Creator of 'Crabs for Christmas' releases new book, 'I Gave Baltimore Crabs! (For Christmas)'

BALTIMORE - "Crabs for Christmas" is a Maryland holiday tradition. 

The song came out in December 1981 and became a huge hit, selling 10,000 records in its first year. 

Singer, actor, and songwriter David DeBoy was only 28 years old when he wrote it. 

Now, 40 years later, he's released a new book called  "I Gave Baltimore Crabs! (For Christmas)."

"The song's been playing for 40 years, and I thought maybe people would be interested in the story of it," DeBoy said. "I decided maybe if I wrote a song about Christmas, people would buy it. And then I thought well even more people would buy it, at least around here, if it was about local stuff. And there's nothing more local than crabs. So I had the title 'Crabs For Christmas' before I even started writing the song."

The lyrics describe a Baltimore guy who's out of town during the holidays and really wants one thing.

"Maybe he's in a department store north of Houston. And maybe a guy sits on Santa's lap and asks for crabs for Christmas," DeBoy said. That's a funny picture and that's how the story started."

This time of year, DeBoy is in high demand performing the song, and now also signing copies of his new book. It also dives into his acting career. 

DeBoy has appeared in "The Wire," "Veep," and "House of Cards."

 But it's his beloved Christmas tune that remains a Baltimore tradition.

"You know what's the neatest part? When the little kids come up to me and start singing the song back to me, because their parents and grandparents played it while they decorate the tree," DeBoy said. "And it just doesn't get any better than that."

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