<p id=”par-1_54″>One of the most enduring <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/classic-rock/”>classic rock</a> Christmas songs is <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/mike-love-revealed-the-beach-boys-wrote-little-saint-nick.html/”>The Beach Boys’ “Little Saint Nick.”</a> Interestingly, the tune is a rewrite of another classic rock song. It’s one of the most obvious repackagings of an earlier hit in musical history. One of the writers of “Little Saint Nick” was not credited for decades.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-the-beach-boys-little-saint-nick-is-based-on-a-song-about-a-car”>The Beach Boys’ ‘Little Saint Nick’ is based on a song about a car</h2>
<p id=”par-2_57″>During their early years, The Beach Boys tended to write about two subjects: the beach and cars. One of their more famous car songs <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/phil-spector-hoped-brian-wilson-knew-the-beach-boys-good-vibrations-not-great-record.html/”>was “Little Deuce Coupe.”</a> The tune isn’t quite <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-ronettes-be-my-baby-inspired-the-beach-boys-i-get-around.html/”>as catchy as “I Get Around”</a> or “California Girls.” However, “Little Deuce Coupe” has the same charm as a lot of the band’s early material.</p>
<p id=”par-3_38″>“Little Saint Nick” reuses a lot of elements from “Little Deuce Coupe.” It even has a similar title. I don’t think The Beach Boys cared if anyone realized they repackaged one of their hits as a Christmas song. </p>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-1-of-the-songs-is-a-much-better-display-of-the-beach-boys-talents”>1 of the songs is a much better display of The Beach Boys’ talents</h2>
<p id=”par-4_44″>While “Little Saint Nick” is clearly derivative, it’s a lot more memorable than its predecessor. First of all, the melodic changes that “Little Saint Nick” made to “Little Deuce Coupe” were all for the better. The jingle bells on the former are also endearing.</p>
<p id=”par-5_58″>On top of that, it’s nice to hear any Christmas song with a genius at the helm. So many Christmas songs are silly novelties like “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” by Jimmy Boyd and Elmo & Patsy’s “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.” Meanwhile, “Little Saint Nick” displays <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-beach-boys-brian-wilson-wasnt-allowed-play-phil-spector-christmas-song.html/”>the prowess of Brian Wilson</a> near its peak.</p>
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<div class=”related-article related-article–simple”>
<span class=”related-article-flag”>Related</span>
<p class=”related-article__title”>
<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/best-christmas-song-written-murderer.html/”>
The Best Christmas Song Was Written by a Murderer </a>
</p>
</div>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-mike-love-was-denied-credit-for-co-writing-little-saint-nick”>Mike Love was denied credit for co-writing ‘Little Saint Nick’</h2>
<p id=”par-6_111″>Interestingly, The Beach Boys’ Mike Love is credited as a co-writer for “Little Saint Nick” but not “Little Deuce Coupe.” During a 2024 interview with <a href=”https://americansongwriter.com/exclusive-the-beach-boys-mike-love-says-being-inducted-into-the-songwriters-hall-of-fame-in-2025-would-be-really-fantastic/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>American Songwriter</a>, Love said his name was left out of songwriting credits by The Beach Boys’ manager, Murray Wilson, so Love had to file a lawsuit against Brian. “There was a list of about 30 of [the songs], and they included, among others, ‘Little Saint Nick,’ ‘I Get Around,’ <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/listen-the-beach-boys-help-me-rhonda-original-version-wasnt-hit.html/”>‘Help Me, Rhonda,’</a> ‘California Girls,’ and several others,” Love said. “There are actually more, but the 30 was based on a deal that was entered into with Brian’s attorneys at the time.” Ultimately, Love received his due.</p>
<p id=”par-7_85″>“I have a lot more to be grateful for and thankful for than to be bitter about,” he said. “I mean, when we do those songs, even if I wasn’t credited in the beginning, many of them are credited now. [Also,] the fact that Brian and I wrote these songs, and the rest of us did all those great harmonies that are known around the world, and people still, to this day, like to come out and hear us perform them … that’s pretty special.”</p>
<p id=”par-8_37″>Love discussed the initial modus operandi of The Beach Boys. “Our group didn’t start because of money or fame or fortune or any of that stuff,” he recalled. “It came into being because we loved harmonizing together.”</p>
<p id=”par-9_19″>Whether you are listening to “Little Deuce Coupe” or “Little Saint Nick,” those incredible harmonies are on full display. </p>