10. Various Artists--Christmas Party with Eddie G. (Strikin' It Rich/Columbia, 1990): An incredibly entertaining set covering rockabilly, blues, pop, country and several levels of zaniness, assembled by television writer Eddie Gorodetsky. It hipped me to tracks I had somehow missed, like Augie Rios' 1958 "Donde Esta Santa Claus" and Bobby Lloyd (Hicks) & the Skeletons' sizzling combination of "You Really Got Me" and "Do You Hear What I Hear." The Three Stooges recreations are pure genius.
9. Tuck Andress--Hymns, Carols and Songs About Snow (Windham Hill, 1991): One of the guitar world's most unique players, Andress (of the duo Tuck & Patti) turns classic Christmas songs and more inside out. The tone of this solo guitar extravaganza is light, sometimes whimsical and always rhythmic, with a shimmering "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" and a nod to Jimi Hendrix on "The Little Drummer Boy."
8. Ella Fitzgerald--Ella Wishes You Swingin' Christmas (Verve, 1960): The American icon, overflowing with melodic, witty singing for the ages. Ella even saves the lamentable "Frosty the Snowman" through her enviable artistry.
7. Stevie Wonder--Someday at Christmas (Tamla, 1967): The title track was issued in 1966 and calls for peace amongst wartime madness; the LP followed a year later. Who would even attempt "Ave Maria" at this point in rock and soul history, let alone add harmonica to it? Only young Stevie (17 years old), who somehow brings wisdom beyond his years to the proceedings. And I still laugh when he's reading the braille lyric sheet for "What Christmas Means to Me" and pronounces mistletoe as it's spelled: "Mis-tle-toe."
6. George Winston--December (Windham Hill, 1982): It's the spaces between the notes throughout December that reveal stark melancholy, while Winston's penchant for sparkling piano work unleashes undeniable joy, especially on "The Holly and the Ivy." The story goes that Winston took a break from recording a guitar LP and went to the keyboard; the label's founder Will Ackerman heard what GW was doing and said, "you've got to make a piano album!"
5. Andy Williams--Merry Christmas (Columbia, 1965): Full of feeling and swing like I'd never imagined Williams attaining until I heard the full album twenty years later at my second radio job (we played album sides on Christmas Eve). The little-known "Some Children See Him," an ode to racial understanding, is most moving, and other tracks are devotional or just plain fun.
4. Lou Rawls--Merry Christmas Ho Ho Ho (Capitol, 1967): It's traditional, it's hip, and possesses grooves and arrangements that few have matched. Something special happens with holiday music once in awhile that surpasses its flimsy core and the example is what's probably a lame Percy Faith song, "Christmas Is"; in Rawls' hands, it's almost funky and nowhere near cloying. "Christmas Will Really Be Christmas," with Rawls' sublime vocal and a powerful arrangement, is what John Lennon and Stevie Wonder were striving for in their biggest yuletide tunes: the removal of fear for millions being terrorized around the globe by oppressive governments.
3. The Vince Guaraldi Trio--A Charlie Brown Christmas (Fantasy, 1965): Reflective, gorgeous, commercial (in that it introduced millions to authentic yet accessible piano jazz). And if you play the album Christmas night, there's a slight touch of sadness, noting musically that another lovely holiday is quickly melting into the past.
2. Elvis Presley--Elvis' Christmas Album (RCA, 1957): Killer blues ("Santa Claus Is Back In Town") and reverence to all those family ties. Presley is often delicate, playful and an absolute master at age 22; the gospel songs add a lot to this timeless set. Perhaps more accurately, those moments of faith are the album's anchor.
1. Various Artists--A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector (Philles, 1963): Not sure when I actually first heard these utterly glowing interpretations--how does the Ronettes' "Sleigh Ride" leave out two notable pieces of the song and still sound better than all other versions?--because it was originally released on the day JFK was assassinated in 1963 and few were in the mood to hear it. Were any of the tracks played on the radio at all that year? I got my copy in 1976 for subscribing to the record collecting magazine Goldmine and was floored by Darlene Love's "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" and practically every radiant track, whether it was the Crystals, Ronettes or Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans--the singing throughout is magical. One of a kind arrangements via Jack Nitzsche, propelled by iconic drummers Hal Blaine and Earl Palmer, integral parts of Phil Spector's Wall of Sound recording method. (Update: Spector died in prison on January 16th, 2021.)
