Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas
Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas is the fifteenth studio album by American singer Elvis Presley, released in October 1971. It was his first Christmas album with new recordings since Elvis' Christmas Album (1957). The album's single, "Merry Christmas Baby" / "O Come All Ye Faithful", was later released in November 1971. This album was a top seller and topped the Billboard Holiday Albums Chart, and would have charted high on the Billboard 200; however, from 1963 to 1973, holiday albums were not allowed to chart. Though lacking the commercial appeal of Elvis' first Christmas album, it gradually become a perennial favorite. The album was certified Gold on November 4, 1977, Platinum on December 1, 1977, 2× Platinum on May 20, 1988, and 3× Platinum on July 15, 1999, by the RIAA.[6]
| Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 20, 1971 | |||
| Recorded | June 27, 1968, May 15, 1971 – May 16, 1971 | |||
| Genre | Christmas, pop, rock and roll | |||
| Length | 35:06 | |||
| Label | RCA Victor | |||
| Producer | Felton Jarvis | |||
| Elvis Presley chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B+[2] |
| MusicHound |  [3] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [4] |
| Rough Guides | [5] |
Several of the songs on the album were published by Elvis Presley's publishing company, such as "Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees", "I'll Be Home on Christmas Day", "If I Get Home on Christmas Day" and "On a Snowy Christmas Night". Presley is accompanied on most of the songs by The Imperials Quartet.
RCA reissued the album on compact disc in 1988. The CD release includes an extended version of "Merry Christmas Baby" and "Blue Christmas", which was recorded on June 27, 1968, as a bonus track. This version had been previously released on the 1968 album, Elvis.
Track listing
Original release
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recording date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "O Come, All Ye Faithful" | Traditional; arranged by Elvis Presley | May 16, 1971[7] | 2:49 |
| 2. | "The First Noel" | Traditional; arranged by Elvis Presley | May 16, 1971 | 2:11 |
| 3. | "On a Snowy Christmas Night" | Stanley J. Gelber | May 16, 1971 | 2:50 |
| 4. | "Winter Wonderland" | Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith | May 16, 1971 | 2:20 |
| 5. | "The Wonderful World of Christmas" | Charles Tobias, Al Frisch | May 16, 1971 | 1:59 |
| 6. | "It Won't Seem Like Christmas (Without You)" | J. A. Balthrop | May 15, 1971[8] | 2:43 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recording date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I'll Be Home on Christmas Day" | Michael Jarrett | May 16, 1971 | 3:50 |
| 2. | "If I Get Home On Christmas Day" | Tony Macaulay | May 15, 1971 | 2:54 |
| 3. | "Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees" | Glen Spreen, Red West | May 15, 1971 | 2:14 |
| 4. | "Merry Christmas Baby" | Lou Baxter, Johnny Moore | May 15, 1971 | 5:45 |
| 5. | "Silver Bells" | Jay Livingston, Ray Evans | May 15, 1971 | 2:03 |
| 6. | "Blue Christmas" (reissue pressings only) | Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson | June 27, 1968[9][10] | 2:34 |
Follow That Dream re-issue
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "O Come, All Ye Faithful" | 2:48 |
| 2. | "The First Noel" | 2:09 |
| 3. | "On A Snowy Christmas Night" | 2:49 |
| 4. | "Winter Wonderland" | 2:17 |
| 5. | "The Wonderful World of Christmas" | 1:57 |
| 6. | "It Won't Seem Like Christmas (Without You)" | 2:41 |
| 7. | "I'll Be Home on Christmas Day" | 3:48 |
| 8. | "If I Get Home On Christmas Day" | 2:51 |
| 9. | "Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees" | 2:52 |
| 10. | "Merry Christmas Baby" | 5:44 |
| 11. | "Silver Bells" | 2:26 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 12. | "I'll Be Home On Christmas Day" (remake master) | 3:43 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 13. | "It Won't Seem Like Christmas (Without You)" (takes 1, 3) | 4:36 |
| 14. | "If I Get Home on Christmas Day" (take 1) | 3:37 |
| 15. | "I'll Be Home on Christmas Day" (takes 1, 3) | 7:54 |
| 16. | "Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees" (takes 1, 2) | 3:13 |
| 17. | "Silver Bells" (takes 1, 2) | 4:41 |
| 18. | "I'll Be Home On Christmas Day" (remake takes 1, 2) | 5:48 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I'll Be Home on Christmas Day" (take 4) | 4:58 |
| 2. | "If I Get Home On Christmas Day" (takes 2, 3) | 3:51 |
| 3. | "Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees" (take 3) | 2:27 |
| 4. | "I'll Be Home on Christmas Day" (remake take 3) | 4:24 |
| 5. | "It Won't Seem Like Christmas (Without You)" (takes 4, 5) | 3:03 |
