I loved listening to this record every Christmas.
randysrodeo.com | 11/06/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"All of the best Christmas memories come back when I hear these songs again."
Hit-and-Miss Collection from the Christmas Cowboy
Timothy Hulsey | Charlottesville, VA United States | 02/15/2002
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This collection of Christmas songs contains some genuine classics: "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (which Autry introduced), as well as "Here Comes Santa Claus" and "Santa, Santa, Santa" (both co-written by Autry). (Conspicuously missing is "Santa's Comin' in a Whirlybird," a bouncy children's favorite guaranteed to drill a hole in your head. It's on other Autry Christmas compilations, so its absence from this one is a bit of a mystery.)
Autry's greatest strength as a singer is that he never succumbs to easy cynicism; regardless of his vocal shortcomings (or perhaps because of them), he always sounds sincere. His paeans to Santa Claus are informed by a casual, unforced belief in the spirit of Christmas. The best tracks feature gentle, casually sophisticated Western-swing arrangements that should delight children and parents.
Unfortunately, this particular album has more than its share of duds. By and large, the worst songs on this compliation also have overproduced arrangements. The duets with Rosemary Clooney (except for "The Night Before Christmas Song," which is a little gem) are mostly busts, as are the songs with cutesy, childish lyrics ("Where Did My Snowman Go," "If It Doesn't Snow on Christmas"). To be fair, Autry delivers these songs as well as anyone could, but the question remains: Why did they have to be included here?
Three stars."
Good, but now there's a better one!
randysrodeo.com | Austin, Texas | 11/09/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This CD was eclipsed in 2004 by Varese Sarabande's "Complete Columbia Christmas Recordings." 27 tracks, well mastered, fully annotated."