The Sinatra Family Wish You A Merry Christmas, and boy do they!  The Sinatra Family combines Frank Sinatra, his daughters Nancy Jr. and Tina, as well as Frank Jr.  All three children have the same mother, Nancy Barbato Sinatra.

Nancy Sinatra was born in 1940.  Nancy Jr., (as she’s referred to on this CD), started releasing singles in the early 1960s, and had her first huge hit, These Boots Are Made For Walking, in 1966.  She would go to have a prolific recording career.

Tina Sinatra was born in 1948, and her recording career seems to be limited to this album.

Frank Sinatra Jr. was born in 1944.  Frank Jr. (as he’s referred to on this CD) also started his recording career in the mid-1960s.  Frank Jr.’s recording career was more prolific in the 1980s and 1990s, after Nancy’s career had tapered off.  While Nancy Sinatra recorded more contemporary songs, Frank Jr. sang Pop standards.

This CD is a reissue of The Sinatra Family’s Christmas album from 1968 and is produced by Bristol Production Limited Partnership and DCC Compact Classics.

The cover of the CD is the same exact image as used on the original album.  It shows Frank Sr. with Tina, Nancy and Frank Jr., all dressed in white, huddled together against a white background.  The album name runs across the top of the image in fancy script.  The same font from the original album is used on the CD reissue.

The back of the CD resembles the back of the album only slightly.  The artwork on the back of the CD uses the same family portrait that appears on the cover, albeit a much smaller image.  The name of the CD is near the top and is in the same font as on the front cover.  Below the CD title is a numerical track listing with time signatures.  Below each song title is the performing artist, listed for each song.  Orchestra and production credits are listed for the original album.

The CD cover comes out and opens along a single fold-out.  Inside, the CD title runs across the top of both pages.  On the left side is a numerical track listing just as on the back of the CD, minus the time signatures, but it does include performer and writer credits.  The right side of the fold out contains notes on the original producer, orchestra, chorus, etc.  Also included are production notes for this reissue, as well as copyright notices at the bottom.

The back of the CD cover is an exact copy of the back of the original album.  It shows The Sinatra Family, still dressed all in white, but in different positions.  Tina and Nancy are standing in front of a seated Frank Jr. and Frank Sr.  The album title is at the top in the same script featured throughout all the artwork.  The songs are listed next to the standing daughters and production notes are listed below Frank Jr. and Frank Sr.

The artwork for the CD reissue is very good.  We get the front and back of the original album.

There were ten songs on the album and all ten are here, in their original order.  Nelson Riddle & his Orchestra handle all the instrumentation on all songs except Whatever Happened To Christmas where Don Costa & his Orchestra provide the music.  The Jimmy Joyce Singers provide the wonderful chorus throughout the CD.

There are two traditional Christmas carols, four familiar Christmas songs and four songs that appear to be original to this album.

The CD begins with one of those original Christmas songs.  I Wouldn’t Trade Christmas is sung by the entire Sinatra Family.  The arrangement has a Ray Conniff feel to it, but Nelson Riddle was known for sweet, lush arrangements just as well.  It is a fun Christmas song describing all the great and not so great Christmas traditions that make Christmas something to look forward to every year.  The Jimmy Joyce Singers provide layered choral harmonies.

The 2nd song, It’s Such A Lonely Time Of Year features Nancy Sinatra.  It is no surprise that she enjoyed a successful career, she has a good singing voice.  This is a sentimental song about a woman who is left to take care of her children by herself.  It is obvious that she is heartbroken.  Clues in the lyrics indicate that her husband divorced her.  It’s not much of a Christmas song.  It mentions Santa Claus once and talks of trimming the tree, but it is more of a heartbreak song that could be played any time of the year.  Nelson Riddle provides a somber arrangement that suits the lyrics well.

Frank Sinatra Jr. does a fine, fine job with the 3^rd song, Some Children See Him.  It is one of my favorite Christmas songs.  The instrumentation is light, mainly an acoustic guitar.  Frank Jr.’s vocals are soft and endearing, but it is the Jimmy Joyce Singers providing lush choral voices that really make this version special.  Overall, the song speaks of how different children see Jesus in different ways.  More specifically, they see Jesus as they see themselves.  Andy Williams sings my favorite version of this somber Christmas classic.

