My Dad has the wonderful memory from his childhood, when he went to see Louis Prima and his band in concert at age 12 or 13. This had to be in the late 40s or early 50s, thereabouts. And zowie, did he have a blast. He thought they were some of the funniest and most uproarious performers he had ever seen.
That sentiment still applies, by the way. We were just talking about this recently. Dad’s rounding 90 now, and he still has the happiest memories of that show.
Me? I fell in love with the music of Louis Prima when I was 8 years old and watched The Jungle Book. Who else could have played King Louie with that rich, joyful voice full of raucous energy, tone, and gravel? Prima man. Legend.
So it comes as no surprise that Shake Hands With Santa Claus kicks the door in and comes roaring right onto our playlist. And it pulls everyone right onto the dance floor to swing along.
Shake Hands With Santa Claus is delightful Prima mayhem in the best possible way. Released in 1959, it takes the familiar big band holiday framework and tosses all treacle and sentiment straight out the window.
Because Prima’s more interested in getting a special gal’s attention in that way he inimitably does. With jump blues swagger, New Orleans swing, and that unmistakable Prima personality that never stops bouncing off the walls.
With effortless personality and charm, this tune rattles and rolls with a loose, rolling momentum that feels half-rehearsed and fully alive. Prima is performing pure holiday joy. His voice darts, laughs, shouts, and grins its way through the song. He presents his Santa as less of a mythic figure and more of a charmer targeting and wooing his object of affection. When Prima tells her to shake hands with Santa Claus, he’s letting that babe know without reservation whatsoever: your ship has come in, baby!
Shake Hands With Santa Claus works, not just because it’s a great tune. I mean, it is a great tune, let’s not get it twisted. Nonetheless, it succeeds because it understands something absolutely essential: that the most honest celebrations are often loud, goofy, and completely unrestrained.
If you want bananas? He’ll give you bananas. Trust the King of the Swingers, yo.
Mills
A South Florida native and part-time iguana, Mills has slaved in the mine-pits of Information Technology since 1995, finding solace in writing about the things he loves like music, fitness, movies, theme parks, gaming, and Norwegian Hammer Prancing. He has written and published hundreds (thousands?) of reviews since 2000, because Geeking Out over your obsessions is the Cosmic Order Of Things. He is, at heart, a 6'3 freewheeling Aquarius forever constrained by delusions of adequacy.