The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole

The Christmas Song

Nat King Cole

Capitol SW 1967

1962

This is probably my favorite Christmas album of all time, although there are many others that I prefer musically.  I like Cole fine (particularly during his jazz period) but he's far from my favorite crooner.  I love this record because my parents had it and it is the first Christmas record I remember listening to.  I have to admit that as a child I was not all that happy with it.  It doesn't have any of the kiddie Christmas songs I loved back then.  "Deck the Hall" was the only song on it I really liked.  Fortunately I'm not a kid anymore and I mostly can't stand those kiddie songs unless they've been rocked up.  I have not even thought about trying to acquire some of those children's albums I liked as a kid, but this one I was happy to track down.  I actually have two of them.  This is my original which I bought used, but it has a little wear so when Capitol reissued it I bought a new one just to have a perfect copy.  I listen to both however.  The new one sounds great, but I like the warmth of the old one as well even with its crackles and pops which reminds me of my parents' old copy which was pretty beat up by the time my sisters and I got done playing it to death every Christmas.  This album is a reissue of Cole's 1960 album "The Magic of Christmas" but with the substitution of Mel Tormé and Robert Wells' great classic "The Christmas Song" in place of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" which seems like a generous trade to me.  The reissue also has superior cover art.  Cole recorded the song multiple times in his career dating back to 1946 but this generally is regarded as the definitive version.  I have never roasted a chestnut but this song evokes the feeling of Christmas in me more than any other.  Ralph Carmichael's orchestral arrangement is relatively restrained and I would miss it if it wasn't there.  Cole's vocal is incredibly rich and warm and he also adds a nice piano solo in the break.  For me it is the perfect Christmas song and I never get tired of hearing it.  It is such a great song that the rest of the album pales in comparison but it is still mostly engaging.  "Deck the Hall" has a lot of energy and almost swings in spots.  "Adeste Fideles" is one of my favorite tracks although I could do without the chorus.  Cole sings it with authority even in the Latin part.  He sings "O Tannenbaum" in German which I prefer to the English version.  I've never liked the song much, but his voice makes it compelling for me.  I don't really like "O, Little Town of Bethlehem" either and Carmichael's sappy arrangement doesn't help any.  Cole sings it beautifully but I still find the song dreary.  The album bounces back with a lively version of "I Saw Three Ships," I even like the support of the chorus for once.  Side one concludes with "O Holy Night" which shows off Cole's vocal skills to great effect.  I've never been able to sing the song myself, but he handles it with ease although I do find the chorus obtrusive.  Side two opens with "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" which Cole's graceful vocal rescues from Carmichael's heavy-handed arrangement.  "A Cradle in Bethlehem" is the least famous Christmas song on the album and deservedly so.  I loathe it and off the top of my head I think this is the only recording of it that I have.  It is slow and devotional and no matter how prettily Cole sings it I'm never going to like it.  "Away in a Manger" is also devout and sappy, but I find it more palpable because it is a better song.  "Joy to the World" is appropriately jubilant and is one of my favorite tracks.  "The First Noel" suffers from a really heavy arrangement but Cole's vocal is fabulous, one of his best on the album.  I'm not a fan of the song but this is one of the best versions I know.  Carmichael redeems himself with a stirring arrangement of "Caroling, Caroling" which is an easy lay up for Cole.  This is another one of my favorite songs on the album.  It concludes with "Silent Night" which could have been written for Cole it suits him so well.  It is such a lovely and delicate performance, I find it much more moving than most versions of the song.  It brings the album to a tender and satisfying conclusion.  I react much differently to this album than I did when I was a kid especially since I'm now older than Cole was when he recorded it.  I really appreciate the feeling and depth that Cole brings to this music.  It is way too religious for my taste but I still love it although I would love it more with a few more secular carols.  It does have a pleasing consistency of tone and sound and if you are an adult and like Christmas I don't see how you won't like it.  I don't really like Christmas anymore myself and I still love this record.  Recommended to people whose idea of a nice Christmas is good company and a tasty cocktail.

Christmas in the Heart - Bob Dylan

Christmas in the Heart

Bob Dylan

Columbia Records  88697 57323 1

2009

This was my go-to record this Christmas.  When it first came out I wondered if it was some kind of put-on.  However Dylan has demonstrated his admiration for pop standards and songcraft repeatedly over the past couple of decades so I'm pretty sure he is sincere.  Anyway whatever his intentions might have been, he delivers big time.  This is among my favorite Christmas albums of all time.  It is a perfect mix of religious and secular Christmas classics featuring pleasing arrangements that are mostly faithful to the traditional interpretations.  Admittedly time has not been kind to Dylan's voice which was pretty rough to start with, but I've learned to embrace his gravelly crooning and on this record it is particularly warm and engaging.  It gives freshness to songs I've heard too many times.  "Here Comes Santa Claus" and "Winter Wonderland" are delivered with a conviction that I find mind boggling.  They sound great.  Even when a song challenges Dylan's range as with "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," "O' Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)" (Dylan sings the first verse in Latin!), "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (whoever thought Dylan would be covering Judy Garland!), "The First Noel" and "O' Little Town of Bethlehem" I still find the results charming particularly when his background singers help smooth some of Dylan's rough edges.  Songs that often annoy me like "Must Be Santa," "Do You Hear What I Hear?" and "Little Drummer Boy" are enjoyable to me when Dylan croaks them out in his raspy voice.  The former is especially fun since Dylan gives it a high tempo raucous Cajun/Tejano flavored interpretation that is extremely dynamic.  It is one of my favorite tracks.  I also really like his piano driven "Silver Bells" which is full of feeling.  Much to my surprise, his version of "The Christmas Song" is also one of my favorites.  It features a wonderful low key arrangement and Dylan's vocal is utterly convincing.  It is almost good enough to make me forget about Nat "King" Cole.  His performance of that other Christmas chestnut "I'll Be Home for Christmas" is nearly as good.  Like any good Christmas album there are a couple of more obscure Christmas songs among the familiar classics.  "Christmas Island" was recorded by the Andrews Sisters back in the 1940s.  It is very appealing with a tropical arrangement and stellar support from the background singers.  The other unusual track is the brilliant "The Christmas Blues" which Dean Martin recorded in the 1950s.  The song is right in Dylan's wheelhouse and he doesn't miss.  It really sends me.  Martin might have the prettier version but Dylan's is more heartfelt.  I think that's the secret to this record.  I have lots of Christmas records by people who sing more beautifully than Dylan but hardly any of them approach him in sincerity and commitment.  I feel like Dylan really loves these songs and treats them with respect and affection.  On top of all that Dylan donated his royalties for this record to charities.  It was a real Christmas gift to all of us.  Recommended to Christmas fans who dig Tom Waits.

