Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy

"Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy" is a Christmas song co-written and recorded by Buck Owens. After its recording in 1965, the song has been covered by several country music artists, including Garth Brooks, Travis Tritt, and Brad Paisley.

The song was released on November 8, 1965, with "All I Want for Christmas, Dear, Is You" on the B-side.^[2] It placed at number 2 on the yearly Christmas singles chart issued by Billboard at the time.^[3]^[4]

The song is about a child who has sneaked downstairs to catch a glimpse of Santa where the child sees his father in a Santa costume.

Cover versions

In 1992, Garth Brooks covered the song on his Christmas album Beyond the Season, produced by Allen Reynolds for Liberty Records. However, it did not chart from Christmas airplay until January 1998, when it reached number 56. The physical single release had "The Old Man's Back in Town", with which Brooks charted at number 48 on the same chart in 1992, on the B-side.^[5]

Also in 1992, Travis Tritt covered both the single and its B-side for his Christmas album A Travis Tritt Christmas: Loving Time of the Year.^[6]

In 1995, The Tractors included a cover on their album Have Yourself a Tractors Christmas.

In 1998, Paul Brandt included a cover on his album A Paul Brandt Christmas: Shall I Play for You?

Psychobilly trio The Reverend Horton Heat recorded a cover for their 2005 album We Three Kings.

Brad Paisley covered it in 2006 for his Christmas album Brad Paisley Christmas on Arista Nashville under the production of Frank Rogers. Paisley's version peaked at number 49 on the country charts in January 2007.^[7]

Also in 2006, Billy "Crash" Craddock included a cover on his album Billy "Crash" Craddock's Christmas Favorites.

In 2011, rock band Bowling for Soup included a version of the song on their album Merry Flippin’ Christmas Vol. 1.

In 2013, the cast of Duck Dynasty released Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas. "Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy" was included as a bonus track on the Walmart exclusive edition.

In 2023, Jon Pardi included a cover on his album Merry Christmas from Jon Pardi.

Chart performance

Buck Owens

Chart (1965)	Peak position
US Christmas Songs (Billboard)	2

Garth Brooks

Chart (1998)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[8]	56

Brad Paisley

Chart (2007)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[9]	49

References

↑ "Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy". Discogs. 1965. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
↑ Sisk, Eileen (2010). Buck Owens: The Biography. Chicago Review Press. p. 100. ISBN 9781569767450.
↑ Poe, Randy; Owens, Buck (November 2013). Buck 'Em!: The Autobiography of Buck Owens. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9781480366916.
↑ "Billboard chart positions > singles". allmusic. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
↑ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. pp. 61–62. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
↑ "A Travis Tritt Christmas: Loving Time of the Year". Allmusic. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
↑ Whitburn, p. 313
↑ "Garth Brooks Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
↑ "Brad Paisley Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.

v t e Buck Owens
Studio albums	Buck Owens Buck Owens Buck Owens Sings Harlan Howard You're for Me On the Bandstand Buck Owens Sings Tommy Collins Together Again I Don't Care I've Got a Tiger by the Tail Before You Go Roll Out the Red Carpet Dust on Mother's Bible Open Up Your Heart Your Tender Loving Care It Takes People Like You Sweet Rosie Jones Hot Dog!
Holiday albums	Christmas with Buck Owens and his Buckaroos Christmas Shopping
Live albums	Carnegie Hall Concert In Japan!
Compilation albums	The Fabulous Country Music Sound of Buck Owens The Best of Buck Owens Best of Buck Owens, Vol. 2 21 #1 Hits: The Ultimate Collection
Notable singles	"Hot Dog" "Under Your Spell Again" "Above and Beyond" "Excuse Me (I Think I've Got a Heartache)" "Foolin' Around" "Save the Last Dance for Me" "Act Naturally" "Love's Gonna Live Here" "My Heart Skips a Beat" "Together Again" "I Don't Care (Just as Long as You Love Me)" "I've Got a Tiger By the Tail" "Before You Go" "Only You (Can Break My Heart)" "Buckaroo" "Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy" "Waitin' in Your Welfare Line" "Think of Me" "Open Up Your Heart" "Where Does the Good Times Go" "Sam's Place" "Your Tender Loving Care" "How Long Will My Baby Be Gone" "Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass" "Johnny B. Goode" "Tall Dark Stranger" "Big in Vegas" "Bridge over Troubled Water" "Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms" "Made in Japan"
Collaboration singles	"Love Is Strange"
Guest singles	"Streets of Bakersfield"
B-side singles	"Loose Talk" "Together Again" "Crying Time"
Related articles	Discography The Buckaroos Dwight Sings Buck "Lookin' out My Back Door" KUVI-DT

