December 12, 2013 by christine
The snow has arrived and the air is frosty and cold. The holiday season is upon us. The stores are decked out with seasonal decor and the Christmas carols are playing. We have been listening to holiday music at the office since the beginning of December and I found myself wondering about the song “All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth”. Who wrote it and why was it written? I was curious I think in part, due to my profession. I thought I might share what I discovered about this song.
“All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth” was written in 1944 by Donald Yetter Gardner, a grade two teacher. According to what I read, Gardner asked his grade two students what they would like for Christmas and while they were all answering he noticed that most of his students were missing at least one of their front teeth. He also noticed that many of the children had a lisp as a result of the missing front teeth. Apparently Gardner wrote the song in about 30 minutes for and about his students. “All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth” was first published four years later in 1948 by a music company employee that heard Gardner sing the song at a music teacher conference. Spike Jones and His City Slickers was the first to record this holiday favorite and it has been recorded by dozens of artists since.
“All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth”
Every body stops
and stares at me
These two teeth are
gone as you can see
I don’t know just who
to blame for this catastrophe!
But my one wish on Christmas Eve
is as plain as it can be!
All I want for Christmas
is my two front teeth,
my two front teeth,
see my two front teeth!
Gee, if I could only
have my two front teeth,
then I could be with you
“Merry Christmas.”
It seems so long since I could say,
“Sister Susie sitting on a thistle!”
Gosh oh gee, how happy I’d be,
if I could only whistle (thhhh)
All I want for Christmas
is my two front teeth,
my two front teeth,
see my two front teeth.
Gee, if I could only
have my two front teeth,
then I could wish you
“Merry Christmas!”
Our Tooth Doctors family wishes you and yours the very best of the holidays and a happy and healthy New Year! And for those of you wishing for your “two front teeth” . . . . don’t worry, they will be in before you know it!