Released in November 1957, Elvis' Christmas Album is a very popular holiday album that continues to sell well. It was actually Elvis Presley's fourth long-playing (LP) album, peaking in the top spot on the Billboard Album Chart for four weeks in late 1957. The album was reissued in 1958 (with a different sleeve), and reached the album charts each year until 1962, eventually selling over three million units worldwide.^[1] Image File history File links Elvis'christmasalbum. ... A Studio Album is an album of regular studio recordings. ... Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), often known simply as Elvis and also called The King of Rock n Roll or simply The King, was an American singer, musician and actor. ... A music genre is a category (or genre) of pieces of music that share a certain style or basic musical language (van der Merwe 1989, p. ... Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday that marks the traditional birthdate of Jesus of Nazareth. ... In music a singer or vocalist is a type of musician who sings, i. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Sony BMG Music Entertainment is the result of a 50/50 joint venture between Sony Music Entertainment (part of Sony) and BMG Entertainment (part of Bertelsmann AG) completed in August 2004. ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music, owned by All Media Guide. ... Image File history File links 4. ... Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), often known simply as Elvis and also called The King of Rock n Roll or simply The King, was an American singer, musician and actor. ... Manufacturers put records inside protective and decorative cardboard jackets and an inner paper sleeve to protect the grooves from dust and scratches. ... Billboard can refer to: Billboard magazine Billboard (advertising) Billboard antenna In 3D computer graphics, to billboard is to rotate an object so that it faces the viewer. ...

Album Content

The original 1957 LP featured twelve tracks - six songs per side - divided into a program of secular Christmas songs on Side A, ( featuring four songs made popular by other artists, plus two new numbers), and traditional Christmas carols and gospel numbers on Side B, including Frankie Laine's pop-spiritual hit, I Believe. Elvis had previously released the album's last four numbers of Side B on his Peace in the Valley EP, issued in April 1957 to public acclaim (highest position #39 on the Billboard Top 100 singles chart; #3 on the Extended Play (EP) chart).^[2] Christmas Songs is a 2005 (see 2005 in music) album by Diana Krall performed with the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. ... This page is about carols in general; for the short story by Charles Dickens, see A Christmas Carol. ... For other uses, see Gospel (disambiguation). ... Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio on March 30, 1913, is one of the most successful American singers of the twentieth century. ... For popular music (music produced commercially rather than art or folk music), see Popular music. ... Look up spiritual in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... I Believe refers to several songs and plays, including: I Believe is the name of a song written by Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl and Al Stillman in 1953, and recorded by Frankie Laine, David Whitfield, The Bachelors, and Robson and Jerome. ... EP can stand for: EP is the IATA code for Iran Aseman Airlines Extended play, a music recording (usually consisting of several tracks, but shorter than a typical album) European Parliament, the parliamentary body of the European Union Evolutionary psychology, a belief that psychology can be better understood in light... Extended play (EP) is the name typically given to vinyl records or CDs which contain more than one single, but are too short to qualify as albums. ...

While some of the songs selected were traditional Christmas fare, such as O Little Town of Bethlehem and Silent Night, Elvis selected a new blues-based rock and roll number with which to open the album. The song, Santa Claus Is Back In Town, was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, two writers responsible for some of rock and roll's most finely-honed satire (Willie Mae Thornton's "Hound Dog", The Robins' "Smokey Joe´s Cafe"), as well as having already supplied Elvis with two of his biggest hits ("Hound Dog" and Jailhouse Rock). Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday that marks the traditional birthdate of Jesus of Nazareth. ... Philip Brooks, an episcopal priest, was inspired in 1865 when he was visiting the town of Bethlehem. ... Autograph of the carol by Gruber Silent Night is a traditional and popular Christmas carol. ... Blues music redirects here. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Jerry Leiber (born April 25, 1933) and Mike Stoller (born March 13, 1933) are among the most important songwriters and music producers in post-World War II popular music. ... Jerry Leiber (born April 25, 1933) and Mike Stoller (born March 13, 1933) are among the most important songwriters and music producers in post-World War II popular music. ... Big Mama Thornton album cover Willie Mae (Big Mama) Thornton (December 11, 1926 – July 25, 1984) was an American blues singer. ... The term Hound Dog may refer to: The song Hound Dog, which was first recorded by Big Mama Thornton in 1953 as a blues song. ... The Coasters were an American doo wop and early rock and roll group, evolving from The Robins, a Los Angeles based doo wop group. ... Jailhouse rock or JHR is a name which is used to describe a collection of different fighting styles which were practiced and/or developed in US penal institutions. ...

Elvis had asked the pair to come up with another Christmas song during sessions for the album and, within a few minutes, they had the song written and ready for recording. Originally titled "Christmas Blues", this slyly risqué number is given a full-throated treatment by Elvis who, aided by the gritty ensemble playing from his band,^[3] was determined to ensure that this Christmas album would not be easily ignored.

