I’m a big fan of Rhino Records so when I saw this Home For Christmas CD set, I had to have it. Rhino usually takes a historical approach to their compilation CDs and Home For Christmas follows this methodology. Just about all the Christmas songs I grew up listening to as a kid are here. It’s a trip down Memory Lane. How many of these Christmas Classics do you remember? GRADE: A
I own many of Bette Midler’s albums but I only got around to listening to her Cool Yule Christmas CD last week. Bette Midler alternates jazzy renditions of Christmas songs with conventional interpretations. While I liked “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” I was less pleased by the Hawaiian “Mele Kalikimaka” which I’ve always regarded as a “gimmick” song. And adding Christmas lyrics to “From a Distance” does not make it a better song…or a true Christmas song. So, Cool Yule is a mixed bag: some good songs, some duds. GRADE: B-
TRACK LIST:
- “Merry Christmas” (Fred Spielman, Janice Torre) – 3:13
- “Cool Yule” (Steve Allen, Eric Kornfeld) – 2:28
- “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin) – 3:55
- “Winter Wonderland/Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” (duet with Johnny Mathis) (Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith/Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne) – 2:46
- “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (Kim Gannon, Walter Kent) – 3:21
- “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” (Frank Loesser) – 3:58
- “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” (Irving Berlin) – 3:25
- “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow/Johnny Marks) – 2:47 [bonus track on CDs released at Target]
- “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Veni, Veni Emmanuel)” (Traditional) – 3:12
- “Mele Kalikimaka” (Robert Alexander Anderson) – 2:34
- “From a Distance” (Christmas version) (Julie Gold/Special holiday lyrics by Jay Landers) – 5:11
- “White Christmas” (Irving Berlin) – 3:20
Tracklist:
1-1 | Leroy Anderson– | Sleigh RideMusic By – Leroy AndersonMusic By – Leroy Anderson |
1-2 | Burl Ives– | A Holly Jolly ChristmasMusic By, Lyrics By – Johnny MarksMusic By, Lyrics By – Johnny Marks |
1-3 | Bobby Helms– | Jingle Bell RockMusic By, Lyrics By – Jim Boothe, Joe BealMusic By, Lyrics By – Jim Boothe, Joe Beal |
1-4 | Judy Garland– | Have Yourself A Merry Little ChristmasMusic By, Lyrics By – Hugh Martin, Ralph BlaneMusic By, Lyrics By – Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane |
1-5 | Johnny Mathis– | Carol Of The BellsAdapted By – Johnny MathisMusic By, Lyrics By – Leontovich*, Wilhousky*Adapted By – Johnny MathisMusic By, Lyrics By – Leontovich*, Wilhousky* |
1-6 | Fred Waring & The Pennsylvanians– | The Twelve Days Of ChristmasWritten-By – TraditionalWritten-By – Traditional |
1-7 | Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters– | Jingle BellsMusic By, Lyrics By – James S. Pierpont*Music By, Lyrics By – James S. Pierpont* |
1-8 | Mabel Scott– | Boogie Woogie Santa ClausMusic By, Lyrics By – Leon ReneMusic By, Lyrics By – Leon Rene |
1-9 | Gene Autry– | Here Comes Santa Claus (Down Santa Claus Lane)Music By, Lyrics By – Gene Autry, Oakley HaldemanMusic By, Lyrics By – Gene Autry, Oakley Haldeman |
1-10 | Brenda Lee– | Rockin’ Around The Christmas TreeMusic By, Lyrics By – Johnny MarksMusic By, Lyrics By – Johnny Marks |
1-11 | Connie Francis– | I’ll Be Home For ChristmasMusic By, Lyrics By – Buck Ram, Kim Gannon, Walter KentMusic By, Lyrics By – Buck Ram, Kim Gannon, Walter Kent |
1-12 | John Fahey– | Joy To The WorldMusic By, Lyrics By – George F. Handel*Music By, Lyrics By – George F. Handel* |
1-13 | Roger Whittaker– | Away In A MangerLyrics By – James Ramsey Murray*Music By – Unknown ArtistLyrics By – James Ramsey Murray*Music By – Unknown Artist |
1-14 | The Orioles– | Oh Holy NightMusic By, Lyrics By – Adolphe Adam*Music By, Lyrics By – Adolphe Adam* |