Have Yourself a Rockin' Little Christmas - Lucinda Williams

Have Yourself a Rockin' Little Christmas

Lucinda Williams

Highway 20 Records H20011-1

2021

This is one of a series of covers albums that Lucinda Williams recorded in 2020 during the pandemic prior to the stroke she suffered in November of that year.  Happily she seems to have recovered from that.  This was my go-to album last Christmas.  My wife thinks it is not Christmassy enough and I can see that, it is definitely more rocking and bluesy than sentimental and traditional but that suits me just fine.  Also if you think Christmas should just be about the birth of Jesus, well this is definitely not the album for you.  The album opens with Buck Owens' "Blue Christmas Lights."  Although the song still retains some of the original's country flavor, Williams' performance sounds more R&B and has some nice guitar noise.  Up next is Chuck Berry's "Run Run Rudolph" which bares little resemblance to the rock and roll original.  It opens with a guitar line that sounds like it was lifted from a James Bond soundtrack and the song itself has been slowed down and given a swampy seductive feel that I find entrancing.  It is right in Williams' wheelhouse and she crushes it.  It is my favorite track.  "Christmas Tears" was originally done by Freddie King.  Williams follows the original blues arrangement which is completely compatible with her style and her guitarist Stuart Mathis acquits himself well with the solo.  Merle Haggard's "If We Make It Through December" is one of the gloomiest Christmas songs I've ever heard.  It is about a parent who has lost their job and can't afford to give a proper Christmas to their child.  Williams keeps the country flavor and sounds even more miserable than Haggard.  It is well done, but a real downer.  The blues return with Charles Brown's R&B classic "Merry Christmas, Baby" which Williams gives a sultry and smoky treatment.  Mathis again provides a solid guitar solo that gives the song a big lift.  Williams reaches back to the 1930s with Irving Berlin's "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm."  Technically the song isn't a Christmas song but it fits the season.  Williams gives a loose, even a bit sloppy, performance quite different from the typical crooner versions I've heard in the past.  I like it though, it reaches me better than most of the old-fashioned ones.  "Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin'" was originally done by Albert King and Williams keeps it in the same blues rock arrangement.  Her band's rocking performance and the urgency of her performance makes it one of the strongest tracks on the album.  "Christmas in New Orleans" was released by Louis Armstrong in 1955.  There is not much point in trying to copy the inimitable Armstrong so Williams abandons his recitative style and the big band jazz arrangement in favor of a rollicking yet slinky R&B performance that works just as well if not better.  "Please Come Home For Christmas" is another Charles Brown song.  It is a bluesy number that is ideal for Williams' style.  I have never heard a better version and don't you even dare mention to me the Eagles' cover of this.  "Little Red Rooster" is the Howlin' Wolf classic written by Willie Dixon.  As you probably know the original song has nothing to do with Christmas but she has inserted Christmas references into the song that fit surprisingly well.  The song is perfect for Williams and she delivers the goods.  It is one of my favorite tracks.  The Ramones' "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)" makes an unlikely appearance next.  It is not as rocked up as the original (which I prefer to this) but it is still a blast of high energy that she sings convincingly.  The album closes with the venerable standard "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" given a silky bluesy treatment that bares little resemblance to the famous Judy Garland version.  This is probably wise since although I adore Williams she doesn't really have the pipes to put over an emotional and sentimental performance like Garland's.  Williams' performance is arguably too laid back to do the song justice, but it does make for a mellow and appealing finish to the album.  From a strictly musical standpoint this is an outstanding Christmas album.  Williams has terrific taste and she has chosen songs that work really well for her.  On the other hand I was playing this while trimming the tree and while it gave me plenty of energy it didn't provide much seasonal atmosphere.  I don't like Christmas enough to be very bothered by this and I appreciate that I can listen to it out of season (which I have done) and it still holds up.  Recommended to atheists who would rather listen to Freddie King than Nat King Cole. 

For Christmas With Love - Judith Durham

For Christmas With Love

Judith Durham

Columbia SX 6374

1968

This is a mono pressing of the British version of Judith Durham's Christmas record.  It differs from the Australian version by having one additional track "Just a Closer Walk With Thee."  Curiously the song features a 1965 copyright on the inner label which is also the date that the song appeared on The Seekers' album "A World of Our Own" but it is not that version.  I believe it is the version she released on a 1967 single in Australia.  I prefer The Seekers' version which features harmonies from the boys and a folk style arrangement to this version with its gospel organ and piano accompaniment although she sings both great.  Although this album was recorded at Capitol Records studio in Los Angeles I don't believe it was ever released here.  This was her first solo album after leaving The Seekers and being a big fan of that group I have long coveted it.  I finally found a copy last year but I was disappointed when I played it.  Arguably it is more of a gospel record than a Christmas record.  Every song is religious aside from "White Christmas," "Lullaby for Christmas Eve" and "The Christmas Song."  "The Lord's Prayer," "My Faith" and "Come On Children, Let's Sing" are not Christmas songs at all.  Her piety is obviously sincere and her singing is heartfelt, but this is not my cup of tea and it sounds nothing like The Seekers so I shelved it after a couple of spins.  I brought it back out at Christmas and played it while trimming the tree and I liked it better probably because my expectations were different.  "White Christmas" opens the album in an orchestrated easy listening style version.  Durham delivers a pleasant vocal but the track is otherwise unremarkable.  "Mary's Boy Child" was written by Jester Hairston and was released as a single by Harry Belafonte in 1956.  His version had a slight calypso flavor to it which is not present in this stiff orchestrated version.  The song lacks the warmth of the Belafonte recording even though Durham sings it impeccably.  The album finally comes to life with a jumping gospel style performance of "Go Tell It On a Mountain" driven by piano and organ.  Durham showed an interest in gospel with The Seekers but really shows her affinity for it here and I love the way she hits the high notes at the end.  This is one of my favorite tracks.  The record loses this energy with the heavily orchestrated "Lullaby for Christmas Eve" which had been a single for Jack Jones in 1964.  Nonetheless it is a sweet song and at least it isn't religious.  Durham's soaring vocal on "The Lord's Prayer" impresses me but I dislike the song and the heavy inspirational arrangement.  "My Faith" is even worse.  Durham sings it like she means it, but the song is just too sappy for me to tolerate.  The record picks up with the lively gospel song "Come On Children, Let's Sing" which was recorded by Mahalia Jackson in 1960.  I love Durham's voice and she sings it well but she can't compete with Jackson.  She sounds stilted by comparison.  I wish there were more songs like "The Christmas Song" on the record.  She seems more inspired by the religious stuff, but she still sings this well and it is a much more appealing song to me.  "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" fits well with the rest of the album both in terms of sound and content even though it was recorded earlier.  As I said before I prefer The Seekers' version but this is still pretty compelling.  Most of the arrangements on this album are stodgy and conservative, so it is surprising that "Silent Night" is given an up-tempo treatment including drums, probably the most dynamic version of the song that I have ever heard.  I'm not sure that the song is well-served by such treatment but I like it anyway especially with Durham's exquisite vocal.   The album concludes strongly with a kinetic gospel arrangement of "Joy to the World" that inspires Durham to loosen up and have some fun.  It is my other favorite track on the album.  Although there are parts of this album that I enjoy, I have to admit there is no way I would keep it if Durham was not singing on it.  I like her voice so much I would listen to her sing just about anything even a bunch of hymns, but I'm not going to listen to it very much.  I'm alienated by religion and I prefer folk arrangements to easy listening ones so I'll just stick with my Seekers albums.  Recommended to religious Judy Collins fans who dislike folk music.

