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The Chipmunks---oldies but goodies you're not sick of the se

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 10/02/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ross Bagdasarian, a.k.a. David Seville, created the great sound of The Chipmunks (Alvin, Simon and Theodore) essentially by taking the sound of a few people singing and speeding it up to sound like small animals singing. This technique works well still today; their Christmas album is a delight for the kids and inevitably nostalgic for us adults. Just one listen proves it!



The CD starts with "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)." David Seville introduces himself and The Chipmunks who promptly go into a charming and somewhat amusing rendition of this classic Christmastime ballad. The percussion and flute add to the natural beauty of this number; and the harmonizing leaves nothing to be desired! The cute banter between Alvin the chipmunk and David Seville makes the number even cuter. Great! Next comes the remarkably famous "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)." This you've undoubtedly heard on the radio; and the sound on the CD is excellent. They harmonize well and the banter between The Chipmunks and David Seville near the end of the song resembles that of a parent and children having "a special moment."



"Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer" gives us an extra character for the voice of Rudolph; and this works well. The musical arrangement reflects good judgment and I predict that the children--and you--will like this number very, very much. "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" begins with a great harp solo even if the solo is brief; and this number shines like gold! "Frosty The Snowman" features The Chipmunks singing this children's Christmas song rather well; and the accordion sounds great on "Frosty The Snowman," too.



"Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" showcases David Seville more than The Chipmunks at the beginning; The Chipmunks then sing the second verse very well. The kids are bound to like this one! "Christmas Time (Greensleeves)" features The Chipmunks singing their best vocals to the tune of "Greensleeves." Great! "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," a tune from Meet Me In St. Louis, sparkles as David Seville puts his stamp on this beautiful song.



The CD ends fittingly with "White Christmas." This ballad, although it's actually somewhat melancholy, sounds optimistic and very beautiful as David Seville sings this with great sensitivity. The flutes and strings enhance "White Christmas," too.



The liner notes give us some great artwork; and we get the song credits.



David Seville and The Chipmunks were a huge hit in the early 1960s; and they remain a favorite of many a child even today. You just can't keep good entertainment down; and this fine CD is sure to remain in print for many years to come.

"

What was Capitol/EMI thinking?

Troy Tempest | Columbus, OH | 11/19/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"In 2007, Capitol/EMI FINALLY released on CD the closest-to-perfect configuration to date of the Chipmunks' two original Christmas albums. All twenty-four original songs (plus a bonus track) were included. The original cover art from both volumes was used even replicating the "foil" look of the original 1960s LPs. The remastering was fantastic and it never sounded better. I heard details I'd never noticed before in my 30-odd years of listening to these albums. The only real negative was that they resequenced the tracks but that was forgiveable.



That version is now out of print (after one year!) and has been replaced with a new, but definitely NOT improved edition for 2008. When I first saw it I assumed it was simply a re-issue of the 2007 version with revised cover art (which I actually really like -- modernizes it a bit while keeping the original 1960s character designs.) Upon closer inspection however, I noticed that this new version has DROPPED FOUR TRACKS (as well as the bonus track.)



Two of the missing tracks ("Jolly Old Saint Nicholas" and "Wonderful Day") are nice but not essential. Dave's jazzy version of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" however was definitely a highlight and "Hang Up Your Stockin'" was one of the absolute best tracks on both albums. (The bonus track with Canned Heat was also dropped, but that's not a big deal.)



Thanks Capitol/EMI. You fixed it only to break it again. Such a shame.



If you can't track down the 2007 edition, then just wait and see if they get it right in 2009!



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