Chords + Lyrics | I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Intro (free time)
||: A | C#m | F#m F#m7 | Aadd9 E :||
Chorus
| A | A | C#m | F#m |
I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus.
| A | A | E7 (E6) | E7 (E6) |
Underneath the mistletoe last night.
| E | E | A | A |
She didn’t see me creep, down the stairs to have a peek.
| B7 | B7 | E | E7 |
She thought that I was tucked up in my bedroom fast asleep.
Verse 1
| A | A | C#m | F#m |
Then, I saw Mommy tickle Santa Claus.
| A | A7 | D A7/C# | Bm7 |
Underneath his beard so snowy white.
| D B7 | G#7 | A F#m7 | Bm7 E7 |
Oh, what a laugh it would have been, if Daddy had only seen.
| A F#m7 | Bm7 E7 | A F#m7 | B7 E7 |
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night.
Instrumental (as chorus)
| A | A | C#m | F#m |
| A | A | E7 (E6) | E7 (E6) |
| E | E | A | A |
| B7 | B7 | E | E7 |
Verse 2
| A | A | C#m | F#m |
Then, I saw Mommy tickle Santa Claus.
| A | A7 | D A7/C# | Bm7 |
Underneath his beard so snowy white.
| D B7 | G#7 | A F#m7 | Bm7 E7 |
Oh, what a laugh it would have been, if Daddy had only seen.
| A F#m7 | Bm7 E7 | A | A7 |
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night.
End
| D B7 | G#7 | A F#m7 | Bm7 E7 |
Oh, what a laugh it would have been, if Daddy had only seen.
| A F#m7 | Bm7 | E7 | A |
Mommy kissing Santa Claus, last, night.
| A | D | E7 | A | A6 | A | Amaj7 |
(I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus).
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus Backing Tracks | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find backing tracks to use when learning I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. I’ve used stem separation to extract the guitar while keeping the drums, bass, keys, and vocals intact.
After studying the chords and TAB, use my backing tracks to prepare for playing this tune with a band.
Should you want to play along with the original recording instead, you need to tune your guitar sharp to 445Hz. In the backing tracks, I’ve done this job for you by tuning it to 440Hz.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
As a Christmas standard, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus has been recorded in many versions across different key signatures (more on this below). To better understand the song’s harmonic structure, it’s useful to break it down using Roman numerals.
The Ronettes’ version, which I’ve chosen to focus on, is in the key of A, while most online versions are in C.
Chorus
Here’s the first section—I’ll call this the chorus, it later returns as an instrumental:
| A (I) | A | C#m (III) | F#m (VI) |
| A | A | E7 (V) E6 | E7 E6 |
| E | E | A | A |
| B7 (Iix) | B7 | E | E7 |
The movement from A to C#m resembles A to Amaj7, so it’s worth comparing the two. From C#m, we move to F#m, which is a fourth up.
Next, we return to A (I), then shift to the dominant E7 (V), followed by E6. Instead of jumping straight back to A, we briefly land on E—a small but effective detail that enhances the phrasing.
After resolving back to A, we introduce B7 (IIx) to build tension before finishing on E and E7. Again, the distinction between E and E7 adds subtle but noticeable colour to the progression.
There’s a lovely little chord lick that highlights this transition. To explore that and other ways to play I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, check out my TAB further down this lesson.
Verse
The next section, which I’ve decided to call the verse (though some might refer to it as sections A and B), begins similarly to the chorus but then takes an unexpected turn. Here’s the first half of the progression:
| A (I) | A | C#m (III) | F#m (VI) |
| A (I) | A7 (I7) | D (IV) A7/C# (I7/3) | Bm7 (II) |
The first line mirrors the chorus. However, in the second line, we see A7 (I7) leading into D (IV), then descending chromatically via A7/C# (I7/3) before landing on Bm7 (II) instead of B7 as in the previous section.
This intricate mix of major and minor gives I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus its unique harmonic charm.
Now, here’s the second half of the verse—a brilliant exercise for your Christmas gig! (Check the TAB further down this guitar lesson for details).
| D (IV) B7 (IIx) | G#7 (VIIx) | A (I) F#m7 (VI) | Bm7 (II) E7 (V) |
| A (I) F#m7 (VI) | Bm7 (II) E7 (V) | A (I) F#m7 (VI) | B7 (Iix) E7 (V) |
The standout elements here are the G#7 (VIIx) and the contrast between Bm7 and B7, adding colour and movement to the progression.
To truly grasp this section, take time to sit with these changes. For best results, practice the chords in multiple positions and keys—as many as you can bear!
Here’s a chord chart I made to help you out.
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
There’s a slight difference between the chords and lyrics version and the chord chart—specifically in the E7 – E6 chord lick. In the chords and lyrics, I wrote E6 in brackets, while in the chart, it appears as smaller chords.
If you’d like to download my chord chart, here’s a PDF version: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus chord chart PDF.
This chart was created using iRealPro. You can download the iReal Pro file here: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus iReal Pro.
With iRealPro, you can change the key—something I usually find frustrating. However, in this case, I actually embrace the challenge, as the fast chord changes make for a great exercise, especially during those long Christmas residency gigs!
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus | TAB
There’s a surprise rhythm in I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus that’s much more difficult than I expected. It may look simple, but sticking to it throughout is a different kettle of fish.
Before we get to that, let’s look at the intro, which is played in free time.
I really like that first chord – a G shape – it builds so nicely with the C#m and F#m. When repeated, I’ve gone for a bass note followed by the chord.
Having tried my way, consider developing your own intro for I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – there’s definitely room for interpretation!
Let’s move on to the chorus. Initially, I thought the rhythm was the classic 2 and 4, with two hits on 2. Turns out, it’s not on the 4 but on 3 +. This makes it so much harder!
Aside from the rhythm, the main feature here is the E7 – E6 chord lick.
Next up is the verse, which is much trickier than it first appears – a great opportunity to improve your chord work.
That new chord on the last stab in the second half of the verse is not easy to land cleanly.
Once you can play this section, explore other areas of the fretboard – but don’t write it out in TAB, just use the chord chart above.
Finally, here’s the ending. Again, some tricky stuff here!
I made up the last three bars – they’re not exactly like the original. What will you play?
The recording was produced by Phil Spector—his signature sound makes it one of the most iconic renditions, can you fit your guitar in with his production (backing tracks!) and then make that work with your band?
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus Chords: Continue Learning
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