Christmas Party - The Monkees

Christmas Party

The Monkees

Rhino RI 573134

2018

This was my go-to record this past Christmas.  Even though I knew this would not really be a Monkees album when it came out, I was still excited to get it last year.  It is basically a Micky Dolenz record with cameos from Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork, plus some archival recordings by Davy Jones.  To be even more accurate it is closer to being a Fountains of Wayne album with lead vocals by Dolenz which I think is probably a good thing.  I love the Monkees but I have my doubts about Dolenz on his own and besides I am also a Fountains of Wayne fan.  That band's Adam Schlesinger played bass and keyboards for most of the tracks and produced most of it as well.  He brought in bandmate Brian Young to play drums on the record and Jody Porter for a track as well.  Schlesinger had also had a big role in the prior Monkees' album "Good Times!"  He died last year of Covid-19 which along with Peter Tork's passing in 2019 gives this record a special poignancy for me.  The album opens with "Unwrap You At Christmas" by XTC's Andy Partridge which features a bouncy poppy tune to accompany mildly salacious lyrics.  "What Would Santa Do" was written by Rivers Cuomo of Weezer.  It is a punchy tune with an ebullient chorus and amusing lyrics in which the singer gets cuckolded by Santa Claus so you know this record is not directed at the kiddies.  Davy Jones sings "Mele Kalikimaka" by Robert Alex Anderson.  The vocal is lifted from a Christmas cassette Jones made in 1991 with Chip Douglas featuring new instrumental backing from Schlesinger and crew.  It is the sort of music hall type song Jones excelled at and his performance is very charming.  "House of Broken Gingerbread" was written by Schlesinger and Michael Chabon.  It is power pop with psych overtones featuring an inspired vocal from Dolenz that reminds me of the Monkees' "Porpoise Song."  The lyrics describe more Christmas debauchery.  Michael Nesmith croons the venerable classic "The Christmas Song" by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé which is given a lush interpretation with country embellishments courtesy of Pete Finney's steel guitar.  Even in his prime Nesmith did not have the chops to handle this song, but I find his clumsy yet sincere vocal rather endearing.  His son Christian produced and arranged the song and plays guitar and keyboards on it as well.  "Christmas Party" was written by power pop heavies Peter Buck and Scott McCaughey.  It is the most raucous and hard rocking song on the album as is appropriate for a song about a wild Christmas party that name checks James Brown, Darlene Love and, in a nod to Monkees fans, Auntie Grizelda.  The song opens with some Monkees dialogue that I assume was lifted from their TV series.  The side concludes with a lovely cover of Big Star's "Jesus Christ" by Alex Chilton.  Prior to this album I would never have believed that Micky Dolenz would someday be singing a song from "Third" but here it is and he does it very convincingly.  Side two opens with a cover of Wizzard's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" by Roy Wood.  It is an exuberant song with a sunshine pop sound worthy of the Turtles.  Jones takes on another Christmas classic with Jay Livingston and Ray Evan's "Silver Bells."  Once again the vocal is lifted from Jones's Christmas cassette with tasteful new instrumental backing.  The song suits Jones very well.  Dolenz returns with a delightful cover of Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime."  It sticks pretty close to the McCartney version and is one of my favorite tracks on the album.  Nesmith dips into the past with his version of Claude and Ruth Thornhill's "Snowfall" which dates back to 1941.  The song was produced by Nesmith's son Jonathan who also plays all the instruments and sings back up.  Nesmith's vocal is pretty weak but his son covers up for him with a very dense and rich arrangement.  Peter Tork finally makes an appearance humbly warbling "Angels We Have Heard On High" in a bare bones country arrangement featuring Tork on banjo.  Tork's voice sounds frail presumably due to his illness, but I nonetheless find his performance moving and charming, easily the most authentic moment on the album.  Dolenz gets to break out his soul man schtick for the rhythm and blues Christmas classic "Merry Christmas, Baby" by Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore.  The song is given a heavy lumbering treatment that gives Dolenz plenty of room to emote.  The record concludes with a 1967 acapella performance of the 16th Century Spanish song "Riu Chiu" which was taken from "The Monkees" tv show and is the only track to feature the group performing together on the record.  It is a little jarring to hear the lads sounding so young, but it does give the record a memorable and touching finish.  I love this album but I have to admit it is not very cohesive.  The Dolenz tracks and the tracks from his bandmates sound like they come from entirely different albums.  On the other hand you could say that about some of the original Monkees albums as well.  I dig the eclecticism and there are no tracks on here that I do not thoroughly enjoy.  It will be spinning on my turntable for many Christmases to come.  Recommended to fans of Sloan and the Posies.

