Petit Papa Noel

Album: Noel (1946)
Play Video

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.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Mike Campbell

Mike CampbellSongwriter Interviews

Mike is lead guitarist with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, and co-writer of classic songs like "Boys Of Summer," "Refugee" and "The Heart Of The Matter."

Donny Osmond

Donny OsmondSongwriter Interviews

Donny Osmond talks about his biggest hits, his Vegas show, and the fan who taught him to take "Puppy Love" seriously.

Carl Sturken

Carl SturkenSongwriter Interviews

Hitmaker Carl Sturken on writing and producing for Rihanna, 'N Sync, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Donny Osmond, Shakira and Karyn White.

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.

The Police

The PoliceFact or Fiction

Do their first three albums have French titles? Is "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" really meaningless? See if you can tell in this Fact or Fiction.