Dominick the Donkey
Encyclopedia
Dominick the Donkey is a Christmas song
written by Richard Allen, Sam Saltzberg, Vivaldi, and Lou Monte
, first sung by Monte in 1960. The song describes a donkey who helps Santa Claus
bring presents to children in Italy.
The song was listed at number 14 in Billboards "Bubbling under the Hot 100" list in December 1960. The song received little airplay at the time due to the perception of its novelty date and some Italian lyrics, but was quite popular in Italian-American households.
It was included on Volume 2 of the Ultimate Christmas Album series produced by Collectables Records
.
The fact that Santa Claus owns a donkey is later referenced in the 1977 television special Nestor, The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey
. In that special, the donkey's name is "Spieltote," who also serves as the narrator.
Since 1986, members of the Gamma Psi chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon
have boisterously played the song over speakers that can be heard neighborhood-wide starting after Thanksgiving and continuing through the New Year. This has led to recognition from the Butler Collegian newspaper, local top 40 station 99.5 WZPL, station KDND 107.9 in Sacramento, CA (sung by The Wake Up Call; Jason, Katie and Gavin), and the Indianapolis Star.
The song has also been used extensively on The Chris Moyles Show
in reference to Newsbeat
newsreader and regular show contributor Dominic Byrne around the Christmas period.
Christmas music
Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music normally performed or heard around the Christmas season, which tends to begin in the months leading up the actual holiday and end in the weeks shortly thereafter.-Early:...
written by Richard Allen, Sam Saltzberg, Vivaldi, and Lou Monte
Lou Monte
Lou Monte born Louis Scaglione, was an Italian American singer best known for a number of best-selling, Italian-themed novelty records which he recorded for both RCA Records and Reprise Records in the late 1950s and early 1960s...
, first sung by Monte in 1960. The song describes a donkey who helps Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
bring presents to children in Italy.
The song was listed at number 14 in Billboards "Bubbling under the Hot 100" list in December 1960. The song received little airplay at the time due to the perception of its novelty date and some Italian lyrics, but was quite popular in Italian-American households.
It was included on Volume 2 of the Ultimate Christmas Album series produced by Collectables Records
Collectables Records
Collectables is a reissue record label founded in 1980 by Jerry Greene. Greene was previously associated with New York City's Times Square Record Shop, Philadelphia's Record Museum retail chain, and the Lost Nite and Crimson record labels....
.
The fact that Santa Claus owns a donkey is later referenced in the 1977 television special Nestor, The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey
Nestor, The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey
Nestor, The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey is a Christmas television special produced in stop motion animation by Rankin-Bass. It was first aired in 1977, and its plot is similar to an earlier Rankin-Bass special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.- Plot :...
. In that special, the donkey's name is "Spieltote," who also serves as the narrator.
Since 1986, members of the Gamma Psi chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon
Tau Kappa Epsilon
Tau Kappa Epsilon is a college fraternity founded on January 10, 1899 at Illinois Wesleyan University with chapters in the United States, and Canada, and affiliation with a German fraternity system known as the Corps of the Weinheimer Senioren Convent...
have boisterously played the song over speakers that can be heard neighborhood-wide starting after Thanksgiving and continuing through the New Year. This has led to recognition from the Butler Collegian newspaper, local top 40 station 99.5 WZPL, station KDND 107.9 in Sacramento, CA (sung by The Wake Up Call; Jason, Katie and Gavin), and the Indianapolis Star.
The song has also been used extensively on The Chris Moyles Show
The Chris Moyles Show
The Chris Moyles Show is the current BBC Radio 1 breakfast show in the UK, and has been since Chris Moyles became the station's breakfast show presenter on 5 January 2004. From 2004 to 2007, the show was broadcast 6:55–10:00 am each weekday, but since 15 October 2007 it has started from...
in reference to Newsbeat
Newsbeat
Newsbeat is the flagship news programme on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra. Newsbeat is produced by BBC News but differs from the BBC's other news programmes in its remit to provide news tailored for a specifically younger audience....
newsreader and regular show contributor Dominic Byrne around the Christmas period.