The Season for Miracles - Smokey Robinson and The Miracles

The Season for Miracles
Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
Motown 5253ML
1970

This is a reissue of the second Christmas album released by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles which was originally issued on Tamla as TS307.  I put it on to trim the tree this year and found it very pleasing.  It features an engaging mix of original songs and traditional carols.  The traditional carols are given Motown style arrangements with strong rhythm sections over which the Miracles deliver typically dynamic vocal arrangements with stimulating harmonies.  I particularly like the driving performance of "Go Tell It On The Mountain."  They also offer up lovely performances of combined melodies of "Deck the Halls" with "Bring a Torch, Jeannette Isabella" and "Away in a Manger" with "Coventry Carol."  "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is given a jazzy arrangement by Wade Marcus that features terrific ensemble singing by the group.  It is one of my favorite tracks.  In contrast the sappy arrangement of Mel Torme and Robert Wells' classic "The Christmas Song" leaves me indifferent despite the gorgeous vocals.  "Jingle Bells" is basically indestructible and easily survives its Motownization.  Among the original songs the most striking one is "A Child is Waiting" by Joe Hinton and Patti Jerome.  It is not a Christmas song, but rather a song endorsing adoption, but with its generosity of spirit and heart-warming message it fits in well with the rest of the album and gives the record an uplifting finish.  The originals also include two songs by Stevie Wonder and Syreeta Wright.  "I Can Tell When Christmas is Near" is the better of the two.  It is driven by a catchy piano riff and features a lively performance by the group.  "It's Christmas Time" is also piano driven but is more sedate emphasizing Robinson's sensitive vocal.  It recounts the events around the birth of Jesus.  Robinson wrote "I Believe in Christmas Eve" which is also a religious song but has enough of a pop flavor that I still find it very appealing.  Ron and Deborah Miller's "The Day That Love Began" previously appeared on Stevie Wonder's 1967 Christmas album.  I find the song corny and don't really care for either version but I give the edge to Wonder for a more convincing vocal.  "Peace on Earth (Goodwill Toward Men)" by Jimmy and Ann Roach is the most undistinguished of the original songs but it is still pleasant to listen to.  The absence of any real standout songs keeps this album from being an essential Christmas record and I would prefer more secular Christmas songs, but this is still a very worthwhile record that should appeal to most fans of the group.  Recommended to religious Motown buffs.

Sound of Christmas - The Ramsey Lewis Trio

Sound of Christmas
The Ramsey Lewis Trio
Cadet LP 687X
1961 

I put this one on to trim the tree this year.  It is more jazzy than Christmasy but it put me in a good mood.  The album was originally issued on Argo, Cadet reissued it in the mid 1960s.  When I was a child someone gave me a 45 of the Ramsey Lewis Trio's performance of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" backed with "Winter Wonderland."  It was the first jazz record I can remember ever hearing.  I did not particularly like it although I did keep it and I still have it.  Many years later I started to like jazz and when I came across this album I remembered that old 45 and bought this.  It does not swing as much as I would like, but it is tasteful and has a pleasant vibe to it.  I particularly like side one which features Lewis along with bassist El Dee Young and drummer Red Holt.  On side two the trio is augmented by strings which I find frequently obtrusive.  The album opens with a moody interpretation of Charles Brown's "Merry Christmas Baby" which features some very propulsive piano work from Lewis that brings out the bluesy feeling within the song.  It is my favorite track although it is pretty gloomy for the opening cut on a Christmas record.  The record perks up with a swinging take on "Winter Wonderland" that gets me bopping.  "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" starts off slow and somber, before picking up a little steam but it remains a surprisingly downbeat interpretation of the song.  Lewis' own "Christmas Blues" follows.  It is straight ahead rhythm and blues given a Christmas feeling by the incessant jingling of bells through the song.  Side one concludes with a lively version of "Here Comes Santa Claus" that is another one of my favorite tracks.  Side two begins "The Sound of Christmas" by Lewis and Riley Hampton who arranged and conducted the strings for side two.  The song alternates between some dynamic work from the Trio and silky smooth orchestral passages.  Unfortunately the orchestra wins, but the song has its moments.  It is followed by a sappy version of Mel Torme's "The Christmas Song" that is largely dominated by the orchestra although Lewis does break free briefly with an engaging solo.  Mostly though it sounds like cocktail lounge jazz.  Lewis fares better with "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" where his energetic playing dominates the song and is supported by an impressively dramatic arrangement.  "Sleigh Ride" features more exuberant playing from Lewis that is enhanced with support from the orchestra.  It is one of the best interpretations of the song that I've ever heard.  The album concludes with Frank Loesser's "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" which Lewis attacks as if it were a bluesy torch song.  The orchestra keeps him from going too far off the rails and it gives the record a nice emotional finish.  This record has limitations as Christmas music.  Children will probably hate it and it is not festive enough to satisfy many people's notions of what Christmas music should be.  It works great for me though.  By mid-December I'm usually sick of Christmas music, Lewis' interpretative approach appeals to me more than the standard carols.  Also this is a very romantic sounding record, I recommend it for cuddling with your special someone on a cold wintry evening sipping an adult beverage and looking at the lights twinkling on the tree.

That Christmas Feeling - Glen Campbell

That Christmas Feeling
Glen Campbell
Capitol ST 2978
1968

I bought this a couple of years ago when I became interested in Campbell after seeing him perform at the Hollywood Bowl.  It turned out to be a dud.  Campbell sings fine but the arrangements by Al de Lory are sappy and uninspired.  There is a mix of Christmas classics and newer songs including two brand new ones by the redoubtable team of Sammy Cahn and James Van Heusen.  Unfortunately they are among the worst tracks on the album.  "Christmas is for Children" is tediously slow and a bit inane in its description of adults becoming kids again on Christmas day.  "It Must Be Getting Close to Christmas" is a little better although I hate the heavy-handed strings and the choir.  The song is about how children behave better as Christmas draws near.  The melody is more lively and memorable although the song is never going to compete with the classic Christmas carols.  My least favorite track is Howlett Smith's "Little Altar Boy" which was a minor hit for Vic Dana in 1961.  It is a maudlin song about a guy asking an altar boy for help in finding redemption from God.  The song suggests that altar boys are pure and holy, which as a former altar boy myself, I think is a dubious assertion.  The song is not really a Christmas song and I loathe it although Campbell sings it with a lot of feeling which is the only thing that makes it bearable for me.  "There's No Place Like Home" isn't a Christmas song either, but Sammy Cahn wrote some new lyrics to make it one.  I hate the schmaltzy arrangement but I can't deny that Campbell sings it beautifully.  The standards are better but still underwhelming.  "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is probably the best of them.  The arrangement is pedestrian but the song suits Campbell pretty well.  His performances of "Blue Christmas" and "The Christmas Song" are surprisingly lackluster and pale in comparison to the classic recordings by Elvis and Nat King Cole.  I believe Campbell's version of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" is even slower than Bing Crosby's version and sounds lifeless in comparison.  I'm unfamiliar with "Christmas Day" by Jimmy Holiday and L. White which has a 1963 copyright.  It is a nice song although I'd like it a whole lot better if Campbell sang it at a faster tempo.  Predictably the two best tracks are the country songs where Campbell seems most comfortable.  Roger Miller's "Old Toy Trains" is easily my favorite track on the album.  It is by far the most dynamic and lively performance that Campbell gives on the album.  Willie Nelson's "Pretty Paper" is a great song although I prefer Roy Orbison's version as well as Nelson's own versions, especially the one he cut in 1979.  Are three good cuts enough to make an album worthwhile?  Probably not, especially when there is also a stinker like "Little Altar Boy" on it.  I'm not sorry I have it, but I'm not going to suggest you look for it unless you are a big Campbell fan.  Recommended for people who don't have many Christmas albums. 