1-15 | Eartha Kitt– | Santa BabyMusic By, Lyrics By – Joan Javits, Phil Springer*, Tony SpringerMusic By, Lyrics By – Joan Javits, Phil Springer*, Tony Springer |
1-16 | Johnny Mercer– | Winter WonderlandMusic By, Lyrics By – Dick Smith (3), Felix BernardMusic By, Lyrics By – Dick Smith (3), Felix Bernard |
1-17 | Charles Brown– | Merry Christmas BabyMusic By, Lyrics By – Johnny Moore (2), Lou BaxterMusic By, Lyrics By – Johnny Moore (2), Lou Baxter |
1-18 | Paul Anka– | Oh Little Town Of BethlehemArranged By – S. Feller*Written-By – TraditionalArranged By – S. Feller*Written-By – Traditional |
1-19 | The Inner Voices*– | We Wish You A Merry Christmas/Caroling CarolingArranged By – Morgan AmesMusic By [Caroling], Lyrics By [Caroling] – Alfred Burt*, Willa Hutson*Written-By [We Wish You] – TraditionalArranged By – Morgan AmesMusic By [Caroling], Lyrics By [Caroling] – Alfred Burt*, Willa Hutson*Written-By [We Wish You] – Traditional |
1-20 | Mel Torme*– | The Christmas SongMusic By, Lyrics By – Mel Torme*Music By, Lyrics By – Mel Torme* |
2-1 | Bing Crosby– | White ChristmasMusic By, Lyrics By – Irving BerlinMusic By, Lyrics By – Irving Berlin |
2-2 | Harry Simeone Chorale*– | The Little Drummer BoyMusic By, Lyrics By – Harry Simeone, Henry Onorati, Katherine Davis*Music By, Lyrics By – Harry Simeone, Henry Onorati, Katherine Davis* |
2-3 | Vaughn Monroe– | Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!Music By, Lyrics By – Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne*Music By, Lyrics By – Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne* |
2-4 | The Beach Boys– | Little Saint NickMusic By, Lyrics By – Brian WilsonMusic By, Lyrics By – Brian Wilson |
2-5 | Jimmy Boyd– | I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa ClausMusic By, Lyrics By – Tommie ConnorMusic By, Lyrics By – Tommie Connor |
2-6 | Buck Owens And His Buckaroos– | Santa Looked A Lot Like DaddyMusic By, Lyrics By – Buck OwensMusic By, Lyrics By – Buck Owens |
2-7 | Mario Lanza– | Ave MariaWritten-By – TraditionalWritten-By – Traditional |
2-8 | Brook Benton– | This Time Of YearMusic By, Lyrics By – Brook Benton, Clyde OtisMusic By, Lyrics By – Brook Benton, Clyde Otis |
2-9 | The Jackson 5– | Santa Claus Is Comin’ To TownMusic By, Lyrics By – Haven Gillespie, J. Fred CootsMusic By, Lyrics By – Haven Gillespie, J. Fred Coots |
2-10 | Spike Jones & His City Slickers*– | All I Want For Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)Music By, Lyrics By – Don Gardner*Music By, Lyrics By – Don Gardner* |
2-11 | Jackie Wilson– | Deck The HallsArranged By – Michaels*, Tarnopol*Written-By – TraditionalArranged By – Michaels*, Tarnopol*Written-By – Traditional |
2-12 | Mahalia Jackson– | Silent NightMusic By, Lyrics By – Franz Gruber, Joseph MohrMusic By, Lyrics By – Franz Gruber, Joseph Mohr |
2-13 | Jimmie Rodgers (2)– | Little Shepherd Of Kingdom ComeWritten-By – TraditionalWritten-By – Traditional |
2-14 | Bing Crosby– | Adeste FidelesWritten-By – TraditionalWritten-By – Traditional |
2-15 | Gene Autry– | Rudolph The Red Nosed ReindeerMusic By, Lyrics By – Johnny MarksMusic By, Lyrics By – Johnny Marks |
2-16 | Bobby Darin– | Go Tell It On The MountainWritten-By – TraditionalWritten-By – Traditional |
2-17 | Harry Belafonte– | Mary’s Boy ChildMusic By, Lyrics By – Jester HairstonMusic By, Lyrics By – Jester Hairston |
2-18 | Frankie Lymon– | It’s Christmas Once AgainMusic By, Lyrics By – E. Blackman*, E. Blackman*, L. Blackman*Music By, Lyrics By – E. Blackman*, E. Blackman*, L. Blackman* |
2-19 | Perry Como– | There’s No Place Like Home For The HolidaysMusic By, Lyrics By – Al Stillman, Robert Allen (3)Music By, Lyrics By – Al Stillman, Robert Allen (3) |
2-20 | Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians*– | Auld Lang SyneWritten-By – TraditionalWritten-By – Traditional |