THE KING OF CHRISTMAS
Ray Stevens


Well,it was 10 o'clock on Christmas Eve
I was wipein' eggnog on my sleeve
Tryin' hard to fight those Christmas blues
I went to bed,turned out the light
I woke up sometime around midnight
Thought I heard somebody singin' Blue Suede Shoes.

Well,I got up and scratched my head
I know that voice,but who I said
Opened the window and looked outside
I saw nine raindeer parked out back
Hitched up to a long pink cadillac
They looked like they'd just finished one heck of a ride.

Well,my hair stood up on the back of my neck
I went downstairs for one quick check
I just had to find out for myself
Well,he was big that much was true
But he looked like someone else I knew
Not like that white bearded,rosie cheeked old man.

Chorus
Oh,he's the King,The King of Christmas
(He's the king,the King of Christmas)
Alive and well and ridin' in his sleigh
And I just can't help believin'
Well those tabloids aint decivin'
Cuz the King of Christmas
Passed me on his way!

Now beneath his cap of jet black hair
And sideburns hangin' down to there
He wore a silver belt around his waist
Then with a swivel of his hip
He started to curl his upper lip
With a look that said Merry Christmas on his face
Then with a karate kick he whirled around
I saw him write something down
He took the note and he stuffed it in my sock
Then he put a record under the tree
Just before he turned to leave
He hummed a bit of Jailhouse Rock.

Chorus

Then he pulled up his collar and flipped back his hair
And disappeared into thin air
I saw the sequins glitter upon his coat
That 45 that he'd laid down was
Santa Claus Is Back In Town
And I played it while I read the words he wrote

I'll outlive rock and roll and postage stamps that say I'm dead
And at the bottom he signed his famous name
Well, some say the King was put to rest
But me and Santa ,we know best
And I bet somewhere there's elves that'll say the same.

Oh he's the King,the King of Christmas
(He's the king,the King of Christmas)
Alive and well and ridin' in his sleigh
And as I heard that sleigh rev and fly
Through the night there came a cry
Sant Claus has left the building!

chorus



(Transcribed by Machiel Bain - October 2002))