The New Possibility: John Fahey's Guitar Soli Christmas Album - John Fahey

The New Possibility: John Fahey's Guitar Soli Christmas Album
John Fahey
Takoma TAK 7020
1968

This is a reissue of John Fahey's Christmas album dating from the period when Chrysalis owned and distributed the Takoma label in the late 1970s and early 1980s.  I gave it a spin while I was trimming the tree this year.  Fortunately I was alone at the time or I'm sure my family would have demanded something else.  Fahey is definitely not for everyone.  I'm a fan but there are times when I have no patience for his highly structured and deliberate guitar work, not to mention the lethargic tempos he often employed.  On this album Fahey takes a bunch of mostly familiar Christmas classics and renders them in his distinctive folk-blues style.  They are all fine, but my favorite track is not a carol but rather derived from an obscure hymn by John Henry Hopkins.  It is entitled "Christ's Saints of God Fantasy" and while all the rest of the cuts on the album are short (generally under three minutes) this is a ten minute long extravaganza that features Fahey's most invigorating picking on the record.  The song begins with an ethereal sound which gradually shifts into a more dynamic passage with more fast-paced playing than is typical with Fahey.  The song shifts gears again as Fahey switches to a more measured and stately approach to the tune before jumping into a lively country-flavored style.  There is another tempo change and Fahey slows the song down and heads back into the mesmerizing music from the beginning.  Truly a remarkable track that allows Fahey to spread his wings and show the full range of his musical skill.  My other favorite cut is a country-blues style performance of the traditional African-American spiritual "Go I Will Send Thee" where Fahey's robust style of playing brings out the feeling of the song admirably.  I also like Fahey's adaptation of the 16th Century German hymn "Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming" which mixes ancient and modern creating a delightful hybrid.  "Auld Lang Syne" is of course more of a New Year's Eve song than a Christmas song.  Fahey plays it at a glacially slow pace that reveals the beauty of the tune to me for the first time.  The Christmas classics are less interesting to me but I like them all.  My particular favorites are a bluesy take on "Silent Night" that features interesting tuning and an evocative slide guitar sound.  On some tracks like "The Bells of St. Mary's," "What Child is This?" and "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" he slows down the songs so much that they almost become abstract despite their familiarity which I find appealing.  On his medley of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "O Come All Ye Faithful" Fahey adds a jaunty contrapuntal melody to the familiar songs giving the track a charming country flavor.  "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman Fantasy" also begins with a country style arrangement that is just a starting point for an extended deconstruction of the song by Fahey.  It is another track that I admire.  You may notice that there are no secular Christmas songs on this record.  Fahey apparently did not approve of Santa Claus.  The original pressing of this album featured liner notes by Fahey in which he explained the title of the record and his motivations in recording it.  "The New Possibility" came from a term by the German theologian Paul Tillich referring to the birth of Jesus as "the gift of reconciliation between God and man."  In his notes Fahey rejected the commercialism and pagan aspects of Christmas and stressed his attempt to musically celebrate and rejoice in the birth of Christ.  Personally I like the pagan side of Christmas, but I respect Fahey's perspective and even sympathize with it even though I am no longer a believer myself.  When it comes to spiritual Christmas albums this is one of the best ones I've ever heard.  It is completely lacking in displays of sanctimonious piety and stuffiness nor is its religious expression heavy-handed and preachy.  Fahey brings out the feeling in the music without beating the listener over the head with it.  The music is refined and elevated, no trace of the vulgarity of most commercial Christmas records.  However Fahey's playing is so tasteful and lovely that even a hardened atheist is likely to find pleasure in it.  Recommended for a New Age Christmas party.

Harmony is Real - Songs for a Happy Holiday - The Living Sisters

Harmony is Real - Songs for a Happy Holiday
The Living Sisters
Vanguard 78431-1
2014

This album spent a lot of time on my turntable this past Christmas season.  It only has three traditional Christmas carols on it, but for me that is a plus.  Given how long the Christmas hype has become, I'm generally tired of the traditional songs well before Christmas rolls around, so the abundance of original songs on this album appeals to me.  Becky Stark's "Harmony is Real" opens the album but it is not a Christmas song.  It celebrates harmony, both the vocal kind and the fellowship kind.  It could be the Living Sisters' theme song since they are among the most harmony oriented groups in contemporary music.  As is often the case with Stark's work it has a childlike simplicity in its melodic structure although the horn arrangement gives it some musical sophistication.  Eleni Mandell's "Kadoka, South Dakota" celebrates an old-fashioned small town Christmas.  The swinging song evokes memories of the Andrews Sisters or other vintage female pop ensembles but Jeremy Drake's jumping guitar lines give the song some rock and roll oomph.  It is one of my favorite tracks.  The Sisters' version of "Jingle Bells" similarly mixes vintage harmonizing with a western swing style arrangement featuring some lively guitar and piano work.  Inara George's "Merry Happy Christmas" combines heartbreak with Christmas cheer in a striking manner.  George's lead vocal is full of emotion in the verses but the song has a more cheerful 1950s doo-wop flavor in the ensemble chorus.  Alex Lilly's "Skip the Sugar (Good Girl)" is about being good to please Santa although it is given an adult twist with references to not breaking hearts or stealing party dresses.  In keeping with the eclectic sound of the album, this track has a punchy reggae flavor to it.  Lilly and George co-wrote "Christmas in California" which is a slightly satirical celebration of spending Christmas in California although the content of the song seems more specific to Los Angeles.  The elaborate, rocked up arrangement of the song reminds me of Phil Spector's "A Christmas Gift for You."  The rock and roll sound continues on side two for Mandell's "Baby Wants a Basketball for Christmas" which veers between vintage piano and guitar driven verses and music hall style choruses.  The song cleverly mixes gift giving references with sexuality in describing the give and take of a relationship.  "Little Drummer Boy" is given a traditional arrangement that showcases the Sisters' vibrant ensemble harmonizing.  Mandell's "Neon Chinese Christmas Eve" provides a Jewish perspective on the holiday as she describes taking her Christian boyfriend to Chinatown for a Christmas Eve dinner.  It is a slow, but lovely song enlivened by an engaging horn arrangement.  Mandell extends the Jewish theme with her "Hanukkah" which humorously celebrates the Jewish holiday.  The Sisters take turns singing the lines and the song sounds wonderful.  It channels 1950s pop music and vintage harmonizing.  It is another one of my favorites.  "Silver Bells" is right in the Sisters' wheelhouse and sounds gorgeous.  The album concludes with Stark's "Don't Go To Sleep" which like her other song has no references to Christmas.  Apparently the holiday is not her thing.  It has a simple melody driven by Stark's piano lines and some beautiful vocalizing.  It gives the record a romantic but also rather somber finish.  Mandell is the star of this record.  She wrote almost half of the original songs on the record and her contribution is the most diverse and liveliest of the music on the record.  I'm a big fan of the Living Sisters and I adore this album which should to appeal to anyone who likes ensemble singing.  The record is pressed on snow white festive vinyl and is handsomely packaged.  Recommended to fans of the Fleetwoods and the Chordettes.