And many more:
The Beach Boys' Christmas Album (Capitol, 1964): Brian Wilson's originals outshine the remakes.
The Beatles--Christmas Album (Apple, 1970): Promotional LP that collects all seven of their fan club holiday messages, 1963-1969.
Charles Brown--Cool Christmas Blues (Bullseye Blues, 1994): Along with Nat "King" Cole, Charles Brown was the biggest influence on early Ray Charles and hadn't lost a step in 50 years of recording.
James Brown--Funky Christmas (Polydor, 1995): Compilation drawn from three (!) Christmas albums from 1966-1970.
Mary Chapin Carpenter--Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas (Zoe, 2008): Almost too subtle at first but the style and substance grows with each listening. There's a re-recording of MCC's 1999 "Bells Are Ringing" and a version of "Children Go Where I Send Thee" that alone is worth the price of admission.
Ray Charles--The Spirit of Christmas (Columbia, 1985): RC at yet another singing peak, and his electric piano playing is beyond great.
Nat "King" Cole--The Christmas Song (Capitol, 1999): NKC holiday collection with more than one version of the brilliant title track. I hope Capitol is still doing this today--listing the parenthetical title as they've done for decades: "Merry Christmas to You" instead of "Chestnuts..." as most Christmas albums do.
Shawn Colvin--Holiday Songs and Lullabies (Columbia, 1998): Includes the finest vocal version of Vince Guaraldi's "Christmas Time Is Here," and "All Through the Night" never sounded so comforting.
Ray Coniff/The Ray Coniff Singers--Christmas with Coniff (Columbia, 1959): Easy listening with imagination, far beyond what others in a similar vein were doing then.
El Vez--Snow Way Jose (Graciasland, 2002): Mixing Christmas, Presley, Bowie, Iggy Pop and everything irreverent.
Esquivel!--Merry Christmas from the Space-Age Bachelor Pad (Bar/None, 1996 compilation): Sometimes faithful to convention, sometimes wild--Juan Garcia Esquivel (1918-2002) takes the subdued side of Christmas to the max with off-center melodic and rhythmic interjections.
Christmas with Etta Jones (Muse, 1990): Lovely stuff from the vocalist in the twilight of her career; she sang with Earl "Fatha" Hines and others.
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings--It's a Holiday Soul Party (Daptone, 2015): There's even a terrific Hanukkah track.
Nick Lowe--Quality Street (A Seasonal Selection for All the Family) (Yep Roc, 2013): A lesson in selecting songs that haven't been done to death (i.e., your average country Christmas album).
Marah--A Christmas Kind of Town (Yep Roc, 2005): Energetic yet not frantic, and loaded with charm.
A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra (Capitol, 1957): Francis Albert at the peak of his vocal powers, although the background singers can be a bit overwrought.
James Taylor--A Christmas Album (Hallmark, 2004): "Some Children See Him" is an eye-watering remake that ought to be covered more often. Later versions (James Taylor at Christmas) of this sweet set add tracks like Joni Mitchell's "River," which remarkably becomes Taylor's own song.
Various Artists--Christmas Time Again (East Side Digital, 1993 and Collectors' Choice, 2006): The mostly glorious power pop record, first issued as Christmas Time in seven track 1985 mini-LP form, deserves a place on your shelf. Make sure you have the 17 or 21 track expanded edition, which features stellar selections by Chris Stamey, the dBs, Wes Lachot, Don Dixon, Whiskeytown and Marshall Crenshaw.
Various Artists--Soul Christmas (Atco, 1968): Includes Otis Redding's incredible, pleading version of "White Christmas," especially affecting because he had died in a plane crash the year before. And gems by Solomon Burke, Carla Thomas, Booker T. & the MGs, Clarence Carter and more.