v t e Garth Brooks singles
Garth Brooks	"Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)" "If Tomorrow Never Comes" "Not Counting You" "The Dance"
No Fences	"Friends in Low Places" "Unanswered Prayers" "Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House" "The Thunder Rolls" "Wild Horses" (released in 2000)
Ropin' the Wind	"Rodeo" "Shameless" "What She's Doing Now" "Papa Loved Mama" "The River"
The Chase	"We Shall Be Free" "Somewhere Other Than the Night" "Learning to Live Again" "That Summer"
In Pieces	"Ain't Goin' Down ('Til the Sun Comes Up)" "American Honky-Tonk Bar Association" "Standing Outside the Fire" "One Night a Day" "Callin' Baton Rouge" "The Red Strokes"
Fresh Horses	"She's Every Woman" "The Fever" "The Beaches of Cheyenne" "The Change" "It's Midnight Cinderella" "That Ol' Wind"
Sevens	"Longneck Bottle" "She's Gonna Make It" "Two Piña Coladas" "You Move Me" "Do What You Gotta Do" (released in 2000)
The Limited Series	"To Make You Feel My Love"
Double Live	"It's Your Song"
Scarecrow	"When You Come Back to Me Again" (released in 2000) "Wrapped Up in You" "Squeeze Me In" (with Trisha Yearwood) "Thicker Than Blood" "Why Ain't I Running"
The Lost Sessions	"Good Ride Cowboy" "Love Will Always Win"
The Ultimate Hits	"More Than a Memory" "Workin' for a Livin'" (with Huey Lewis)
Man Against Machine	"People Loving People" "Mom"
Gunslinger	"Baby, Let's Lay Down and Dance" "Ask Me How I Know"
Fun	"All Day Long" "Stronger Than Me" "Dive Bar" (with Blake Shelton) "Shallow" "That's What Cowboys Do"
Guest singles	"Whatcha Gonna Do with a Cowboy" (with Chris LeDoux; uncredited) "In Another's Eyes" (with Trisha Yearwood) "Burnin the Roadhouse Down" (with Steve Wariner) "Where Your Road Leads" (with Trisha Yearwood) "Katie Wants a Fast One" (with Steve Wariner)
Other songs	"Hard Luck Woman" "Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy"

v t e Brad Paisley singles
Who Needs Pictures	"Who Needs Pictures" "He Didn't Have to Be" "Me Neither" "We Danced"
Part II	"Two People Fell in Love" "Wrapped Around" "I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)" "I Wish You'd Stay"
Mud on the Tires	"Celebrity" "Little Moments" "Whiskey Lullaby" "Mud on the Tires"
Time Well Wasted	"Alcohol" "When I Get Where I'm Going" "The World" "She's Everything"
5th Gear	"Ticks" "Online" "Letter to Me" "I'm Still a Guy" "Waitin' on a Woman"
Play	"Start a Band"
American Saturday Night	"Then" "Welcome to the Future" "American Saturday Night" "Water"
Hits Alive	"Anything Like Me"
This Is Country Music	"This Is Country Music" "Old Alabama" "Remind Me" "Camouflage"
Wheelhouse	"Southern Comfort Zone" "Beat This Summer" "I Can't Change the World" "The Mona Lisa"
Moonshine in the Trunk	"River Bank" "Perfect Storm" "Crushin' It" "Country Nation"
Love and War	"Today" "Last Time for Everything" "Heaven South"
Non-album singles	"Without a Fight" "Bucked Off" "No I in Beer" "Same Here" "The Medicine Will"
Other songs	"Accidental Racist" "Freedom Was a Highway" "Forever Country" "Is It Raining at Your House" "Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy" "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive"

Buck Owens

Garth Brooks

Brad Paisley

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