Christmas with the Everly Brothers and the Boys Town Choir - The Everly Brothers and the Boys Town Choir

Christmas with the Everly Brothers and the Boys Town Choir
The Everly Brothers and the Boys Town Choir
Warner Bros. Records  W 1483
1962

I put this one on while we were trimming the tree and didn't make it through side one before my wife demanded I take it off and put on some "real Christmas music."  I get her point, this is the least festive, most solemn Christmas record in my collection.  It is extremely "churchy" which has some nostalgic appeal for me because I grew up singing many of these songs in church accompanied by old ladies with high voices and an organ, which is pretty much what this record sounds like.  The liner notes refer to the Everlys singing Christmas carols as boys with their neighbors back home in Kentucky which seems like a charming idea for an album - get the Everlys a small back-up group like the Jordanaires to harmonize with, maybe a piano and a guitar and make an intimate, heartfelt Christmas album.  That is not this record.  The choir dominates this record, overwhelming the Brothers' low key vocals with their lovely but lifeless vocalizing.  The Everlys seem like guest performers on their own album.  There are even two tracks, "Away In a Manger" and "Angels, From the Realms of Glory" that don't feature the Everlys at all just the choir.  The Everlys' contribution to the album is so slight, it feels like a rip-off.  I suspect the boys just went in the studio and knocked out their contribution in a couple of hours.  I was extremely disappointed when I first heard this album and it is only my immense love for the Everlys' work that keeps it off my purgatory shelf.  I think it is by far their worst record.  The arrangements are stodgy and lethargic, the album lacks emotion and inspiration.  Nonetheless there are parts of it that I do enjoy.  The first verses of "Adeste Fideles," "The First Noel" and "Silent Night" sound terrific but then the choir takes over and I lose interest.  Don's solo vocal on "What Child Is This?" is very appealing with only minimal interference from the choir.  This is my favorite track and it suggests what a good record this might have been without the choir.  Phil's solo turn on "O Little Town of Bethlehem" is nice as well but suffers from the obtrusive choir being too high in the mix.  I wish there was some way I could erase the choir from this record, even though I would be left with only about 10 minutes of the Everlys singing given the fragmentary nature of their contribution.  This record rarely makes onto my turntable, but I do play it once in a while on a chilly December night when my family is not around to complain about it.  In the darkness of the living room with the Christmas tree lights blinking it brings back not entirely welcome memories of school pageants and midnight Christmas Eve masses.  Recommended to people who consider Santa Claus sacrilegious. 

A Christmas Present....And Past - Paul Revere and the Raiders

A Christmas Present....And Past
Paul Revere and the Raiders
Columbia CS 9555
1967

I was sad to read about Paul Revere's passing back in October.  He is depicted on the back cover of this record looking back at the camera while the rest of the band faces away.  I suspect that was a reference to the back cover of "Sgt. Pepper" where another guy named Paul faces away from the camera while the rest of his band faces forward.  I was too young to catch the Raiders in their heyday when they were on TV all the time clowning around in their Revolutionary War outfits.  I started to like them when I heard "Indian Reservation" on the radio in 1971 when it was a big hit.  Eventually I heard their classic recordings from the mid-1960s and became a big fan.  They weren't fashionable or cool at the time but I didn't care.  I thought they were great and since nobody wanted their records they were cheap and easy to find.  Well not this one.  This one took a little digging and patience to get.  I certainly understand why.  It is easily the weirdest of their Columbia albums, I'm still not sure what they were trying to do.  It was offered as a Christmas album, they called it a present, but I would definitely not recommend that you put this one on to trim the tree or have a Christmas party.  It is a downer as we used to say.  "Jingle Bells" is the only traditional Christmas carol on the record and it is played for laughs.  It features guest vocalists Elaine Gibford and Paul Edward Connors who I have never heard of although Gibford was apparently in a movie in 1966.  They sing the song in a cartoonish old fashioned style and just repeat the chorus over and over against an increasingly rocked up musical backing.  The song breaks down at the end as the singers increase the tempo and go out of sync.  It is an interesting deconstruction of the song that reminds me of the Mothers of Invention.  The rest of the album consists of original songs by lead singer Mark Lindsay and the record's producer Terry Melcher.  The album opens with an introduction that establishes the irreverent tone of the album.  An announcer introduces a brass band described as a Salvation Army street band.  The band is slow to start, but eventually kick in with "Joy to the World" and continue to play even after the announcer tries to get them to stop so the record can continue.  The band reappears throughout the album playing brief snippets of Christmas classics in between the actual songs.  The first actual song is "Wear a Smile at Christmas" which is a music hall type of song that complains about people unhappily rushing about on their holiday errands.  At one point someone impersonates Lyndon Johnson urging his "fellow Americans" to smile at Christmas.  "Brotherly Love" is set to the tune of the English folk song "Greensleeves."  The song attacks hypocrisy and the lack of genuine feeling in people's pretense of goodwill to others at Christmas.  "Rain, Sleet, Snow" is a tribute to the postal service's efforts at Christmas delivered with a quasi-psychedelic treatment featuring strings and a heavy riff.  It is my favorite song on the album.  Side one concludes with "Peace" which is an instrumental played by strings.  They play a simple motif that is repeated over and over interspersed with occasional thunderclaps.  At least I think they are thunderclaps, maybe they are supposed to be explosions that would make more sense.  Side two opens with "Valley Forge" which begins with an announcer setting the scene as Christmas 1775 and noting that no resemblance is intended to any future conflicts presumably referring to Vietnam.  The song reflects the perspective of one of George Washington's disgruntled soldiers who doesn't understand what he is fighting for which sure sounds more like Vietnam than the Revolutionary War to me.  The song moves from a musical comedy type tune to a more rock based one with sleigh bells running through the song for an ironic effect.  "Dear Mr. Claus" is a music hall style song about a guy who wants a "real live doll" for Christmas.  He doesn't want her just for companionship, he needs her to wash the dishes as well.  "Macy's Window" is a description of typical Christmas vignettes that I believe are meant to express the lack of a true Christmas spirit.  This song is followed by "Christmas Spirit" which is another musical hall type tune that celebrates the Christmas spirit but the song is given an exaggerated, almost sloppy performance that suggest some sarcastic distance from the subject not unlike their version of "Jingle Bells."  The album concludes with "A Heavy Christmas Message" which is "who took the Christ out of Christmas."  It takes less than a minute to deliver the message but the song lasts about 4 minutes and 15 seconds.  There is a minute of near silence as the music is mixed so low as to be almost inaudible unless you crank up the volume.  Eventually it is faded up enough to hear some jug band style jamming with a prominent kazoo and then it is faded down for another minute of barely audible music.  It is kind of amusing but I have to admit I don't always wait for it to finish before I turn it off.  And there you have it, a not so merry Christmas with Paul Revere and the Raiders.  Looking at my description it sounds pretty awful, but actually I really like the record.  Its consistency of theme and technique as well as the device of linking the songs with the brass band elevate the whole above the parts.  It is what albums are all about.  The dynamics of this band are so fascinating.  Like the Monkees they combined comedy, crass commercialism and artistic ambition to create a train wreck of an album that still somehow works.  I would compare it to the Monkees' project "Head," a work designed to confound a teenybopper fan base while using the commercial clout of that fan base to create a personal statement.  People who dismiss Paul Revere and the Raiders as a lightweight group ought to give it a spin.  I say these guys were one of the best American bands of their era.  Recommended to fans of "The Beatles Christmas Album."

