Patti Page was born Clara Ann Fowler in Claremore, Oklahoma in 1927.  Her family was poor and quite large; Mom, Dad and 11 children.  Patti Page didn’t spend her younger years as a girl singer in Big Bands like so many of her contemporaries did.  Instead, she started singing on the radio at local stations around her hometown.  She was heard by Jack Rael, the manager of a touring Big Band.  He was impressed with her talent and asked her to join the band.  This was in 1946.

After a year with the Jimmy Joy Band, Patti Page found her way to Chicago.  It was here that Patti Page received her first recording contract with Mercury Records.  It was at Mercury Records that she began working with Mitch Miller.  It was also the same time that a musician’s strike was going on and no backup singers were available.  An engineer at Mercury Records developed a way to over-dub Patti Page singing her own backup harmonies.  They layered Patti’s voice over four times, and she became the Patti Page Quartet.  She would use this recording technique throughout her career.

It was at Mercury Records that she enjoyed most of her success.  Her signature song, Tennessee Waltz, recorded in 1950, was, and still is, one of the biggest selling records of all time.  Other hits Patti Page enjoyed at Mercury Records were (How Much Is That) Doggie In The Window (1953), Cross Over The Bridge (1954), Allegheny Moon (1956) and Old Cape Cod (1957).  She had many, many hits throughout the 1950s and was the best-selling female artist of the decade.

In the early 1960s, her career was starting to fade, and she signed a recording contract with Columbia Records.  During this time, she continued to record albums and had some small successes.  By 1970, she left Columbia Records and rejoined Mercury Records and started to focus on Country influenced recordings and had many more hits on Billboard’s Country charts.

This CD is a reissue of Patti Page’s third Christmas album.  The first was released in 1951 and was titled Christmas With Patti Page.  It was a 10” LP and contained 8 songs.  In 1957, Patti Page expanded on it by adding 4 new songs and released it as Christmas With Patti Page.  The Christmas album I’m reviewing right here, also titled Christmas With Patti Page, was released when she was at Columbia Records, in 1965.  Patti Page would release yet another Christmas CD in 2002.

With all her early Christmas output being titled Christmas With Patti Page, the only way to tell them apart is to look at the cover and song selection.  This reissue has all the songs from the original album, and all are in their original order.  11 songs are included and all except for Little Drummer Boy and Happy Birthday, Jesus (A Child’s Prayer) are secular Christmas songs, most from the 20^th century, and all except two will be familiar Christmas songs.

This CD reissue of Patti Page’s Christmas album from 1965 replicates the original album cover exactly.  The cover shows Patti Page surrounded by the children featured in the children’s choir that sing on this album.  It is a small picture centered on the front cover and surrounded by light green evergreen branches.  The album title takes up a large space above the picture.  The songs featured on the album appear at either side of the album title.

The back of the CD does not replicate the back of the album in any way.  On the CD, the back artwork has the CD title, again at the top, but this time it sits off to the left.  Below is a numerical track listing.  All is presented on the same green background as on the cover, but there are no additional decorations or artwork.

The front cover comes out and opens along a single fold-out.  It is here that the back of the original album is reproduced.  They did a good job of duplicating the back of the album very well.  But the information is spread over two pages whereas on the back of the album, which is a 12” by 12” square, the content was laid out slightly different.  The large print album title is missing, but the festive holly leaves surrounding the border are here.  The numerical track listing is reproduced accurately, but on the CD, it uses two columns whereas on the album, it was in one.  Also, on the album, next to the song titles, were the arrangers’ credits, and on the CD, those are omitted and in their place are song writer credits.  The personal note from Bob Johnston, the producer, is also here, albeit in two columns as opposed to the original, which was in one.  Some of the small details from the LP have been omitted but they are original release notes, so I guess that’s okay. 

The back of the CD cover is plain green, the same green found throughout the CD artwork.  There is only a small release number of A 14080 at the very top left.

The CD begins with a wonderful, light version of Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer.  The arrangement is accented with sleigh bells and the children’s chorus.  Bob Johnston uses a small orchestra absent of strings or brass.

The 2^nd song, Silver Bells, features an introductory verse that I am not familiar with.  It was probably written just for this introduction.  Vic Schoen & his Orchestra employ a string orchestra to provide the melody.  The arrangement is lush and features festive instruments such as bells and cascading strings to keep the song festive.  Patti Page’s vocals glide over the rhythm effortlessly.

The 3^rd song is Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town.  Once again, Bob Johnston & his Orchestra relies on bells, chimes and wood blocks to keep the mood festive.  All the songs feature a children’s chorus, and it gives the whole album a child-like feeling.  The chorus is not there just to add background harmonies; they also get involved with adlibs and Christmas greetings only as children can.

Jingle Bells, the 4^th song, also features a light arrangement of sleigh bells, chimes  and wood blocks.  While the music softly fades in, Patti Page’s vocals are bright and festive.  The children’s chorus joins in for the choruses.

