Almost all of the Christmas songs that return to the Billboard Top Ten are at least a few decades old. Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas is You’ was first released in 1994, Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ came out a decade earlier, and perennials like ‘Jingle Bell Rock,’ ‘The Christmas Song,’ and ‘It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year’ are 60-70 years old.
One notable exception is Ariana Grande’s ‘Santa Tell Me,’ released in 2014 as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of her EP Christmas Kisses. This is the only Christmas song released in the 21st century to reach Billboard’s Top Five.
Written by Grande with songwriter/producers Savan Kotecha and ILYA, ‘Santa Tell Me’ is the closest thing we’ve gotten to a new Christmas classic since Carey’s hit. That’s an impressive achievement for the artist, whose resume was recently padded with an Oscar nomination (and perhaps a second on the way).
Santa, tell me if you’re really there
Don’t make me fall in love again if he won’t be here next year
Santa, tell me if he really cares
‘Cause I can’t give it all away if he won’t be here next year
[Verse 1]
Feeling Christmas all around
And I’m trying to play it cool
But it’s hard to focus when I see him walking ‘cross the room
“Let It Snow” is blasting out
But I won’t get in the mood
I’m avoiding every mistletoe until I know it’s
[Pre-Chorus]
True love that he thinks of
So next Christmas I’m not all alone, boy
[Chorus]
Santa, tell me if you’re really there
Don’t make me fall in love again if he won’t be here next year
Santa, tell me if he really cares
‘Cause I can’t give it all away if he won’t be here next year
[Verse 2]
I’ve been down this road before
Fell in love on Christmas night
But on New Year’s Day, I woke up and he wasn’t by my side
Now I need someone to hold
Be my fire in the cold
But it’s hard to tell if this is just a fling or if it’s
[Pre-Chorus]
True love that he thinks of
So next Christmas I’m not all alone, boy
[Chorus]
Santa, tell me if you’re really there
Don’t make me fall in love again if he won’t be here next year
Santa, tell me if he really cares
‘Cause I can’t give it all away if he won’t be here next year
[Bridge]
Oh, I wanna have him beside me, like oh-woo-oh
On the 25th, by that fireplace, oh-woo-oh
But I don’t want a new broken heart
This year I’ve got to be smart
Oh, baby
(Santa, tell me, Santa, tell me)
If he won’t be, if he won’t be here
(Santa, tell me, Santa, tell me)
Oh, woah
[Chorus]
Santa, tell me (Santa, tell me) if you’re really there (‘Cause I really care)
Don’t make me fall in love again if he won’t be here next year
Santa, tell me (Tell me) if he really cares (Tell me, boy)
‘Cause I can’t give it all away if he won’t be here next year
Santa, tell me (Tell me) if you’re really there (Santa, baby)
Don’t make me fall in love again if he won’t be here next year (If he won’t be, if he won’t be here)
Santa, tell me (Tell me) if he really cares (Do you care?)
‘Cause I can’t give it all away if he won’t be here next year
Meet Me In Montauk 