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Christmas Favorites
Nat King Cole
Christmas Favorites
Genres: Jazz, Special Interest, Pop
 
Countless singers have recorded the now-famous title track to this 14-song collection, but none have explored its evocative nuances as fully as the man who first brought it into our living rooms--Nat King Cole. Then again,...  more »

     
   
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CD Details

All Artists: Nat King Cole
Title: Christmas Favorites
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 8
Label: Sony
Genres: Jazz, Special Interest, Pop
Styles: Swing Jazz, Vocal Jazz, Holiday & Wedding, Oldies, Vocal Pop
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 077775772920

Synopsis

Amazon.com essential recording
Countless singers have recorded the now-famous title track to this 14-song collection, but none have explored its evocative nuances as fully as the man who first brought it into our living rooms--Nat King Cole. Then again, his honeyed throat and refined delivery allowed him to make just about any song his own--even ubiquitous carols such as "O Holy Night" and "Adeste Fideles." Cole's gift--the thing that made him beloved by grandmas and jazzbos alike--was his ability to conjure images so vivid, you need only close your eyes in order to see, say, a snow-swept town square ("Caroling, Caroling") or that holy scene from 2,000 years ago ("Away in a Manger"). --David Sprague

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CD Reviews

Nat King Cole "Christmas Song" still ultimate X-mas offering
Les Fishman | New York | 11/24/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ah yes, "chestnuts roasting on an open fire"...... what a feeling of Holiday spirit invoked by just that line alone! Aside from the classic title track, Mr. Cole's versions of some of the most well-loved Christmas tunes are all superb. O Come All Ye Faithful, The First Noel, O Holy Night, Joy To The World, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Deck The Hall, Silent Night,.........the list goes on. If you don't already have this recording, get it; this is an absolute MUST HAVE!"
Christmas without Nat!? What's that about?!
C. E. Miles | O'Fallon, IL United States | 11/22/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"It just can't be Christmas until you've heard Nat King Cole sing "The Christmas Song". I can't begin to tell you how many times I have heard the songs contained on this CD, but I can tell you they never get old. There is just something about them, and the way Nat sings them that keep them new. Nat King Cole was one of the greatest vocal talents we have ever known, and the fact that he saw fit to lay down these wonderful holiday standards for us to enjoy year after year, is indeed a treat. Sure these songs and carols have been around forever, but isn't that what Christmas is about; tradition, and familiarity? I you haven't got this CD yet, what are you waiting for? Pick it up today, I promise you won't be disappointed."
A must for any Nat King Cole fan...
Ken Claassen | Norman, OK USA | 12/14/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)

"... but a delight for others as well!Before I begin, let me say that I am one of those people who could sit and listen to Nat King Cole's voice for hours on end. He has one of those voices that makes you relax no matter what kind of mood you happen to be in at the moment.That said, I've listened to a lot of songs by Mr. Cole, and I don't believe he is in finer voice on any other album he ever did than on "The Christmas Song." Most people have heard Nat's rendition of the title cut ("Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..."), but there are a lot of other superb tracks on this CD as well. My favorite is his stirring rendition of "Adeste Fidelis" (for those who don't know, that's "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful" in the original Latin). Nat sings the entire song in the original language, and it gives me chills every time I hear it.Another song Nat tackles in its original language is "O Tannenbaum" ("O Christmas Tree" in the orginal German for you non-linguists out there). Along with Christmas classics such as, "Deck the Halls," "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "O Holy Night," "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," "Away in a Manger," "Joy to the World," "The First Noel," and "Silent Night," there are several selections which are hard to find on other CDs. Among these are the cheerful "Caroling, Caroling" and Nat's jaunty rendering of "I Saw Three Ships." Finally, the soothing and thoughtful "A Cradle in Bethlehem" is a perfect lullaby for getting your keyed-up little ones to sleep on Christmas Eve. Though not the final song on the disk, it would have made a perfect conclusion, IMHO.This is a masterwork, plain and simple, and a must-have for your Christmas collection. Buy it. Trust me. You won't be disappointed."