Santa Claus is Coming To Town – English Lyrics

• By: Frank Sinatra

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a fantastic journey, and Frank Sinatra's 'Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town' is a perfect place to start with classic American English. The song's clear and repetitive lyrics make it easy to follow along and pick up common phrases and vocabulary associated with Christmas. Its swinging rhythm and timeless melody also offer a glimpse into the golden age of American popular music, making your learning experience both educational and culturally enriching.

[English]

You better watch out, you better not cry

You better not pout, I'm telling you why

Santa Claus is coming to town

He's making a list and checking it twice

He's gonna find out who's naughty and nice

Santa Claus is coming to town

He sees you when you're sleeping

He knows when you're awake

He knows if you've been bad or good

So be good for goodness' sake

Oh, you better watch out, you better not cry

Better not pout, I'm telling you why

Santa Claus is coming to town

...

Say, you better watch out, you better not cry

You better not pout, I'm telling you why

Santa Claus is coming to town

He's making a list and he's checking it twice

He's gonna find out who's been naughty and nice

Santa Claus is coming to town

He sees you when you're sleeping

He knows when you're awake

He knows if you've been bad or good

So be good for goodness' sake

Oh, you better watch out, you better not cry

Better not pout, I'm telling you why

Santa Claus is coming, to town

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
Santa Claus /ˈsæntə klɔːz/ A1	noun - a legendary figure who brings gifts to children on Christmas
watch /wɒtʃ/ A2	verb - to look at something for a period of time
cry /kraɪ/ A1	verb - to produce tears as a result of emotion
pout /paʊt/ B1	verb - to push out one's lips to show displeasure
naughty /ˈnɔːti/ A2	adjective - badly behaved, especially for a child
nice /naɪs/ A1	adjective - pleasant or agreeable
list /lɪst/ A2	noun - a series of items written or printed
good /ɡʊd/ A1	adjective - having positive qualities
find /faɪnd/ A1	verb - to discover something by searching or looking
making /ˈmeɪkɪŋ/ B1	verb - the process of creating or producing something
sleeps /sliːp/ A1	verb - to rest in a state of reduced consciousness
awake /əˈweɪk/ B1	adjective - not asleep; conscious

Key Grammar Structures

• You better watch out, you better not cry

  ➔ "Better" + verb (bare infinitive)

  ➔ This uses "better" (short for "had better") followed by the base form of the verb to express a strong suggestion or warning. It implies a negative consequence if the advice isn't followed. "You "had better" watch out" is shortened to "You "better" watch out".

• I'm telling you why

  ➔ Present Continuous for future reference

  ➔ The present continuous "I'm telling" can be used to talk about future plans or events that are already decided. Here, it suggests the speaker will soon explain the reason.

• He's making a list and checking it twice

  ➔ Present Continuous for ongoing actions

  ➔ The "Present Continuous" (He is making, checking) describes an action that is happening at the moment of speaking, or around this time.

• He's gonna find out who's naughty and nice

  ➔ "Gonna" (going to) + verb (future)

  ➔ "Gonna" is an informal contraction of "going to", used to express a future intention or prediction. It indicates Santa Claus will definitely discover who is naughty and nice.

• He sees you when you're sleeping

  ➔ Present Simple for habitual actions/facts

  ➔ The "Present Simple" (He sees) is used to describe facts or things that are generally true. In this case, it describes a capability/characteristic of Santa.

• So be good for goodness' sake

  ➔ Imperative + Prepositional Phrase for reason

  ➔ "Be good" is an imperative, a direct command. "For goodness' sake" is a prepositional phrase explaining the reason for the command – to be good for the sake of being good, to avoid negative consequences.