This is a very good Christmas compilation CD.  I am very familiar with it because I play it often.  This was originally released in 1989 on Capitol Records as Christmas By The Fireside and has been re-released numerous times under different titles.

There are 15 wonderful Christmas songs on here, and all are secular Christmas titles familiar to most people.  None would be considered traditional Christmas carols or hymns.  Two songs will probably be unfamiliar, but all are sung by artists that should be familiar to people who like Christmas music.

The CD cover is atypical, but it is pleasant.  In the foreground is an evergreen conifer and, in the background, a few more, all in a snow-covered field on an overcast winter’s day.  The CD title, 15 Christmas Favorites appears at the top right in white letters.  At the bottom right, in red letters, is a list of some of the artists on here.

The artwork on the back of the CD features a closer image of the same evergreen tree found on the front cover.  Superimposed over the background image is a numerical track listing featuring the performing artist on the right half of the back cover.

It is not necessary to remove the CD cover to gain any new information.  The CD cover is a single sided piece of paper.  In fact, there’s no need to take the cover out at all because the back of the cover is completely blank.  I was disappointed with the lack of any real information.  The only place we get song titles or performing artists is on the back of the CD.  And we don’t get writer credits at all.

Because of redundancy in my Christmas music collection and a little investigation with the sources I use, I was able to put years and orchestras to most of these songs.  Most of the songs are from the 1960s and four are from an earlier time.

The CD begins with Nat King Cole singing The Christmas Song.  This version is from 1960 and was included on Nat’s Christmas album in 1961.  The beautiful arrangement is provided by Ralph Carmichael & his Orchestra.  Mel Torme and Robert Wells wrote this Christmas classic, but Nat King Cole made it his own.

The 2^nd song, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! is sung by Bing Crosby.  This appeared on Bing’s Christmas album from 1962.  It is one of the few times Bing Crosby has recorded this song.  Even though it was on Bing’s 1962 Christmas album, and I have a copy of it, I can’t find the orchestra leader for this.  I know who led the orchestras on the 1962 Christmas album, but I don’t know which songs each arranger led.  Bummer.  (May have to dig deeper, but I’ve exhausted all the avenues I’m aware of).  Nonetheless, Bing does a great job with crisp vocals along with a soft, lush melody.

Jack Parnell & his Orchestra help Lena Horne produce a terrific version of Winter Wonderland from her 1966 Christmas album, Merry From Lena.  The arrangement is jazzy, punctuated with piccolos.  The melody swings and the brass instruments come along near the end to finish the song.

Lou Rawls contributes Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, from his 1967 Christmas album.  H. B. Barnum & his Orchestra provide a jazzy arrangement of light piano, bass and trumpets.  In the middle of the song, a xylophone is heard until the brass comes back in.  In the background you notice a nice lead jazz guitar.  This song is Lou Rawls’ most popular Christmas song, and it is my Top 500 Classic Christmas Recordings.

The 8^th song, I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm, is an instrumental from Les Brown & his Orchestra and it is the oldest song in this collection, recorded in 1948.  It was a # 1 hit for Les Brown on the Pop Charts.  This arrangement swings like Big Band music should.  It is a very popular Christmas song and appears on a lot of Christmas compilation CDs.

The 10^th song, Happy Holidays by Peggy Lee, is a fast-paced arrangement of music, but Peggy Lee’s vocals are at an even pace.  It is an unusual arrangement, and I think this is the only version I know of that combines Latin percussion with a traditional orchestra.  Sid Feller & his Orchestra provide the musical enjoyment.  This was recorded in 1965 for Peggy Lee’s Christmas album that year.

The 11^th song, Our Winter Love by The Lettermen, is not really a Christmas song, but it is a very nice song.  Surprisingly, it was not included on their 1966 Christmas album, but rather it was released as a single, going as high as # 16 on Billboards Adult Contemporary charts in 1967.  The song speaks of someone who found his true love in Winter.  The Lettermen were known for their elaborate harmonies, and they definitely showcase them here with this song.

Nancy Wilson delivers That’s What I Want For Christmas, from 1963.  O. B. Massingill & his Orchestra provide a soft arrangement.  Nancy Wilson’s vocals float over the rhythm in a soft, jazzy manner.

The 13^th song, Love Turns Winter To Spring by The Four Freshmen, is not a Christmas song either.  I find it ironic that two of the biggest vocal harmony groups of the 1960s have songs on here, but neither are Christmas songs.  Both The Lettermen and The Four Freshmen recorded Christmas songs; they’re just not represented on this CHRISTMAS compilation CD.  The Four Freshmen were considered one of the finest collegiate vocals groups there ever was, based on their intricate harmonies.  I can hear the separate voices, but to me it sounds like a couple of them are off key.  I think it was intentional, I just don’t find it very pleasing to the ear.

The 14^th song, Baby, It’s Cold Outside, is a duet between Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer and it’s the other song on here from the 1940s.  It was recorded in 1949.  As with most of Johnny Mercer’s recordings, Paul Weston & his Orchestra provide the light arrangement.  Coming from 1949, the song has a Big Band arrangement, and Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer balance their vocals in an endearing manner.

The CD closes, as all Christmas celebrations should, with Auld Lang Syne, performed by the master himself, Guy Lombardo And His Royal Canadians.  You can imagine that the man who made this song famous would have recorded this song many times, and you’d be right.  This version comes from 1956, and it is the most popular version.  If you’re hosting a New Year’s Eve party and want to play Auld Lang Syne by Guy Lombardo, then this is the version you want.  The “Lombardo” sound was achieved by matching the clarinets and the saxophones, accompanied by trumpets with a cascading piano melody clearly heard.

I did not reference every song on this wonderful Christmas compilation CD, but I can highly recommend it.  Out of the 15 songs presented here, 8 can be found in my Top 500 Classic Christmas Recordings.  This is an almost perfect Christmas CD.

I say that because the two songs that are not Christmas songs could easily have been replaced with Christmas songs by those same artists, as discussed earlier.  And the off-key Four Freshmen song just disrupts an otherwise perfect Christmas CD.  Other than that, if you are just starting a Christmas music collection and don’t want to spend a lot of money, go ahead, seek this out, you won’t be too disappointed.

Even with a couple of faults, this CD should appeal to a wide audience, young and old.  Most songs are traditional Christmas songs performed by familiar artists.  This would easily provide at least 38 minutes of enjoyable, festive Christmas music.

I give this CD :

****