Santa Claus is comin' to town became a signature for Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band who have been regularly performing the song live in concert since 1973, mostly around the months of November and December. Their officially released live 12 Dec 1975 version of the song and has become one of the most popular versions of this Christmas standard. 

 

 

 

 

Bruce covered the song 165 times  

1973-12-20 - BRISTOL MOTOR INN, BRISTOL, RI

One show, with Bruce and the boys the only act on the bill. Unusual show in that it was an official Roger Williams University school event but it was held off campus, inside the nightclub of the Bristol Motor Inn. This was an 100-minute show. Partial setlist above comes from a newspaper review of the performance. "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" is likely to have been performed at many of the gigs in this December Christmas period.

 

1975-12-02 - MUSIC HALL, BOSTON

1975-12-03 - MUSIC HALL, BOSTON

1975-12-05 - McDONOUGH ARENA, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, WASHINGTON, DC 

1975-12-07 - McDONOUGH ARENA, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, WASHINGTON, DC 

1975-12-10 - DAVIS GYM, BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY, LEWISBURG, PA 

1975-12-11 - WALSH AUDITORIUM, SETON HALL UNIVERSITY, SOUTH ORANGE, NJ 

 

1975-12-12 - POST DOME, C.W. POST COLLEGE, GREENVALE, NY 

This is the concert that the official "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" was recorded at, and the resulting recording is now on heavy rotation on radio every Christmas. In fact, the entire show was professionally recorded (along with several other shows in December) under the guidance of Jimmy Iovine as part of a plan to release a live album. Was first released in 1981 on the various artists children album " In Harmony 2". The song was also included on several promotional singles that were released in conjunction with the album. In Harmony 2 is a benefit album; according to the album's back cover, "A royalty is being donated to the Children's Television Workshop and various children's charities." It won a Grammy Award for Best Recording For Children in 1983. The live 12 Dec 1975 version of Santa Claus is comin' to town was also released as the B-side to My hometown in November 1985.

 

 

 

1975-12-16 - LAKER HALL GYM, STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, OSWEGO, NY 

1975-12-17 - KLEINHANS MUSIC HALL, BUFFALO, NY 

1975-12-19 - THÉÂTRE MAISONNEUVE, MONTREAL, QC 

1975-12-20 - NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE, OTTAWA, ON

1975-12-21 - SENECA FIELD HOUSE, SENECA COLLEGE, TORONTO, ON

 

• Darkness On The Edge Of Town Tour  

1978-09-20 - CAPITOL THEATRE, PASSAIC, NJ

1978-09-21 - CAPITOL THEATRE, PASSAIC, NJ 

1978-09-25 - BOSTON GARDEN, BOSTON, MA 

1978-09-30 - FOX THEATRE, ATLANTA, GA 

1978-11-27 - MECCA ARENA, MILWAUKEE, WI 

1978-11-28 - DANE COUNTY MEMORIAL COLISEUM, MADISON, WI 

1978-11-29 - ST PAUL CIVIC CENTER ARENA, ST PAUL, MN 

1978-12-01 - LLOYD NOBLE CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA, NORMAN, OK 

1978-12-03 - SIU ARENA, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY, CARBONDALE, IL 

1978-12-05 - LSU ASSEMBLY CENTER, LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY, BATON ROUGE, LA 

1978-12-07 - SPECIAL EVENTS CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AUSTIN, TX 

 

This was reportedly the only show of the tour that was filmed in its entirety, and this could be the very reason it was chosen for official release as part of The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story box set in 2010.

 

1978-12-09 - DALLAS CONVENTION CENTER ARENA, DALLAS, TX 

1978-12-13 - TUCSON COMMUNITY CENTER ARENA, TUCSON, AZ 

1978-12-15 - WINTERLAND BALLROOM, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 

1978-12-16 - WINTERLAND BALLROOM, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 

1978-12-19 - PARAMOUNT THEATRE, PORTLAND, OR 

1978-12-20 - SEATTLE CENTER ARENA, SEATTLE, WA 

1978-12-27 - STANLEY THEATRE, PITTSBURGH, PA 

1978-12-28 - STANLEY THEATRE, PITTSBURGH, PA 

1978-12-30 - COBO ARENA, DETROIT, MI 

1978-12-31 - RICHFIELD COLISEUM, RICHFIELD, OH 

1979-01-01 - RICHFIELD COLISEUM, RICHFIELD, OH

 

• The River Tour  

1980-12-04 - BUFFALO MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM, BUFFALO, NY 

1980-12-06 - SPECTRUM, PHILADELPHIA, PA 

1980-12-08 - SPECTRUM, PHILADELPHIA, PA 

1980-12-09 - SPECTRUM, PHILADELPHIA, PA 

1980-12-11 - PROVIDENCE CIVIC CENTER, PROVIDENCE, RI 

1980-12-12 - HARTFORD CIVIC CENTER, HARTFORD, CT 

1980-12-15 - BOSTON GARDEN, BOSTON, MA 

1980-12-16 - BOSTON GARDEN, BOSTON, MA 

1980-12-18 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NEW YORK CITY, NY 

