Search - Nat King Cole :: Christmas Song

Joanne A. from MAYS LANDING, NJ
Reviewed on 11/7/2006...

A true classic. His voice is like silk.

Capitol, Can We Just Get Back To Basics?

smuthdude | 11/23/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Capitol, since a new version of this album is released practically every year and you still haven't gotten it right, how about doing this NEXT year? Restore the original 1963 album track order. Restore the original ambient echo effect that was on that LP (or just remaster the original'86 CD version). Scan and remaster the original '63 cover art (with Nat sitting by the fire) including the original "full dimensional stereo" banner. Then, commission Will Freidwald or another music historian to write a brief history of this album. You know, how it began as "The Magic Of Christmas" in 1960 and morphed into the "Christmas Song" version we all knew and loved for 30-some odd years before you began monkeying with it? Then, on the back of the booklet, scan and print the original "Magic Of Christmas" artwork with its corresponding stereo banner. Then, add "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", "Happy New Year" and the English outtake of "Adeste Fideles" as extras. Leave Natalie's duet, the Toys For Tots PSA and all the novelty x-mas tunes to another collection. THAT is how you do a re-release!



For some reason, Capitol has been BUTCHERING its holiday releases by Nat, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and the Beach Boys just to name a few. In the 80's and 90's holiday CD's by each could be found with only slightly modified versions of the original album art and sound matching that of the LP master tapes. But in the past ten years, the Capitol art department has decided to give each album a complete makeover(several of them in fact)... all for the worse! Also, someone has decided to shuffle the track order, add a bunch of extra crap and dub it the "Ultimate Christmas Collection" (Beach Boys). Please, originality is best when it comes to re-issues, especially these sacred Christmas albums. Save the abstract art and marketing concepts for your NEW artist releases."

+ 1/2 star--very good but it's also a half-hearted re-releas

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 11/20/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The Christmas Song is indeed an expanded, remastered and repackaged version of Nat's CD entitled The Christmas Song from 1990, 2005 and more! If you have one or all of these albums already from the great Mr. Cole, your only true reason to buy this would be for the upgrade in sound quality although the improved remastering doesn't make a huge "night and day" difference when I hear it. If, however, you are a casual fan or a relative newcomer to Nat "King" Cole who has not yet purchased past releases of The Christmas Song CD, then go ahead and get this--although, for example, you will miss out tracks from the 2005 edition of this album including a version of "The Christmas Song" from 1946 by The King Cole Trio as well as tracks entitled "Toys for Tots" and "Happy New Year."



Of course, anyway you slice it Nat still sounds great on this album. There are religious holiday standards including "O Tannenbaum;" "O Little Town of Bethlehem;" "O Holy Night;" "The First Noel" and "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen." Nat performs these with panache and the lush musical arrangements greatly enhance the songs. They use a background choir on a few of these numbers but it's all done in good taste and the background singers never try to steal the spotlight for Nat "King" Cole.



Other terrific songs include more secular tunes such as "Caroling, Caroling;" "All I Want for Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)" by The King Cole Trio and the endlessly charming "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)" which is done both in its 1961 glory and as a duet with Nat's daughter Natalie.



Overall, get this if you're a casual fan without previous editions of this CD--or a newcomer just discovering Nat's artistry who wants some fine holiday music by Nat "King" Cole. Diehard fans should opt for a previous edition of this album which includes other tracks not found here. They should be here; and that's a disappointment. You'll find great music on this CD; but it's not as comprehensive as it could have been and so I can only give it 3 ½ stars. What a shame Capitol Records didn't do more justice to Nat!"