Merry Christmas - The Supremes

Merry Christmas
The Supremes
Motown 638
1965

As Supremes albums go this one is mediocre, but as a Christmas record it is very good, one of my favorites.  I put it on while we were trimming the tree this year and it went over quite well.  It has a nice mix of secular and religious songs, standards and new songs and it captures the spirit of the season without being too sappy.  I have to admit that the first time I heard it I was very disappointed.  I was hoping for Motown-ized versions of the Christmas classics akin to what Phil Spector did with his Christmas album.  Most of these arrangements would be suitable for Andy Williams or the Lettermen, traditional easy listening pop.  Eventually I came around to realizing that was pretty much what I wanted, that's what I grew up listening to at Christmas and as a result I play this more at Christmas than the Spector album (even though I consider that a much better record.)  The standards are all pretty good aside from "The Little Drummer Boy" which I find tedious.  "White Christmas" and "Silver Bells" feature nice vocal arrangements.  "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer" gets a big band arrangement and is most notable for Diana Ross' bizarre impersonation of Santa Claus.  "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" is one of the few tracks that sounds like a Motown song and is all the better for it.  It is my favorite cut on the album.  "Joy to the World" is given an energetic performance but I could do without the martial drumming and the mechanized tightness of the vocals.  I don't know why people consider "My Favorite Things" (from "The Sound of Music") to be a Christmas song but I'm not complaining too much because I like the Supremes' version quite a bit.  It has a swinging big band arrangement and features the persistent ringing of sleigh bells to try to make it sound more Christmas-like I suppose.  Ross' vocal is vibrant and the song is another one of my favorites on the record.  I like all of the newer songs to varying degrees.  The best one is Jimmy Webb's poignant "My Christmas Tree" which is about a woman spending Christmas alone and missing her lover who has left her.  Ross' vocal is moving and the song is full of expressive images typical of Webb's work.  I also like Al Capps and Mary Dean's "Little Bright Star" which is given a jumping Motown arrangement and features some strong vocal work.  "Children's Christmas Song" was written by Isabelle Freeman and Harvey Fuqua and it also has a Motown-style melody and arrangement.  The song is inane but extremely catchy, it sticks in my brain for days after I play it.  Diana Ross does a lot of talking in the song as she bosses around her younger brother Chico and Berry Gordy's three kids who participate in the vocal.  Her Christmas cheeriness sounds phony to me, but the song is so silly that I can't really blame her.  Ronald Miller and William O'Malley's "Twinkle Twinkle Little Me" is also pretty dumb. It is written from the perspective of the star on top of a Christmas tree.  It has a good Motown-style tune though and I dig the harmony vocals in support of Ross' lead.  Don Gustafson's "Born of Mary" has an evocative melody that sounds like it was lifted from a classic western.  The song has an ensemble vocal from the group.  It is not a memorable song but it sounds nice.  I think this is one of the better Christmas albums of its era.  I wish my parents had been cool enough to have had a copy, I think I would have loved it when I was a kid.  I think part of why I like it so much is that it reminds me of being a kid at Christmas time.  The exuberance and warm feelings that permeate much of this record brings out the holiday spirit in me.  Recommended to people who need to tame their inner Scrooge.

