Song: Petit Papa Noël (story and video)

Chant de Christmas écrit par Raymond Vinci, et dont la musique est l’œuvre d’Henri Martinet, Petit Papa Noël a été interprété pour la toute première fois en 1946. C’est Tino Rossi qui a eu l’honneur de la chanter dans le film « Destins », chanson qu’il avait lui-même choisi d’interpréter.

The story goes that Henri Martinet met Tino Rossi with the aim of asking him to sing a song in this film. However, nothing seemed to suit Tino Rossi. The Parisian impresario named Audiffred then suggested that Martinet sing his own composition, to which he strongly opposed. He explained this refusal by the bitter failure he had previously suffered when he sang it in a revue in Marseille. Intrigued, Tino Rossi then asked him to sing it, and immediately won over, he immediately agreed to perform it in the filming of the film.

Although several artists have performed Petit Papa Noël, the best-known, and therefore most popular, version remains the one performed by Tino Rossi. He also holds the record for the best-selling single in France, with sales totaling 40 million copies.

Mireille Mathieu, Henri Dès, Céline Dion, Dalida, Roch Voisine, Michèle Torr, Dorothée, Chantal Goya, Thierry Gali, and the late Claude François, are among the French and Quebec artists to have performed Petit Papa Noël.

There is no known English version of Petit Papa Noël. However, the chorus is sometimes sung in English by some artists, notably in Celine Dion's version.

Youtube video
Petit Papa Noël by Tino Rossi (with lyrics)

Tno Rossi

Little Santa Claus in pictures

Baby Lilly's Little Santa Claus Clip
Lyrics French version

It's the beautiful Christmas night
The snow spreads its white coat
And eyes raised to the sky
On your knees, little children
Before closing your eyelids
Say one last prayer.

Little Santa Claus
When you come down from heaven
With toys by the thousands
Don't forget my little shoe.

But before you go
You will have to cover yourself well
You'll be so cold outside
It's a bit because of me.

I can't wait for the day to break
To see if you brought me
All the beautiful toys I see in my dreams
And that I commanded you.

Little Santa Claus
When you come down from heaven
With toys by the thousands
Don't forget my little shoe

The sandman has passed by
The children are going to sleep
And you can start
With your hood on your back
To the sound of church bells
Your distribution of surprises

Little Santa Claus
When you come down from heaven
With toys by the thousands
Don't forget my little shoe.

If you have to stop
Sur les toits du monde entier
All this before tomorrow morning
Get on your way quickly, quickly.

And when you are on your beautiful cloud
Come to our house first
I haven't been very good every day.
But I ask forgiveness.

Little Santa Claus
When you come down from heaven
With toys by the thousands
Don't forget my little shoe
Little Santa Claus.

The chorus in English

Little Santa Claus
When you sail down from the sky
Bringing toys, so shiny and so bright
Please don't pass my little stocking by

Before you leave your home
Wear your bright red coat so warm
Understand it still a winter night
How I'd wait you see my candlelight.