Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town was written by Haven Gillespie (lyrics) and J. Fred Coots (music) in 1932. (Gillespie also wrote the lyrics to That Lucky Old Sun which appeared on this blog in an earlier post.)
The song was first recorded by banjo player Harry Reser & His Orchestra with vocals by Tom Stacks for Decca Records on October 24, 1934. However, before the record was released the song was performed by Eddie Cantor on his radio show sometime in November, which resulted in orders for about 100,000 copies of the sheet music the following day.
Since then it has been recorded hundreds of times and is a very recognizable Christmas song.
The song hasn't evolved much in the past 79 years. It's always been a very uptempo song. As musical styles have come and gone it has been adapted to fit those genres. From big bands to crooners to vocal harmony groups to pop groups to rockers. Some of the earliest recordings rocked. I wouldn't want to try and nominate any particular recording as the definitive one. I know in my younger days you heard the 1959 Perry Como recording a lot on the radio, then in the mid-60's the recording by The Crystals was popular for a time. Bruce Springsteen brought it back in the mid-70's.
I've selected several recorded versions to illustrate its beginnings and sustainability through its first 50 years. 
Sorry, but I don't have time to track down any label shots or photo's tonight.

Harry Reser & His Orch. (Tom Stacks - vocal) 

Recorded 24 October 1934

 

 Tommy Dorsey & His Orch. 

(Cliff Weston & Edythe Wright - vocals)

Recorded 26 September 1935

 

Woody Herman & His Orch.

from 1942

 

Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters

Recorded 29 September 1943

 

Perry Como with The Satisfiers from 1946

This has not been re-issued in any form in over 60 years.

 

Frank Sinatra

Recorded 28 December 1948

 

Patti Page

from 1951

 

Perry Como....again

from 1959

 

The Harmony Grits

from 1959

 

Ella Fitzgerald

from 1960

 

Skip Jackson & The Shantons

from 1960

 

The Crystals

from 1963

 

The Supremes

from 1965

 

The Jackson 5

from 1970

 

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

at Hofstra University 12 December 1975

unreleased - promo copies given to radio stations

 

The Pointer Sisters from 1987

sounds like the above Springsteen recording minus the vocal