December 1971: Cheech and Chong Release SANTA CLAUS AND HIS OLD LADY

By the year 1971, fledgling comedy duo Cheech and Chong were ready for the big-time. Tommy Chong and Cheech Marin signed to Warner Bros. Records, and released their now-iconic self-titled album in August of that year. Packed with fan favorites (most notably the classic skit "Dave"), Cheech and Chong crashed the Billboard 200 chart to peak at #28 over the week of September 25, 1971.

Given the duo's newfound success in the world of rock 'n' comedy, Cheech and Chong rolled up a very special standalone single just for the holidays: "Santa Claus and His Old Lady." Released in December 1971, the stoned story of Santa gets quite the remix. Cheech Marin wove a hilarious tale of the Claus' living in a commune with a crew of midgets (AKA elves), and the perils of delivering toys to all of the good kiddies around the world. Among them: being stopped at the border, and hassled by the police in the southern United States.

While the track never appeared on any of Cheech and Chong's albums, the skit has gone on to become one of the duo's most popular bits; it pops up on Christmas playlists (and FM radio stations) every holiday season. It became such a rock 'n' comedy staple that "Santa Claus and His Old Lady" hit #3 Billboard's Christmas Season chart for the years 1972 and 1973.

Tune in and get a laugh out of this classic Cheech and Chong routine below.