The first time I heard this Christmas song was from Kellie Pickler, the fifth season American Idol contestant. She is a country music singer, songwriter, and television personality. Her 2013 single is great and I just assumed it was her original song until our pharmacist Kelly said it was an old song.
It seems that (Everybody’s Waitin’ for) The Man with the Bag was written in 1950 by Irving Taylor (songwriter), Dudley Brooks (American jazz pianist, arranger, and composer), and Hal Stanley (songwriter, manager, and husband of Kay Starr, and owner of a series of nightclubs in Hollywood). Of course, Santa is the “man with the bag” and he is delivering gifts, from his sleigh to folks that have been “extra special good”.
Published under Starr’s publishing company, StarStan, Kay was the first to record this tune. It appeared regularly on Billboard’s list of the most popular Christmas songs throughout the 50s. This song has been covered by The Brian Setzer Orchestra, Vonda Shepard (for the 12/11/2000 episode of Ally McBeal), Jane Monheit, Seth MacFarlane, Voctave, and Jessie J to name a few.
Old Mr.Kringle is soon gonna jingle
The bells that’ll tinkle all your troubles away
Ev’rybody’s waitin’ for the man with the bag
‘Cause Christmas is comin’ again
He’s got a sleighful, it’s not gonna stay full
He’s got stuff to drop at ev’ry step of the way
Ev’rybody’s waitin’ for the man with the bag
‘Cause Christmas is comin’ again
He’ll be here with the answers to the prayers
That you’ve made through the year
You’ll get yours if you’ve done ev’rything you should
Extra special good
He’ll make this December, the one you’ll remember
The best and the merriest you ever did have
Ev’rybody’s waitin’ for the man with the bag
Christmas is here again
Old Mr. Kringle is soon gonna jingle
All the bells that’ll tinkle all your troubles away
Ev’rybody’s waitin’ for the man with the bag
Christmas is here again
He’s got a sleighful and it’s not gonna stay full
Got stuff that he’s droppin’ ev’ry stop of the way
Ev’rybody’s waitin’ for the man with the bag
Christmas is here again
He’ll be here with the answer to the prayers
That you’ve made through the year
You’ll get yours if you’ve done ev’rything you should
Extra special good
He’ll make this December, the one you’ll remember
The best and the merriest you ever did have
Ev’rybody’s waitin’, they’re all congregatin’
Waitin’ for the man with the bag
Better watch out ma’am
