Remember When Newsong Released "The Christmas Shoes"?

By Timothy Yap Dec 08, 2022 05:55 PM EST

In the year 2000, Christian music group Newsong released the song "The Christmas Shoes." The song as written by NewSong group members Eddie Carswell and Leonard Ahlstrom, and St. Louis syndicated radio personality Isaiah "DC" Daniel (of Steve & DC).

It was ne of the few on this list of the Top 50 Country Christmas Songs to have success on the country radio charts (No. 31 in 2000). "The Christmas Shoes" also spent one week at No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and No. 42 on the Hot 100 chart. As a result of its success, a book and movie based on the song followed.

The song recounts the events experienced by a narrator completing the last of his gift shopping on Christmas Eve. He is waiting in a checkout line but is "not really in the Christmas mood" when he notices a young boy in front of him who wants to buy a pair of shoes for his terminally-ill mother: the boy tells the cashier he wants her to appear beautiful when she meets Jesus. Since he is short on money, the narrator ends up paying for the shoes, which reminds him of the true meaning of Christmas.

Here are the lyrics:

It was almost Christmas time
And there I stood in another line
Trying to buy that last gift or two
Not really in the Christmas mood
Standing right in front of me
Was a little boy waiting anxiously
Pacing 'round like little boys do
And in his hands he held a pair of shoes
And his clothes were worn and old
He was dirty from head to toe
And when it came his time to pay
I couldn't believe what I heard him say

[Chorus]
Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time
You see, she's been sick for quite awhile
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight

[Verse 2]
He counted pennies for what seemed like years
Then the Cashier said, "Son, there's not enough here"
He searched his pockets frantically
Then he turned and he looked at me
He said, "Mama made Christmas good at our house
Though most years she just did without"
"Tell me, sir, what am I going to do
Somehow I've got to buy her these Christmas shoes"
So I laid the money down, I just had to help him out
And I'll never forget the look on his face when he said
"Mama's gonna look so great"

[Chorus]
Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time
You see, she's been sick for quite awhile
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight

[Bridge]

I knew I'd caught a glimpse of Heaven's love
As he thanked me and ran out
I knew that God had sent that little boy
To remind me, what Christmas is all about

[Chorus]
Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time
You see, she's been sick for quite awhile
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight

[Outro]
And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight