“Here Comes Santa In A Red Canoe” is another song focusing
on Santa’s mode of transportation, this time from Hawaii
courtesy of The Surfers from thier classic 1959 release
Christmas From Hawaii. It has an almost doo-wop feel and adds
a unique perspective to the Christmas lexicon. The LP is a mix
of traditional fare rotating between the religious (“Mary’s Boy
Child,” “Oh, Holy Night.”) and the secular ( “White Christmas,”
“Deck The Halls”) and songs focusing on Christmas where it
never snows (“Hawaiian Santa,” “Mele Kalikimaka”). The
Surfers were a pop vocal group, clean-cut with tight harmonies,
who were often backed by legendary steel guitarist Jules Ah See
and percussionist Harold Chang.