[Verse 1: Paul Simon]
From early in November to the last week of December
I got money matters weighing me down
Oh, the music may be merry, but it's only temporary
I know Santa Claus is coming to town

[Verse 2: Paul Simon]
In the days, I work my day job, in the nights, I work my night
But it all comes down to working man's pay
Getting ready, I'm getting ready
Ready for Christmas Day

[Interlude: Reverend J.M. Gates]
Getting ready for Christmas
Now let me tell you, namely, the undertaker
He's getting ready for your body
Not only that, the jailer
He's getting ready for you Christmas day
Hmm? And not only the jailer
But the lawyer, the police force
Now getting ready for Christmas day
And I want you to bear it in mind

[Verse 3: Paul Simon]
I got a nephew in Iraq, it's his third time back
But it's ending up the way it began
With the luck of a beginner, he'll be eating turkey dinner
On some mountaintop in Pakistan
[Chorus: Paul Simon]
Getting ready, oh, we're getting ready
For the power and the glory and the story of the Christmas day

[Interlude: Reverend J.M. Gates]
Getting ready, for Christmas day
Done made it up in your mind that I'm going
New York, Philadelphia, Chicago
I'm going, on a trip
Getting ready for Christmas day
But when Christmas come, nobody knows
Where you'll be, you might ask me
I may be laying
In some lonesome grave
Getting ready for Christmas day

[Guitar Solo]

[Chorus: Paul Simon]
Getting ready, oh we're getting ready
For the power and the glory and the story of the Christmas day

[Post-Chorus: Reverend J.M. Gates & Paul Simon]
Yes, we're getting ready, ready (Getting ready, ready for your prayers)
I'm going and see my relatives in a distant land
Getting ready, getting ready
For Christmas day, easy now
[Verse 4: Paul Simon]
If I could tell my Mom and Dad that the things we never had
Never mattered, we were always okay
Getting ready, oh, ready
Ready for Christmas day

[Chorus]
Ready, getting ready
For the power and the glory and the story of the Christmas day