The 5^th song features a unique structure.  ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas features Vic Schoen & his Orchestra providing an orchestra of cascading strings, while bass guitar and marimba provide festive accompaniment.  While providing the melody, the instruments are also employed to imitate the sounds and actions of the words themselves.  Patti Page delivers the song in spoken word as opposed to singing the lyrics.  This method is employed by other artists as well with this song and always to great effect.  Because the lyrics are spoken instead of sung, Patti Page’s Texas dialect is more noticeable.

The 6^th song, Little Drummer Boy, is of course more somber than the previous songs.  The arrangement is traditional in the sense that it uses the snare drum and “rump-pa-pom-poms” as found on many versions.  As the song progresses, the instruments become more involved.  Patti’s vocals are somber, and the children’s chorus is here to give the song an added softness.

The 7^th song is a rare and unusual Christmas song.  Happy Birthday, Jesus (A Child’s Prayer) is a Christmas song written in 1958 by George Donald McGraw.  There are a few recordings of this floating around.  I have three; the original recording by Little Cindy in 1958, one from Burl Ives recorded in 1968 for his Christmas album and this one from Patti Page, from 1965.  There are a few other versions out there but most of them are recent recordings and directed at the children’s market.  Even though it is a children’s song, it makes for a wonderful Christmas song.

Happy Birthday, Jesus (A Child’s Prayer) is most often a spoken word song.  It uses the melody of Silent Night, and the prayer is as if it is being prayed by a child.  The version presented here opens with light orchestration for the opening introduction and then ceases as Patti starts her recital.  For quite some time, it is just Patti Page speaking and the children’s choir oohing along.  Slowly, and with little recognition, a chime is heard, then a flute, and then the light string orchestra begins.  As the song progresses, the children’s choir grows louder, the orchestra grows larger and for the end of the ‘song’, chimes fade the song away.  This song needs to be heard to be appreciated.  I have it in my Top 500 Classic Christmas Recordings because it’s an unusual Christmas song and it tells of the true meaning of Christmas.

The 8^th song, Pretty Snow Flakes, is another terrific original Christmas song.  Belford C. Hendricks & his Orchestra are in command of this light waltz arrangement.  Electric and acoustic guitars accompanied by a piano and celeste start the song.  After the first verse, the children’s choir begins and stays throughout the song giving it a very childlike feeling.  The song speaks of how beautiful it is the day after a snowfall, and the day just happens to be Christmas Day.  As the song progresses, the piano continues the melody while Patti Page’s vocals glide softly through the lyrics.  This is another Christmas song that needs to be heard to be appreciated.

The 9^th song, Christmas Bells, is also arranged and conducted by Belford C. Hendricks.  The arrangement uses the same instruments as in the last song, so it has the same light appeal.  The melody is light, and the celeste and bells are here to keep it festive.  But what really makes this song special is the children’s choir.  Their harmonies echo Patti Page’s vocals.  It presents itself more of a children’s song, but I still look at it as a terrific Christmas song.

Santo Natale is the 10^th song.  It’s not a popular Christmas song, but it should be familiar.  The song stays true to the original arrangement and the melody is produced with a full string orchestra.  Our children’s chorus stays with Patti Page all through the song.

The last song on the album is the fitting We Wish You A Merry Christmas.  It is used often as the last song on older Christmas albums.  Bob Johnston & his Orchestra provide the instrumentation.  There is no heavy string orchestra, but rather a light orchestra that features bells to great effect.  I should save the ending for you to find out on your own, but I will go ahead and tell you that the children end the song with their personal wishes to Patty, and then to the listener.  Classic.

It is only fair to say that this Christmas CD comes across as a children’s record due to the large presence of the children’s choir.  Don’t get me wrong, they are terrific and really make this a festive Christmas record.  It’s just not what you saw much of back in 1965.  Yes, there were children’s choruses, Hugo & Luigi, Norman Luboff and even Guy Lombardo were known to use them.  But they used them more formally.  Here they are used to convey a certain Christmas idea that Christmas will always be for children, no matter if they’re 8 or 88.

If you can’t tell by now, I like this CD reissue of Patti Page’s 1965 Christmas album very much.  For one, it’s Patti Page, who is a terrific singer.  Also, it’s from 1965.  And lastly, the children’s choir makes this a unique and special Christmas album.

Of the 11 songs on here, 4 are original, unique and unfamiliar Christmas songs.  To me, that too is a plus.

With that said, I don’t think this would have mass appeal to a large crowd in today’s market.  I think most listeners will tolerate a song or two occasionally, but to play the whole thing through, I think would bore most listeners.  Mainly because of the children’s choir.  They will think you put on a children’s record.

So, you have your Bing Crosby, Johnny Mathis, Perry Como and Rosemary Clooney.  Those are the ones that people will make requests for, but this is nice to mix in with the others in small doses.

Most songs have light arrangements that rely on bells and chimes to keep it festive.  This is not a CD that is full of lush string orchestras and brass trumpets.  Those instruments are featured more on the Vic Schoen arranged tunes, but even then, the music never overwhelms Patti Page or the children’s choir.  I’ll say it again, I like this Christmas CD for all the right reasons.

I give this CD :

****