1980-12-19 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NEW YORK CITY, NY 

1980-12-28 - NASSAU VETERANS MEMORIAL COLISEUM, UNIONDALE, NY 

1980-12-29 - NASSAU VETERANS MEMORIAL COLISEUM, UNIONDALE, NY 

1980-12-31 - NASSAU VETERANS MEMORIAL COLISEUM, UNIONDALE, NY

 

1984-09-18 - SPECTRUM, PHILADELPHIA, PA 

1984-09-22 - CIVIC ARENA, PITTSBURGH, PA 

1984-09-25 - BUFFALO MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM, BUFFALO, NY 

1984-10-15 - PACIFIC COLISEUM, VANCOUVER, BC 

1984-10-19 - TACOMA DOME, TACOMA, WA 

1984-10-22 - OAKLAND-ALAMEDA COUNTY COLISEUM ARENA, OAKLAND, CA 

1984-10-31 - LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL SPORTS ARENA, LOS ANGELES, CA 

1984-11-02 - LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL SPORTS ARENA, LOS ANGELES, CA 

1984-11-04 - LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL SPORTS ARENA, LOS ANGELES, CA 

1984-11-08 - ASU ACTIVITY CENTER, ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, TEMPE, AZ 

1984-11-11 - McNICHOLS SPORTS ARENA, DENVER, CO 

1984-11-12 - McNICHOLS SPORTS ARENA, DENVER, CO 

1984-11-15 - ST LOUIS ARENA, ST LOUIS, MO 

1984-11-16 - HILTON COLISEUM, IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY, AMES, IA 

1984-11-18 - BOB DEVANEY SPORTS CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, LINCOLN, NE 

1984-11-19 - KEMPER ARENA, KANSAS CITY, MO 

1984-11-23 - FRANK ERWIN CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AUSTIN, TX 

1984-11-25 - REUNION ARENA, DALLAS, TX 

1984-11-26 - REUNION ARENA, DALLAS, TX 

1984-11-29 - THE SUMMIT, HOUSTON, TX 

1984-11-30 - THE SUMMIT, HOUSTON, TX 

1984-12-02 - LSU ASSEMBLY CENTER, LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY, BATON ROUGE, LA 

1984-12-06 - BIRMINGHAM-JEFFERSON CIVIC CENTER ARENA, BIRMINGHAM, AL 

1984-12-07 - LEON COUNTY CIVIC CENTER, TALLAHASSEE, FL 

1984-12-09 - MURPHY CENTER, MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY, MURFREESBORO, TN 

1984-12-11 - RUPP ARENA, LEXINGTON, KY 

1984-12-14 - MID-SOUTH COLISEUM, MEMPHIS, TN 

1984-12-16 - THE OMNI, ATLANTA, GA 

1984-12-17 - THE OMNI, ATLANTA, GA 

1985-01-04 - HAMPTON ROADS COLISEUM, HAMPTON, VA 

1985-01-05 - HAMPTON ROADS COLISEUM, HAMPTON, VA 

1985-01-07 - MARKET SQUARE ARENA, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 

1985-01-08 - MARKET SQUARE ARENA, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 

1985-01-10 - FREEDOM HALL, LOUISVILLE, KY 

1985-01-13 - CAROLINA COLISEUM, COLUMBIA, SC 

1985-01-15 - CHARLOTTE COLISEUM, CHARLOTTE, NC 

1985-01-19 - GREENSBORO COLISEUM, GREENSBORO, NC 

1985-01-24 - PROVIDENCE CIVIC CENTER, PROVIDENCE, RI 

1985-01-26 - CARRIER DOME, SYRACUSE, NY 

1985-03-28 - SYDNEY ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA 

1985-09-01 - GIANTS STADIUM, EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ

 1985-09-06 - HOOSIER DOME, INDIANAPOLIS, IN

 

• World Tour 1992-1993  

1992-12-02 - REUNION ARENA, DALLAS, TX 

1992-12-03 - ST LOUIS ARENA, ST LOUIS, MO 

1992-12-05 - MARKET SQUARE ARENA, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 

1992-12-07 - SPECTRUM, PHILADELPHIA, PA 

1992-12-08 - SPECTRUM, PHILADELPHIA, PA 

1992-12-13 - BOSTON GARDEN, BOSTON, MA 

1992-12-14 - BOSTON GARDEN, BOSTON, MA 

1992-12-16 - CIVIC ARENA, PITTSBURGH, PA 

1992-12-17 - RUPP ARENA, LEXINGTON, KY

 

• The Reunion Tour 

1999-11-28 - TARGET CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS, MN 

1999-11-29 - TARGET CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS, MN

 

