As Ron Weasley would say, Happy Christmas, Harry! We have arrived at the big day. If you’re clever enough to have caught on, you’ll see that we are not yet at Day 20 of our 20 Days of Holiday Songs. There’s a good reason for this, as tomorrow’s track is a New Years song! Today, however, is my favorite holiday song of all time: “The Man With The Bag” by Jane Monheit!
Typically titled “(Everybody’s Waiting’ for) The Man with the Bag,” this track was written in 1950 by Irving Taylor, Dudley Brooks, and Hal Stanley. It was originally recorded by Kay Starr and was a medium-tempo, bold jazzy number with bright brass instrumentation. The version I’ve fallen in love with, however, is quite different. Jane Monheit’s version is still jazzy, but *much* faster and with more of a saxophone focus. Her vocals are fascinating and the increased tempo feels more festive and fun.
He’s got a sleigh full
It’s not gonna stay full
He’s got stuff to drop
At every stop on the way
Everybody’s waiting
For the man with the bag
Cause Christmas is coming again
It’s the classic idea of Santa delivering presents with the note that “you’ll get yours if you’ve done everything
you should, extra special good.” I like to think that the presents are just a bonus for doing what’s right and being a decent human. He’ll stop by only if you’ve earned it! The playfulness here also makes me think that it’s reinforcing the idea of Santa not being the most important person in your life, and presents not being the most important things. This isn’t “Santa Baby,” that’s for sure!
Take a listen below and again, Happy Christmas!
Photo: Amazon.com
Purely Frivolous 
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