Petit Papa Noël

Petit Papa Noël (which translates into English as Little Father Christmas) is a popular French Christmas song. It first appeared in 1944, during the Second World War.

The lyrics of the original version were the prayer of a child expressing his wish to see his father return from the war in Germany. Following the liberation of France, in 1946, the original song was rewritten by Raymond Vincy and Henri Martinet. It was initially recorded by the French singer Tino Rossi, and since then has become an incredibly popular Christmas song, well-known today by most French children.

“Petit Papa Noël” is by far the biggest commercial success for a French song, with over 80 million records sold world-wide. In addition, it has featured in an impressive number of radio broadcasts and re-transmissions in public places, especially shops at Christmastime! Moreover, the success of the song does not stop at the borders of France. “Petit Papa Noël” has been translated into many languages and exported to many countries. An instrumental version is included in the Christmas music played at Disneyland, California, during the festive season.

Many artists have recorded covers of Petit Papa Noël, including Nana Mouskouri, Céline Dion, Josh Groban and Roberto Alagna. Even in English-speaking countries, it is often performed in French.

This arrangement includes lyrics in both French and English, with a guide to the French pronunciation provided in standard IPA (Internation Phonetic Alphabet) format. It is available in SSA and SAB voicings with a piano accompaniment.

Sample Score Pages