Lady Gaga has an unexpected early Christmas gift for her Little Monsters. With no prior notice, a rendition of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” by the superstar unexpectedly surfaced on streaming platforms Monday (Dec. 16), showcasing a soulful rock interpretation of a classic favorite.
Kicking off with vibrant electric guitars and a bit of rock n’ roll scatting from Gaga, the A Star Is Born star’s dynamic cover is driven ahead by striking drums and cascading organ melodies. “You should be careful/ You shouldn’t cry/ Don’t sulk/ I’m explaining why,” she sings. “Santa Claus is coming in town.”
The festive recording accompanies the singer’s performance in the surprise Apple TV+ special A Carpool Karaoke Christmas featuring Zane Lowe, where she sang “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” alongside the radio host and her band. It comes after a year of significant releases from Gaga, who released “Disease” — the main single from her seventh studio album set for February — in October. The song premiered at No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The month before, the 13-time Grammy winner defied expectations by unveiling Harlequin, a companion album to Joker: Folie à Deux, where she featured alongside Joaquin Phoenix. The LP attained the No. 20 spot on the Billboard 200 in October. A few months prior to that was “Die With a Smile,” a collaboration between Gaga and Bruno Mars that dominated the Billboard Global 200 for eight weeks at No. 1.
The month before, the 13-time Grammy awardee defied expectations by launching Harlequin, a companion record to Joker: Folie à Deux, in which she appeared alongside Joaquin Phoenix. The album climbed to No. 20 on the Billboard 200 chart in October. A few months prior to that was “Die With a Smile,” a collaboration between Gaga and Bruno Mars that held the No. 1 position on the Billboard Global 200 for eight weeks.
Gaga’s rendition of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” continues a tradition of covers of the song, originally composed by Haven Gillespie and J. Fred Coots. The versions of the song by the Jackson 5 and Bruce Springsteen are arguably the most famous modern renditions, yet Mariah Carey, Michael Bublé, Justin Bieber, and others have also gotten fans ready for Mr. Claus with the track.
