Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.. (Winston Churchill)
Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.. (Winston Churchill)
Member since:07.12.2002
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I love Christmas and have to admit to frequently going completely OTT in several areas. Over the years, I have amassed a vast amount of Christmas albums: some good, some bad and some that should really have been thrown away long ago.
Among my collection of Christmas albums is The Sinatra Christmas Album. I did not intend writing a review on this but came across it whilst looking for another product on Ciao. I saw it and well that was that, the review had to follow.
The album was first recorded on 11th November 1987, the tracks having mainly been assembled from other previously recorded albums; most from the Sinatra Family Christmas recorded in 1968. It was, then released on CD on 1st November 1994 on the Warner Brothers label.
Originally recorded on vinyl, the album was divided with Carols on the one side and secular songs on the other. The amassed songs, spanning a period of two decades, have been arranged in chronological order beginning with a 1963 rendition of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” (written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane) and ending with a 1975 Don Coasta arrangement of “Christmas Memories”.
Some of the highlights from the album are the two tracks Sinatra recorded with Bing Crosby, “Go Tell It on the Mountain” and “We wish you the Merriest”, both exemplifying perfect Christmas swing. The two crooners are evidently at ease with each other and compliment each other wonderfully.
Another track to note is “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, Sinatra sings with his three children Tina, Nancy and Frank Sinatra Jr (I wonder just how embarrassed they are by the recording now).
Also included on the album are “The Christmas Waltz,” written for Sinatra by Sammy Cahn and Jule Stein and “The Bells of Christmas”, an unusual rendition, sung to the Greenselves melody.
The big band accompaniment is wonderful to listen to with Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians on tracks 2-6 and the Jimmy Joyce Singers on tracks 7-11.
The tracks are mostly good and worth listening too although there are a couple of weak tracks that do slightly mar the album, namely “I wouldn’t trade Christmas” and “A Baby Just Like You”.
The quality of the music is excellent having been digitally remastered. Sinatra performs each track with eloquence and apparent sincerity. You can almost believe Jack Frost is nipping and Chestnuts are roasting on open fires.
Most of the songs are Christmas Classics that most people will recognize having heard and loved them for many years. Their appeal is universal and most will will not be able to refrain from singing along to the familiar lyrics.
I do like Sinatra (else I would not have bought this); he has a mellow easy-to-listen voice with well thought out phrasing; "The Little Drummer Boy" being Sinatra at his best. There are however some songs missing. Sinatra is known as a singer and not a songwriter so it may come as a surprise that he did occasionally turn his hand at writing. Sinatra actually co-wrote a Christmas song, “Mistletoe And Holly” with Doc Stanford and Hank Sanicola. I would have liked to have seen this included on the album.
Sinatra’s distinctive vocal artistry cannot be denied and the accompaniment splendid. But would I recommend buying the album?
Sadly, I would say no. Although, the CD has sat in my collection for a number of years, for most it has lain unplayed (but not unloved). Most of the better tracks are included on various Christmas compilations (which I also have) and therein give greater variation and depth.
It is not the worst Christmas album I have. There are worse much worse (I wonder if they are listed on Ciao). If you are a big Sinatra fan then yes buy. If it is swing you are after, the go for “Christmas with the Rat Pack”, it has many of the better tracks from this included.
If you do buy, then my suggestion is light a big fire, draw the curtains, pour the sherry and settle down on the settee for an evening of pure nostalgia.
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Mr Sinatra is over rated! There, I said it. I much prefer Sammy and Dean, so I have never found myself adding any of Frank's music to my collection, not even my xmas albums. But that's just me.
JeeanA 27.02.2005 16:32
Sounds like nice Christmas chill-out (but not in the sense it's come to mean now) music.
audreyh 18.02.2005 17:09
Great review - but sounds like this album lacks the Sinatra Christmas classic "I've got those J-I-N-G-L-E Bells!!" A family favourite!
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