Petit Papa Noel

Album: Noel (1946)
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Songfacts®:

  • "Petit Papa Noel" is a French name for Santa Claus.
  • This song was written by Raymond Vincy and Henri Martinet in 1946 and was originally recorded the same year by the French cabaret tenor Tino Rossi (1907-1983) for the movie Destins. "Petit Papa Noel" became a perennial Christmas favorite of children throughout the French speaking world and as a result of being re-released every Christmas, it has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide.
  • Corsican born, Rossi capitulated to fame in the 1930s with his image of a sultry Latin lover. For over 50 years he was a major box office attraction in France, appearing in over 25 films and recording over 1,000 songs selling over 300 million records. He is said to be the second-most famous person to come from Corsica after Napoleon.
  • Tino Rossi's recording is the all-time best selling single in France with total sales of over 5.7 million.

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