• The Rising Tour

2002-12-04 - MELLON ARENA, PITTSBURGH, PA 

2002-12-05 - AIR CANADA CENTRE, TORONTO, ON 

2002-12-08 - CHARLOTTE COLISEUM, CHARLOTTE, NC 

2002-12-09 - CAROLINA CENTER, COLUMBIA, SC 

2002-12-13 - PEPSI ARENA, ALBANY, NY 

2002-12-16 - VALUE CITY ARENA, COLUMBUS, OH 

2002-12-17 - CONSECO FIELDHOUSE, INDIANAPOLIS, IN

 

• Devils & Dust Solo Acoustic Tour  

2005-11-22 - SOVEREIGN BANK ARENA, TRENTON, NJ

2007-12-01 - GELREDOME, ARNHEM, THE NETHERLANDS 

2007-12-02 - SAP ARENA, MANNHEIM, GERMANY 

2007-12-04 - OSLO SPEKTRUM, OSLO, NORWAY 

2007-12-10 - GLOBE ARENA, STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN 

2007-12-12 - SPORTPALEIS, ANTWERP, BELGIUM 

2007-12-13 - KOLNARENA, COLOGNE, GERMANY 

2007-12-15 - ODYSSEY ARENA, BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND 

2007-12-17 - PALAIS OMNISPORTS DE PARIS-BERCY, PARIS, FRANCE 

2007-12-19 - THE O2 ARENA, LONDON, ENGLAND 

2008-07-11 - OLYMPIASTADION, HELSINKI, FINLAND

 

• Working On A Dream Tour  

2009-06-02 - RATINAN STADION, TAMPERE, FINLAND 

2009-06-13 - BONNAROO, GREAT STAGE PARK, MANCHESTER, TN

2009-07-26 - ESTADIO SAN MAMÉS, BILBAO, SPAIN 

2009-11-15 - BRADLEY CENTER, MILWAUKEE, WI 

2009-11-18 - SOMMET CENTER, NASHVILLE, TN 

2009-11-20 - 1ST MARINER ARENA, BALTIMORE, MD 

2009-11-22 - HSBC ARENA, BUFFALO, NY

 

• Wrecking Ball Tour 

2012-11-17 - SPRINT CENTER, KANSAS CITY, MO 

2012-11-19 - PEPSI CENTER, DENVER, CO 

2012-11-26 - ROGERS ARENA, VANCOUVER, BC 

2012-11-28 - ROSE GARDEN, PORTLAND, OR 

2012-11-30 - ORACLE ARENA, OAKLAND, CA 

2012-12-04 - HONDA CENTER, ANAHEIM, CA 

2012-12-06 - JOBING.COM ARENA, GLENDALE, AZ 

2012-12-10 - PALACIO DE LOS DEPORTES, MEXICO CITY, MEXICO

 

• High Hopes Tour  

2016-05-25 - ETIHAD STADIUM, MANCHESTER, ENGLAND 

2016-08-23 - METLIFE STADIUM, EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ

1983-12-28 - MONMOUTH ARTS CENTER, RED BANK

La Bamba's Holiday Hurrah Benefit 

 

1988-12-18 - THE STONE PONY, ASBURY PARK

Friends of Special Children Benefit

 

1998-12-11 - TRADEWINDS, SEA BRIGHT

Holiday Express

 

1998-12-11 - PALADOZZA, BOLOGNA, ITALY

On Italian TV show Taratata on Rai Uno.

 

During his annual Christmas party at McLoone's Rum Runner in Sea Bright, NJ. Though the date is not certain it seems the party took place on December 20, and Bruce joined Bobby Bandiera's band for well over an hour, performing Beatles and Creedence Clearwater Revival songs among other classics.

 

 

2000-12-17 - CONVENTION HALL, ASBURY PARK

2000-12-18 - CONVENTION HALL, ASBURY PARK

2001-12-03 - CONVENTION HALL, ASBURY PARK

2001-12-04 - CONVENTION HALL, ASBURY PARK

2001-12-06 - CONVENTION HALL, ASBURY PARK

2001-12-07 - CONVENTION HALL, ASBURY PARK

 

Holiday Express

 

2003-12-05 - CONVENTION HALL, ASBURY PARK

2003-12-07 - CONVENTION HALL, ASBURY PARK

 

John Mulheren funeral

 

Concert for Flood Aid

 

early

 

late

 

Light of Day

 

Bobby Bandiera All-Star Holiday Concert

 

Hope Concert

 

During a TV appearance on Saturday Night Live. The song was played in its E Street Band arrangement, with Sir Paul McCartney, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and the full Saturday Night Live cast (and some of the crew) joining the band on stage.

 

Rainforest Fund Concert

  

"Santa Claus Is Comin' to town"is a Christmas song, written by John Frederick Coots and Haven Gillespie and was first sung on Eddie Cantor's radio show in November 1934. It became an instant hit with orders for 500,000 copies of sheet music and more than 30,000 records sold within 24 hours. The version for Bluebird Records by George Hall and His Orchestra (vocal by Sonny Schuyler) was very popular in 1934 and reached the various charts of the day. The earliest known recorded version of the song was by banjoist Harry Reser and his band on October 24, 1934 . The song has been recorded by over 200 artists.