Santa Claus Is Coming To Town – English Lyrics

• By: Michael Bublé
• Album: Christmas (Deluxe Special Edition)

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language can be a joyful journey, and what better way to start than with a song that captures the magic of a beloved holiday? Michael Bublé's "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" is perfect for English learners. The lyrics are simple, repetitive, and tell a clear story, making it easy to follow along and pick up new vocabulary. The song's classic theme and Bublé's clear enunciation will help you practice your listening and pronunciation skills in a fun and festive way.

[English]

You better watch out

You better not cry

You better not pout

I am telling you why

Santa Claus is coming to town

He's making a list

He's checking it twice

He's gonna find out

Who's naughty or nice

Santa Claus is coming to town

He sees you when you're sleeping

And he knows when you're awake

He knows if you've been bad or good

So be good, for goodness' sake

You better watch out

You better not cry

You better not pout

I am telling you why

'Cause Santa Claus is coming to town

Oh, let's go

...

Now he sees you when you're sleeping

And he knows when you're awake

He knows if you've been bad or good

So be good, for goodness' sake

You better watch out

You better not cry

You better not pout

I'm telling you why

Santa Claus is coming to town

You better watch out

You better not cry

You better not pout

I'm telling you why

Santa Claus is coming

I mean the big, fat man with the long, white beard

He's coming to town

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
watch /wɒtʃ/ A1	verb - to look at something for an amount of time and pay attention to what is happening noun - a small clock worn on the wrist or carried in the pocket
cry /kraɪ/ A1	verb - to produce tears as the result of a strong emotion, such as unhappiness or pain
town /taʊn/ A1	noun - a place where people live and work, containing many houses, shops, places of work, entertainment facilities, etc., and usually bigger than a village but smaller than a city
list /lɪst/ A2	noun - a record of short pieces of information, such as people's names, usually written or printed with one below the other verb - to make a list of things or people
naughty /ˈnɔːti/ B1	adjective - (especially of children) behaving badly and not obeying
nice /naɪs/ A1	adjective - pleasant; agreeable; satisfactory
sleeping /ˈsliːpɪŋ/ A1	verb - to be in a state of sleep
awake /əˈweɪk/ B1	adjective - not sleeping verb - stop sleeping; wake
bad /bæd/ A1	adjective - not good; unpleasant
good /ɡʊd/ A1	adjective - of high quality
sake /seɪk/ B2	noun - for the purpose of; in the interest of; in order to achieve or preserve
man /mæn/ A1	noun - an adult male human being
fat /fæt/ A1	adjective - having too much flesh on your body
long /lɒŋ/ A1	adjective - measuring a great distance from end to end
white /waɪt/ A1	adjective - of the color of milk or fresh snow, due to the reflection of all colors of visible light; the opposite of black
beard /bɪərd/ A2	noun - the hair that grows on the chin and cheeks of a man's face

Key Grammar Structures

• You better watch out

  ➔ "You better" + base form of verb: A common idiom for giving advice or a warning. It's a shortened form of "You had better."

  ➔ Here, it means it's strongly advised to "watch out" because of Santa's impending arrival and his judgment.

• You better not cry

  ➔ Negative Imperative with "better": Uses "better not" + base form to express a strong recommendation against doing something.

  ➔ It is a warning. It's strongly advised that the listener *doesn't cry*.

• I am telling you why

  ➔ Present Continuous for Future Arrangement: While typically used for actions happening now, the present continuous can also indicate a planned or certain future action, especially when emphasizing the speaker's intention.

  ➔ The speaker is emphasizing their intention to explain "why" they're giving the warnings. It's not just a random statement, they *intend* to provide a reason.

• Santa Claus is coming to town

  ➔ Present Continuous for Future: Similar to the previous example, it implies a planned or imminent event. It focuses on the anticipation and certainty of Santa's arrival.

  ➔ The phrase emphasizes the *imminence* and inevitability of Santa's arrival. It's not just a possibility; it's happening.

• He's making a list

  ➔ Present Continuous (as above): again, used to show a planned future action that's certain.

  ➔ This signifies that this action is in progress and has a clear future consequence.

• He's gonna find out

  ➔ "Gonna": A colloquial contraction of "going to," used to express future intention or prediction. It indicates a future action that is likely to happen.

  ➔ "Gonna find out" signifies a future action (Santa finding out) that is considered highly likely. It adds a sense of certainty.

• Who's naughty or nice

  ➔ Interrogative Pronoun "Who's": "Who's" is a contraction of "who is". Here, it's part of an embedded question, referring to the identity of the children being judged.

  ➔ The phrase defines the criteria for Santa's judgment: whether someone is "naughty" (bad) or "nice" (good). The focus is on identification.

• He sees you when you're sleeping

  ➔ Present Simple for General Truth: This describes a regular, habitual action or a general truth. It emphasizes that Santa *always* sees you when you're sleeping, regardless of when or where.

  ➔ Emphasizes Santa's omnipresence and constant awareness.

• So be good, for goodness' sake

  ➔ Imperative + "for goodness' sake": The imperative ("be good") is a direct command. "For goodness' sake" is an idiom used to express urgency, frustration, or emphasis in a request or command.

  ➔ The idiom "for goodness' sake" intensifies the command to "be good." It adds a sense of urgency and reinforces the importance of being well-behaved.