Well, it’s that time of the year where we think of all those iconic Christmastime favorites, like long boards, girls in bikinis and vintage woody wagons. Wait, what? Well, that’s what comes to mind whenever the oldies station starts playing “Little Saint Nick” by The Beach Boys. The Christmas song was written by front man Brian Wilson and Mike Love, first released as a single in December 1963.

The “all American band” saw the single reach number three on the Billboard Christmas charts and peaking at #69 on the regular weekly sales chart. The song appeared again on The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album in 1964 (without the overdubbed sleigh bells). Now, if the tune sounds a little familiar, don’t worry. It borrows its rhythm from “Little Deuce Coupe,” so you can’t really claim plagiarism since it was based off their own song.

We were surprised at how many times the song had be covered by other recording artists including John Denver and the Muppets (1979), as well as the thankfully disbanded groups Hanson and Sugar Ray. We’re sorry there’s no hot rods in this video of their live performance, but if there was a band who did more for mainstreaming the hot rod lifestyle, it was The Beach Boys, so they definitely get a “pass.”

Merry Christmas!