11 December 2006

Augie Rios - Ol' Fatso: an obscure Christmas novelty

The main legacy of Augie Rios seems to be two Christmas songs issued in 1958 on the Metro label, Donde Esta Santa Claus (Where Is Santa Claus) and its B-side, Ol' Fatso. MGM also issued them on a single in 1964.

Ol' Fatso is about an unbelieving boy who jeers at Santa, Don't care who you are Ol' Fatso, Get those reindeer off the roof.

You can find the lyrics of Donde Esta Santa Claus on the Web, but until now Ol' Fatso's have been missing. You'll agree that this is a public service that just had to be performed, so here they are. As you can see, this is the old familiar story of scepticism overcome by self-interest:

CHORUS:
Don’t care who you are Ol’ Fatso
Get those reindeer off the roof
Don’t care who you are Ol’ Fatso
Get those reindeer off the roof
No you can’t fool me because
There ain’t no Santa Claus
There ain’t no Santa Claus And I got proof.

There was a little fellow
Who just wouldn’t believe
There really was a Santa Claus
Even on Christmas Eve
And when one Christmas Eve he heard
A clatter overhead
He opened up his window wide
And this what he said:

[CHORUS]

Though Santa Claus had brought him
A big bag full of toys
Enough of Christmas presents
For a dozen little boys
Some choo choo trains and cowboys
And a whole Apache tribe
The boy looked up and said,
Oh no! I ain’t taking no bribes

[CHORUS]

Well next year Santa came around
And brought a favourite toy
To everybody but a certain
Unbelieving boy
The moral of this story
Is very sad but true
If you don’t believe in Santa Claus
He won’t believe in you

Don’t care who you are young fellow
Keep those reindeer on the roof
Don’t care who you are young fellow
Keep those reindeer on the roof
Oh you fool no-one because
There is a Santa Claus
There is a Santa Claus
And I got proof.

Yes, there is a Santa Claus
And I got proof.


Spanish-born child actor Augie Rios released a handful of singles, 1958-64. Country Paul, posting to Spectropop in 2004, outlines Augie's career on stage, TV and record, citing several sources on the Net.

15 comments:

Ladytink_534 said...

I love this song! It was on XM radio's X-Christmas the other day and I've been humming it ever since.

Lady12065 said...

Don't know how, but I had the 45 of this in my "Close & Play" when I was a child. Born in '63, I was still a "believer" when it came out - and my big brother and I used to argue about it (he told me Santa wasn't real...HA!) It has become a long-standing family joke, and I would love to buy the single for him somehow. Does anyone know if it still exists?

Anonymous said...

OH MY GOD!!!!!
I have been looking for the words to this song for years. I was born in 61 but I remember singing this song when I was little...That was the only time we were allowed to call anyone names (Ol fatso). HAHAHA. I refused to believe the song... I just knew that little boy wasn't going to get presents making a song like that!!!! Please post if anyone ever finds this record... I Love it!!!!!!

Liz

Anonymous said...

I just found a 45 of this song by the four aces.. had no idea there were 2 different recordings of this..

Joanie

Anonymous said...

I have played this song ever since I can remember first it was plyed for me and my siblings I was born in 1955 and my parents bought the 45 when it can out I now have it and I played it for my kids now i play it for my grand daughter the record is the first version with Metro records alittle scrachy but still going strong at 50 years old now. I used to win alot of beers at bars when it came to stump the DJ nobody had that song I'm glad to see others are enjoying what I have enjoyed for 50 years. now I can print the lryics and we all can sing along like we did with Mich Miller

MTC said...

Man, oh, man. I've been singing this song in my head for years! Being born in '56 I remember a kid from school giving me the 45 (used to buy them at Woolworths for 35 cents) around '65 or '66. Now, I can let my kids hear what I've been singing to them for years, or at least the rest of the song and the real words! Now, does anybody know or remember (or where I can download) a tune that goes, "She's a real friendly gal, she's a friend, she's a pal, she's the whole world to me, she's my mother."

Anonymous said...

WOW ME AND MY SISTER HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS SONG FOR A LONG WHILE. MY MOM HAD THE 45 WITH BOTH SONGS ON IT. SHE HAS BEEN IN HEAVEN FOR EIGHT YEARS NOW AND WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR IT SO WE COULD PLAY IT FOR THE GENERATION AFTER US AND NOW AFTER THEM. I WAS SURPRISE TO FIND THIS WEB SITE. THANK YOU FOR POSTING THE LYRICS. HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Anonymous said...

you are my new hero..I have been looking for this song for so long. PS I always admired the boy's sticking to his guns and not taking bribes.

Unknown said...

Wow, thank you so much! I've been looking for this song for maybe forty, fifty seconds by now - it's great to finally hear it again!

Anonymous said...

I have had the single since the 50's. When my cousins an I used to go to Manhatan to see the tree, we used to sing it to the paople in the horse drawn carriges. I know the lyrics but it's great to see it's getting recognition again. Thank you !

Gringa Vieja said...

Thank you, thank you, and muchas gracias! This was our favorite childhood Christmas song and I've been looking for a digital version for years (still have the 45). This will allow me to share this gem.

Andy said...

This is not the version I had unless my memory fails me. I remember the singer sounding more sassy and maybe even a girl. I also remember a bop bop from the background singers. Does anyone remember the same?

Anonymous said...

I'VE HEARD THIS SONG SINCE I WAS KNEE HIGH TO A GRASSHOPPER. DONT KNOW WHICH IS MORE SILLY, THE SONG OR THE NAME OF THE ARTIST, AUGIE RIOS !!

Anonymous said...

Iknew Augie when he was 17 years old he was an actor and singer he had a great vocal group called Augie and The Notations, in 1963 they releassed a sinle on Shelley Records called There's a Girl Down The Way, the other side I'v Got a Girl, both on youtube!he also does a pretty single called Lullabye by Augie Rios also on youtube these are both well after his Little Augie Rios , Mamasita days,
Edie Black

Anonymous said...

I knew him. I use to babysit his brother. He was living in the Bronx.We use to hang out in Claremont Park right by his house.