a suggestive voice whatever she sings!

Well done!

Ann

What Kind of.music Do They Play at Santa Baby

Source: https://spinditty.com/playlists/Who-Sang-It-Best-Santa-Baby

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