From “I’m a Survivor” to “Fancy,” Reba McEntire is behind countless hits for your everyday listening needs. And when the holidays roll around every year, The Voice Coach and Happy’s Place star also has us covered with her own renditions of classics like “Silent Night” and the always cheeky “I Saw Mama Kissing Santa Claus.”
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McEntire even added a couple personal touches to her version of “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” which she released 25 years ago. Read on to learn what she tweaked and the sweet way she included her son, Shelby Blackstock.
Reba McEntire’s “I Saw Mama Kissing Santa Claus” was released in 1999
From the original by Jimmy Boyd in 1950 to The Jackson 5, there are many versions of this Christmas song. McEntire released hers in 1999, using “Mama” instead of the usual “Mommy.”
The word “Mama” clearly holds a special place in the country legend’s heart, as that’s how she refers to her own mother. In the days after her mother’s death, McEntire told TODAY that she nearly retired from music “because I always sang for Mama.”
“Mama was the one that inspired us kids,” she explained. “Taught us kids how to sing, took us to our singing gigs and was our biggest cheerleader.”
“I Saw Mama Kissing Santa Claus” is included on McEntire’s second Christmas album, The Secret of Giving: A Christmas Collection. McEntire’s version of the classic holiday song stayed on Billboard’s country music charts for several weeks when it was first released.
