A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra
'A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra' is the archetypal classic
Christmas record featuring 14 sparkling performances from the
legend. It was originally released by Capitol Records in 1957 and
was the first of several Christmas albums Sinatra recorded before
his death in 1998. Hard to believe now but the album didn't
initially meet with the universal acclaim you'd expect. Back in the
late 50's the critics had grown tired of the traditional approach
of Christmas efforts and 'A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra' was
seen as just another in a long list of them. Of course that line of
thinking has long since dissipated and this album is now regarded
as a seminal festive collection.
'A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra' was recorded in mid-July,
in a baking Los Angeles, but that doesn't stop it from sounding
like it was put together when it was minus 6C outside. It boasts
the usual mix of secular songs and traditional carols, and while
you may have heard every one of them a thousand times it is quite
likely that Sinatra's take is the one you hold dear. Each of the
compositions is decorated with rich orchestral arrangements,
courtesy of Gordon Jenkins, and a heavenly choir supplied by the
Ralph Brewster Singers. There is no mistaking that there was a big
budget involved but everything is so tastefully done it never feels
overblown. The album was released a month after '
Elvis' Christmas Album', surely marking 1957 out as a rare year
for cherishable Christmas compendiums.
The album opens with a swagger as the Ralph Brewster Singers
elegantly pave the way for Sinatra's jaunty appearance on 'Jingle
Bells'. The tune has a wonderful swing and is populated with plenty
of ingenious arrangements that will likely transport you to the
snowfields. It is followed by 'The Christmas Song' which wisely
adheres to Mel Tormé's vision for the song. 'Have Yourself A Merry
Little Christmas' had a new line added to its lyrics, written by
the original composer of the song Hugh Martin, at Sinatra's
request. Sinatra wanted to jolly things up (made sense given the
album's title) so 'Hang a shining star upon the highest bough' made
its way into the fabric of the song for the very first time.
'A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra' contains several faithful
renditions of traditional carols like 'Adeste Fideles', 'O Little
Town Of Bethlehem' and 'Silent Night', and all are beautifully
delivered in a style befitting such Christmas staples. Of the
holier tunes Sinatra decided to put a bit more fizz in 'Hark! The
Herald Angels Sing', it still sounds reverential while managing to
show off a unique personality. Only one song on the album was
written by Sinatra (in conjunction with Hank Sanicola and Doc
Stanford), 'Mistletoe and Holly', and it seamlessly fits in amongst
the other Christmas classics.
'The Christmas Waltz' appears twice, the original and an
alternate take that lifts the song in a mildly different direction.
The latter version had originally appeared on a 1954 vinyl single
with 'White Christmas' as the a-side. Both were produced by Nelson
Riddle and are the only songs on this album not to feature the hand
of Gordon Jenkins.
On its original release in 1957 A Jolly Christmas From Frank
Sinatra' contained just 12 tracks, with the aforementioned 'White
Christmas' and 'The Christmas Waltz' added as bonus tracks for the
several CD reissues that have appeared over the years. The view
amongst Sinatra fans is that Larry Walsh's 1987 project was the
most faithful to the original 50's version as it evoked the warmth
that only vinyl releases can bring.
'A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra' is so convincing it may
affect the colour with which you view things and temporarily turn
them a 1950's shade of black and white. Who knows, you might even
start to appreciate things the way they used to be. Of course it is
showing its age but that is a very good thing, especially if you
are trying to recreate the glow of traditional Christmases. You
know the ones, where putting up the Christmas tree was something to
look forward to rather than be seen as a chore. This faultless
album will continue to be embraced by every generation that gathers
around a Christmas table and should remain as much a December
tradition as exchanging presents.
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