The Classic Christmas Album (Johnny Mathis album) explained

The Classic Christmas Album
Type:compilation
Artist:Johnny Mathis
Cover:Mathis-Classic.jpg
Released:October 7, 2014[1]
Recorded:1958–2013[2]
Genre:Christmas
Length:39:51
Label:Columbia
Prev Title:Sending You a Little Christmas
Prev Year:2013
Next Title:The Complete Global Albums Collection
Next Year:2014

The Classic Christmas Album is a Christmas compilation album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released on October 7, 2014, by Columbia Records[1] and includes two 1961 recordings that were previously unavailable: "Ol' Kris Kringle" and the original version of the title track from his 1969 Christmas album Give Me Your Love for Christmas. Three other songs ("Christmas in the City of the Angels", "Sign of the Dove" and "The Very First Christmas Day") make their debut on compact disc as of this release,[3] and two other non-album singles ("Christmas Is..." and "My Kind of Christmas") can be counted among the rarities here. The collection also includes a selection or two from several of Mathis's Christmas studio albums—"Sleigh Ride" from Merry Christmas, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" from Sounds of Christmas, "Calypso Noel" from Give Me Your Love for Christmas, "The Christmas Waltz" and "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" from Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis, and "Home for the Holidays" from Sending You a Little Christmas—as well as his duet with Bette Midler from her 2006 holiday album Cool Yule, which was a medley of "Winter Wonderland" and "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!".

Critical reception

The Second Disc's Joe Marchese was impressed by the rarities on this collection ("Didier C. Deutsch and Jeff James have gone the extra mile") and also the sound quality ("Maria Triana has beautifully remastered all tracks.").

George W. Harris of Jazz Weekly wrote in his review of the disc that Mathis is "one of the few vocalists that owns 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas', and December 25th is better off for it."

Track listing[2]

  1. "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" (Meredith Willson) – 2:14
    • Jeremy Lubbock – arranger, conductor
    • Denny Diante – producer
  2. "Ol' Kris Kringle" performed with Percy Faith & His Orchestra (Hugh Adamson, Jimmy McHugh) – 2:24
  3. "The Very First Christmas Day" (Clark Gassman, Molly-Ann Leikin) – 3:07
    • Gene Page – arranger, conductor
    • Jack Gold – producer
  4. "Calypso Noel" (Gordon Krunnfusz) – 2:14
  5. "My Kind of Christmas" performed with Percy Faith & His Orchestra (Jerry Livingston, Paul Francis Webster) – 3:02
    • Irving Townsend – producer
  6. Medley performed with Bette Midler – 2:47
    a. "Winter Wonderland" (Felix Bernard, Richard Bernhard Smith)
    b. "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne)
    • Bette Sussman – arranger
    • Patrick Williams – arranger
    • Robbie Buchanan – producer
  7. "Give Me Your Love for Christmas" performed with Percy Faith & His Orchestra (Jack Gold, Phyllis Stohn) – 2:55
    • Irving Townsend – producer
  8. "Sleigh Ride" performed with Percy Faith & His Orchestra (Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish) – 3:01
  9. "The Christmas Waltz" (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne) – 2:36
    • Ray Ellis – arranger, conductor
    • Denny Diante – producer
  10. "Christmas in the City of the Angels" (Suzy Elman; Arnold Goland; Jack Gold) – 2:50
    • Gene Page – arranger, conductor
    • Jack Gold – producer
  11. "Christmas Is..." (Percy Faith, Spence Maxwell) – 3:06
    • Ernie Freeman – arranger, conductor[5]
    • Jack Gold – producer
  12. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin) – 3:33
  13. "Home for the Holidays" performed with The Jordanaires (Robert Allen, Al Stillman) – 3:07
  14. "Sign of the Dove" (Bradford Craig) – 2:49
    • Ernie Freeman – arranger, conductor[5]
    • Jack Gold – producer

Recording dates[2]

Personnel

Compilation[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Classic Christmas Album - Johnny Mathis . allmusic.com. All Media Network, LLC. 13 February 2015.
  2. (2014) The Classic Christmas Album by Johnny Mathis [CD booklet]. New York: Columbia Records 88843091032.
  3. Web site: Johnny Mathis: "The Classic Christmas Album" is available everywhere TODAY!. JohnnyMathis.com. RoJon Productions Inc.. 15 February 2015.
  4. (1969) Give Me Your Love for Christmas by Johnny Mathis [album jacket]. New York: Columbia Records CS 9923.
  5. (1970) "Christmas Is.../Sign of the Dove" by Johnny Mathis [7-inch single]. New York: Columbia Records 4-45513.

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