Must Be Santa – Bob Dylan – Notes
Activity type: gap fill, word association.
Grammar: adjectives.
Time: 20 mins.
Note: Written by Hal Moore and Bill Fredericks, this was first recorded by Mitch Miller is 1960. Based on a German drinking song, it is a call and response, and was covered by Bob Dylan on his 2009 charity album Christmas In the Heart . In his version he lists eight American presidents along with the reindeer – only one of these had served when the song was originally written. As a follow up to the lesson you can ask students to read and comment on the origins of our image of Santa, as invented by Coca-Cola – see http://www.thecoca- colacompany.com/heritage/cokelore_santa.html There is a slideshow of the song at http://ipaintwithiphone.blogspot.it/2010/12/bob-dylan- christmas.html
1) Ask students what they associate with Christmas, to elicit Santa Claus (also known as Father Christmas).
2) Ask students to describe Santa. Write the following words on the board:
beard suit cap nose reindeer night
3) Ask them to write two adjectives for each word – this can be done individually, in pairs or in small groups, perhaps as a competition.
4) Play the song. Ask students to number the words in the order they hear them, and to note the adjectives used.
5) Optional activity, before giving worksheet. Also do note 8) of this worksheet at this stage. Write the twelve names on the board. Which of the following are Santa’s reindeer? Who are the others? Listen and put them in the order they appear in the song. You will need to play this as many times as students need – it is at 2 minutes into the song. Key: See complete lyrics.
Bush Dasher Nixon, Carter Eisenhower Prancer Clinton Johnson Reagan Dancer Kennedy Vixen
6) Give each student a copy of the worksheet. Ask them to complete the lyrics based on the context and their previous listening.
7) Play the song again. Students check and correct.
8) Point out that Dylan lists just four of the eight reindeer, as well as eight American presidents. How many of these are students familiar with? Do they know the names of the other reindeer? If you like you can play the Mitch Miller version (on www.tuneintoenglish.com ) and ask them to listen for the names, or simply compare the two versions. Key: Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen
9) Sing together.
This worksheet is to be used for educational purposes only Activity © Tune into English 2012 – www.tuneintoenglish.com Worksheet written by Prof. Claudia Cantaluppi, Como
Must Be Santa – Bob Dylan
Complete the lyrics with the following words: beard cap night nose reindeer suit
Who's got a ______that's long and white Santa's got a ______that's long and white Who comes around on a special ______Santa comes around on a special ______Special ______, ______that's white Must be Santa Must be Santa Must be Santa, Santa Claus
Who wears boots and a ______of red Santa wears boots and a ______of red Who wears a long ______on his head Santa wears a long ______on his head ______on head, ______that's red Special ______, ______that's white Must be Santa Must be Santa Must be Santa, Santa Claus
Who's got a big red cherry ______Santa's got a big red cherry ______Who laughs this way HO HO HO Santa laughs this way HO HO HO HO HO HO, cherry ______on head, ______that's red Special ______, ______that's white Must be Santa Must be Santa Must be Santa, Santa Claus
Who very soon will come our way Santa very soon will come our way Eight little ______pull his sleigh Santa's little ______pull his sleigh ______sleigh, come our way HO HO HO, cherry ______on head, ______that's red Special ______, ______that's white Must be Santa Must be Santa Must be Santa, Santa Claus
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen Carter, Reagan, Bush and Clinton
______sleigh, come our way HO HO HO, cherry ______on head, ______that's red Special ______, ______that's white Must be Santa Must be Santa Must be Santa, Santa Claus
This worksheet is to be used for educational purposes only Activity © Tune into English 2012 – www.tuneintoenglish.com Worksheet written by Prof. Claudia Cantaluppi, Como
Must Be Santa – Bob Dylan – Complete
Who's got a beard that's long and white Santa's got a beard that's long and white Who comes around on a special night Santa comes around on a special night Special night , beard that's white Must be Santa Must be Santa Must be Santa, Santa Claus
Who wears boots and a suit of red Santa wears boots and a suit of red Who wears a long cap on his head Santa wears a long cap on his head Cap on head, suit that's red Special night , beard that's white Must be Santa Must be Santa Must be Santa, Santa Claus
Who's got a big red cherry nose Santa's got a big red cherry nose Who laughs this way HO HO HO Santa laughs this way HO HO HO HO HO HO, cherry nose Cap on head, suit that's red Special night , beard that's white Must be Santa Must be Santa Must be Santa, Santa Claus
Who very soon will come our way Santa very soon will come our way Eight little reindeer pull his sleigh Santa's little reindeer pull his sleigh Reindeer sleigh, come our way HO HO HO, cherry nose Cap on head, suit that's red Special night , beard that's white Must be Santa Must be Santa Must be Santa, Santa Claus
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen Carter, Reagan,Bush and Clinton
Reindeer sleigh, come our way HO HO HO, cherry nose Cap on head, suit that's red Special night , beard that's white Must be Santa Must be Santa Must be Santa, Santa Claus
This worksheet is to be used for educational purposes only Activity © Tune into English 2012 – www.tuneintoenglish.com Worksheet written by Prof. Claudia Cantaluppi, Como