Tina and Nancy share a duet with the 4^th song, O Bambino (One Cold And Blessed Winter).  It is a familiar Christmas carol to me but it may not be to a lot of people.  It is partially sung in Italian.  The arrangement is light, featuring strings and light brass instruments.  The girls do a great job with the lyrics, and once again, the Jimmy Joyce Singers are there to provide soft harmonies.

The 5^th song, The Bells Of Christmas (Greensleeves) is a Family affair.  The song is really Greensleeves, or also known as What Child Is This?  This version has new lyrics adapted by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen.  This is one of my favorite Christmas songs of all time.  It is in my Top 500 Classic Christmas Recordings.  Frank Sinatra begins the song, then Nancy sings the second verse.  The Sinatra Family are all present for the refrains.  Nelson Riddle does a superb job with the orchestral arrangements.  The song speaks of the glorious sound of bells heard coming from the church steeple and in so, declaring Christmas as the season of love.

The 6^th song, Whatever Happened To Christmas, is an original Christmas song written by Jimmy Webb.  Frank Sinatra sings this sad, somber Christmas song by himself.  Frank reflects on whatever happened to the Christmases he once knew.  As he ponders all the things that seem to be missing in today’s Christmas celebrations, at the end of the song it is revealed that these things are missing because he and the woman he shared them with have drifted apart.  This is the only song on the album that features Don Costa & his Orchestra.

For the 7^th song, Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town, Tina Sinatra has the vocals all to herself.  Except for the Jimmy Joyce Singers who provide joyous harmonies.  Tina was 20 at the time this was recorded, and she provides an adolescent feel to the vocals.  It features an upbeat, mid-1960s Pop arrangement.

The 8^th song, Kids, is an unfamiliar Christmas song.  I have three versions by other artists, but it is still an unfamiliar song.  Nancy Jr. sings of how Christmas is for Kids, from 1 to 93.  She sings of how the wonder of Christmas makes everyone feel like a kid again.  It has a slow tempo and Nelson Riddle provides a soft, somber arrangement.

Frank Sinatra solos once again on the 9^th song, The Christmas Waltz.  It is a lush arrangement with the Jimmy Joyce Singers providing wonderful harmonies.  This is a popular Christmas song by Frank Sinatra.  He has recorded this many times.  This may be his best one yet.

The last song, The 12 Days Of Christmas, is performed by The Sinatra Family.  It is a fun song.  Each verse is sung by one of the children, rotating until the fourth day when they sing the rest of the days together.  The lyrics we are all familiar with have been changed to reflect the different gifts they gave their dad, and the numbers of each gift received.  Frank Sr. comes in for the last verse to sing of all the twelve different gifts he got.  Everyone seems to be having a good time on this.  It may not become a classic Christmas song, but it has a great twist to the original lyrics and must be heard to be appreciated.

Frank Sinatra was at the top of his game in 1968, and this is his last Christmas album he recorded.  A lot of the songs on here, at least the original songs, are a little sad in nature, and sung in a dour mood.  That is not to say that they are not good Christmas songs.  They all deliver the message of a Merry Christmas, and it makes for a more personal Sinatra Christmas album.

Frank Sinatra teamed up again with Nelson Riddle for this album.  He started working with Nelson Riddle in 1954 when he signed with Capitol Records, but when Frank started his own label, Reprise Records in 1961, he started working with other arrangers.  The combination of Frank Sinatra and Nelson Riddle has always produced Frank’s best albums.  The orchestra is in great form and provides lush strings and light brass for all the songs.

This is not a Christmas CD with 10 songs that will delight everyone.  Very few of the selections are familiar to a lot of people.  There are some good Christmas songs, but there are also a few that might take the joy out of the moment.  This is best mixed in with a large playlist, and if the mood isn’t fit for it, you can skip the one or two really sad songs.  But do not skip The Twelve Days Of Christmas.

If you like Frank Sinatra singing Christmas songs and don’t have this in your collection, you should consider adding it.  I Wouldn’t Trade Christmas, The Bells Of Christmas (Greensleeves) and The 12 Days Of Christmas are all worth the price of admission.

I give this CD :

****