Light of the Stable - Emmylou Harris

Light of the Stable
Emmylou Harris
Warner Bros.  BSK 3484
1979

Along with "A Very She & Him Christmas" I have been playing this album a lot this Christmas.  I have had it since the 1980s but I have not played it much since then.  I pulled it out because I have started listening to my Emmylou Harris albums again after seeing her perform a fabulous show with Rodney Crowell over the summer.  It reminded me what a great singer she is and shame on me for not keeping up with her.  My initial interest in Harris stemmed from her work supporting Gram Parsons and I found I liked her own albums too.  I never really embraced this record though.  My favorite Christmas music is secular and needless to say on this record the light in the stable is not Rudolph's nose.  This record is all about Jesus, not Santa or chestnuts roasting on an open fire.  The only secular song on this album is Tex Logan's "Christmas Time's A-Coming" which is my favorite song on the record.  It is among the most country-style songs on the record with some fine pickin' on mandolin and banjo from Ricky Skaggs.  Skaggs also enlivens a lovely performance of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" with his mandolin.  I've never cared much for "Away In a Manger" but I have to admit that Harris' duet with Nancy Ahern on this song is gorgeous, the best version of this that I've ever heard with a terrific mandolin solo from Albert Lee.  Rodney Crowell's "Angel Eyes" is not a Christmas song but it does fit in with the religious flavor of the rest of the album.  Willie Nelson sings back up on the song, making it a bit less sappy than it might otherwise be.  The side ends with an a cappella performance of "The First Noel" supported by Sharon Hicks and Cheryl Warren.  My other favorite song on the record is A. L. Phipps' "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem" which is a traditional country style song with some tasty fiddling from Ricky Skaggs.  "Little Drummer Boy" was my favorite Christmas song when I was a child, but now I just find it tedious.  The song has the most robust instrumental arrangement of any of the songs on the record, which makes it a lot easier for me to listen to.  "Golden Cradle" is a traditional Irish lullabye sung as a duet with Nancy Ahern backed only by Brian Ahern on guitar.  This also isn't a Christmas song although with its lyrics describing an infant being watched over by angels in a cradle it is applicable to the baby Jesus and in that sense is consistent with the theme of the album.  "Silent Night" is beautifully sung and tastefully played, one of the best versions I've ever heard.  The album concludes with "Light of the Stable" by Steven and Elizabeth Rhymer.  It was originally released as a single in 1975 and features stellar harmony vocals from Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Neil Young.  It is not a particularly memorable song, but it sounds terrific and does give the album a strong finish.  As Christmas albums go, this one has its limitations.  My wife and son dislike it and I would not put it on for a Christmas party, but I like listening to it late at night while looking at the Christmas tree lights blinking.  My Christian days are long behind me (thank God) but I still appreciate spiritual sincerity which this album has in spades.  Plus it just sounds so lovely that I can't resist it, it is hard to believe these are the same tunes we used to butcher in church and elementary school.  Recommended to people tired of the crass commercialism of Christmas.

A Very She & Him Christmas - She & Him

A Very She & Him Christmas
She & Him
Merge Records MRG 424
2011

This white vinyl record has been spending a lot of time on my turntable this holiday season.  When I first read that Zooey Deschanel was making records with M. Ward I didn't expect much even though I like M. Ward's solo work.  I assumed it was some movie star vanity project until I heard Deschanel's guest spot at the Living Sisters' Patsy Cline tribute concert at Disney Hall back in 2011.  I was amazed by her powerful vocal, she sounded like a young Linda Ronstadt.  I finally caught She & Him live over the summer when they played the Hollywood Bowl and I was equally impressed.  They've completely won me over.  This album features a nice mix of music.  It has several traditional pop standards like "The Christmas Waltz," "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Sleigh Ride,"  "Silver Bells" and "The Christmas Song"  It also has more contemporary rock Christmas tunes including NRBQ's "Christmas Wish" (which features Ward on lead vocal,) Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," Elvis' "Blue Christmas" and a pair of tunes from the Beach Boys "Christmas Day" and "Little Saint Nick."  My favorite song on the record is the duet performance of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" which I know best in Dean Martin's lascivious version.  Deschanel sings the seductive part traditionally assigned to male performers of the song to winning effect.  It is a charming performance.  The arrangements on the album are tasteful and spare, mostly Ward laying down reverb-heavy guitar licks augmented occasionally by some simple piano runs from Deschanel (as well as a ukelele on "Silver Bells" and "Little Saint Nick") and, on the uptempo numbers, drumming from Jim Keltner.   This is the sort of Christmas record that appeals to me the most, traditional without being sappy as well as being cool while still being sincere.  Deschanel has a warm, engaging voice and I find that listening to this record inevitably lifts my spirits.  It brings back some of the magic of Christmas music that I felt listening to my parents' Christmas records as a child.  I know I will be listening to it for many Christmases to come.  Recommended to sentimental hipsters.

Mae in December - Mae West

Mae In December
Mae West
AEI  2104
1980 

It's that time of the year again, decorating the tree, hanging the stockings and plopping Mae West on the turntable for some yuletide cheer.  What, you don't think of Mae West when you think of Christmas?  Well think again my friend.  I received this as a gift a long time ago from someone who knew I liked records and old movies.  At the time I wasn't particularly thrilled about it, but it has become one of my favorite Christmas albums.  This is a reissue of the 1966 album "Wild Christmas" on Dagonet records recorded when West was 73.  It consists of 7 Christmas songs plus a cover of the Beatles' "From Me To You."  I have no idea what the latter has to do with Christmas but I'm the last guy who is going to complain about a Beatles' cover, every record should have one.  If you know anything about Mae West, you know you aren't going to be hearing "Silent Night" or "Noel" on this album.  She leans towards bawdier stuff.  The album kicks off with "Santa Come Up To See Me" which is a folk rock style tune.  She invites Santa to come up and see her some time.  She boasts that she has a present for him better than any that he can give, namely her good loving.  In the middle of the song she jumps up a couple octaves and sings so high you practically have to be a dog to hear her.  Next she covers Elvis' "Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me."  It is a jumpin' tune and she rocks pretty convincingly for a senior citizen.  Next up is the r&b classic "Merry Christmas, Baby" where she coos a "man under the mistletoe is worth two under the tree."  It is another strong performance, genuinely sexy.  The side ends with another Elvis cover, Leiber and Stoller's "Santa Claus Is Back in Town."  West is a decent rock singer, but she's better at the blues and this song suits her perfectly.  I like it just as much as Elvis' version.  "Put the Loot in the Boot, Santa" opens side two.  She advises Santa to put some "jack in the sack" if he wants to enjoy her company.  She'd like a uranium mine, but she'll settle for some some "cash on the sash."  A Christmas song celebrating prostitution, that's got to be a first.  She makes "From Me To You" a Christmas song by prefacing the song with a spoken introduction where she huskily announces that she has a Christmas present (love) for the listener that she will send "from Mae to you."  It's not the best Beatles' cover you will hear, but it may be the sexiest.  Over the top sexiness characterizes her cover of Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby."  Just as in "Put the Loot in the Boot, Santa" she wants some pretty pricey presents, a Dusenberg convertible for example, but this time she wants them because she has been good all year, not as a down payment for her company.  "My New Year's Resolutions" veers between folk-rock and an instrumental passage lifted from "Hang On Sloopy."  She sings the folk-rock section promising loving in the New Year and then she breathily recites her resolutions in the "Hang On Sloopy" section such as "I'm going to have goodwill toward men and the more men the more I will."  I've heard all sorts of Christmas records, traditional, sentimental, soulful and rocking, but I've never heard one quite like this.  With her cartoonishly overt sexuality, ageless enthusiasm and impeccable comic timing, she makes Christmas seem fun for adults not just the kiddies.  Try giving it a spin for your next Christmas party.  Recommended for lonely bachelors who dig cougars.