| 6. | "O Come, All Ye Faithful" (take 2) | 4:28 |
| 7. | "If I Get Home on Christmas Day" (take 5) | 3:00 |
| 8. | "The Lord's Prayer" (public domain) | 3:01 |
| 9. | "I'll Be Home On Christmas Day" (takes 5, 6) | 4:20 |
| 10. | "Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees" (takes 4) | 2:36 |
| 11. | "It Won't Seem Like Christmas (Without You)" (take 6) | 3:14 |
| 12. | "Merry Christmas Baby" (take 1[unedited version]) | 8:29 |
| 13. | "I'll Be Home on Christmas Day" (remake takes 4, 9) | 7:24 |
| 14. | "If I Get Home on Christmas Day" (take 7) | 2:57 |
| 15. | "Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees" (takes 5, 8) | 3:39 |
| 16. | "Winter Wonderland" (takes 7, 8) | 3:53 |
| Total length: | 2:11:34 | |
Personnel
- Elvis Presley – lead vocals
- David Briggs – piano
- James Burton – lead guitar
- Kenneth Buttrey – drums (tracks A1-A5, B1)
- Jerry Carrigan – drums (tracks A6, B2-B5)
- Gene Estes – marimba (tracks A3, B3, B5)[11]
- Eddie Hinton – overdubbed lead guitar on "Merry Christmas Baby"[12]
- Charlie Hodge – rhythm guitar
- Millie Kirkham – backing vocals (tracks A2-A3, A5-A6, B2-B3, B5)[13]
- Larrie Londin – additional drums (track B1), additional percussion (A1, A3, B3)
- Charlie McCoy – harmonica (tracks A1-B5), organ (A6, B2-B5), percussion (A6, B2-B5)
- Farrell Morris – bells (track B5), additional percussion (B5)
- Norbert Putnam – bass
- Tommy Shepard – trombone (tracks A3, B3, B5)
- Chip Young – rhythm guitar
- The Imperials
- Terry Blackwood – backing vocals (tracks A1-A3, A5-A6, B2-B3, B5)
- Joe Moscheo – backing vocals (tracks A1-A3, A5-A6, B2-B3, B5)
- Jimmie Murray – backing vocals (tracks A1-A3, A5-A6, B2-B3, B5)
- Armond Morales – backing vocals (tracks A1-A3, A5-A6, B2-B3, B5)
- Greg Gordon – backing vocals (tracks A1-A3, A5-A6, B2-B3, B5)
- Production and Arrangements
- Felton Jarvis – producer
- Al Pachucki – basic track(s) recording engineer (tracks A1-B5), overdubs recording engineer (organ on A1, background vocals on A2-A3, A5-A6, B2-B3, B5, guitar on B4, bell & percussion on B5)
- Glen Spreen – brass arrangements (tracks A1, A5, B1-B2), string arrangements (A1, A3, A5-B3, B5), organ played by (tracks A1-A5, B1), organ overdubs (A1)
- Sidney Sharp – string contractor (tracks A1, A3, A5-B3, B5), brass contractor (A1, A5, B1-B2)
- Mickey Crofford – instrumental overdubs recording engineer (tracks A3, A6-B1, B3, B5)
- Bonus Track Personnel
- Elvis Presley — lead vocals, electric rhythm/lead guitar
- Scotty Moore – acoustic rhythm guitar
- D. J. Fontana – percussion
- Charlie Hodge – backing vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar
- Alan Fortas – percussion
- Lance LeGault – tambourine, possible backing vocals
- Steve Binder – producer
- Bones Howe – engineer
Certifications
| Provider | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| RIAA | 3× Platinum | July 15, 1999 |
References
- Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas at AllMusic
- Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: P". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 10, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. p. 892. ISBN 1-57859-061-2.
- "Elvis Presley: Album Guide". rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on September 18, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
- Simpson, Paul (2004). The Rough Guide to Elvis. London: Rough Guides. p. 146. ISBN 1-84353-417-7.
- "Elvis sings The Wonderful World of Christmas". RIAA. 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2013. Note: Enter advanced search for The Wonderful World of Christmas
- "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: May 16–17, 1971". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/710516.html
- "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: May 15–16, 1971". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/710515.html
- "Live Recordings for NBC TV Special 'Elvis': 6PM Sit-Down Show". 27 June 1968. Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/680627_6pm.html
- "Live Recordings for NBC TV Spevial 'Elvis': 8PM Sit-Down Show". 27 June 1968. Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/680627_8pm.html
- Spreen, Glen. "June 22, 1971: Tuesday Afternoon Overdub Sessions". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/710622as_ods.html
- Glen Spreen, Eddie Hinton & Farrell Morris. "July 26, 1971 Overdub Sessions". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/710726ods.html
- The Imperials and Millie Kirkham. "May 24, 1971 Overdub Sessions". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/710524ods.html
External links
- Elvis sings The Wonderful World of Christmas at Discogs (list of releases)
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.