Much of the remaining program was performed in a more traditional manner appropriate to the solemnity of Christmas ("I'll Be Home For Christmas", "Silent Night", "O Little Town of Bethlehem"), although Elvis' innate sense of occasion shone through on his left-of-centre reading of Ernest Tubb's 1949 hit, Blue Christmas. Ernest Dale Tubb (February 9, 1914 - September 6, 1984), nicknamed the Texas Troubadour, was an American singer and songwriter and one of the pioneers of country music. ... Blue Christmas is a Christmas song written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson. ...

Controversy

The Bing Crosby hit White Christmas, which appeared every year on the Billboard charts from 1942 to 1962,^[4] became the centre of controversy upon the album's release, with calls by the song's composer Irving Berlin to have the song, and the entire album, banned from radio airplay.^[5] After hearing Presley's version of his song, which Berlin saw as a "profane parody of his cherished yuletide standard" ^[6] he ordered his staff in New York to telephone radio stations across the US, demanding the song be discontinued from radio play. While most US radio stations ignored Berlin's request, at least one disc jockey was fired for playing a song from the album, and most Canadian stations refused to play the album.^[7] Harry Lillis Bing Crosby (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor whose career lasted from 1926 until his death in 1977. ... White Christmas is an Irving Berlin song whose lyrics reminisce about White Christmases. ... Irving Berlin (May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989), born Israel Isidore Baline[1], in Tyumen, Russia (according to other sources[citation needed] possibly Mogilev, now Belarus), was an American composer and lyricist, one of the most prodigious and famous American songwriters in history. ... Yule is the winter solstice Blót (celebration) in Asatru, the pagan practices of the Germanic peoples prior to the arrival of Christianity. ... United States may refer to: Places: United States of America SS United States, the fastest ocean liner ever built. ...

The controversy was, ironically, fuelled by Elvis's performance of the song in a style mirroring the version by Clyde McPhatter's group ofDrifters, which had been a Top 10 rhythm and blues hit in 1954-1955. Unlike Elvis's recording, however, their version attracted virtually no adverse reaction, and certainly no reported opposition from Irving Berlin. Part of the reason that the Drifters' version of White Christmas was less contraversal was because that version was played only on black radio stations. Most mainstream stations did not take interest in the Drifters' version back then and would not until the 1980's. Clyde McPhatter (November 15, 1932 _ June 13, 1972) was an influential American R&B singer, born in Durham, North Carolina. ... This article is about the American band. ... Rhythm and blues (aka R&B or RnB) is a popular music genre combining jazz, gospel, and blues influences — first performed by African American artists. ...

45 rpm releases

The other new composition on the album, "Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me)" was paired with "Santa Claus Is Back In Town", and issued as a UK single concurrently with the album's release. The single reached number seven on the UK Singles Chart in November 1957. The UK Singles Chart is currently compiled by The Official UK Charts Company (OCC) on behalf of the British record industry. ...

No US singles were issued from the album until 1964, when Blue Christmas was paired with Wooden Heart ( failing to reach the Hot 100), while "Blue Christmas"/"White Christmas" became a Top 20 UK hit in late 1964. "Santa Claus Is Back In Town"/"Blue Christmas" was a 1965 single release for the US market, but failed to reach the Billboard Hot 100. United States may refer to: Places: United States of America SS United States, the fastest ocean liner ever built. ... Blue Christmas is a Christmas song written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson. ... Wooden Heart (Muss I Denn) is a song best known for featuring in the 1961 Elvis Presley film G.I. Blues. ... The Billboard Hot 100 is the main singles chart used by Billboard magazine. ... The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. ...

An EP, "Elvis Sings Christmas Songs", was released in December 1957, reaching #1 on Billboard's EP charts. Track listing: "Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me)", "Blue Christmas", "Santa Claus Is Back In Town" and "I'll Be Home For Christmas". ^[8]

Re-releases

The original Elvis Christmas Album was out of print by the late 1960s. Still, there was interest in the album. As a result, RCA decided to re-release the album in an altered version in 1969. The album would have a new cover and was released on its budget label Camden (where they also re-released Perry Como's Christmas Album). This record had a blue RCA label as opposed to the then-orange RCA Victor label. This release eliminated the four non-Christmas gospel tracks, and added the 1966 recording If Every Day Was Like Christmas. To round off the number of tracks to ten, Mama Liked The Roses, issued a year later as the B-side to The Wonder Of You, was added. The religious and secular Christmas songs were also mixed together. RCA eventually eliminated its Camden label. In 1971, Elvis released another Christmas album called "Elvis Sings The Wonderful World Of Christmas" with songs like Silver Bells, Oh Come All Ye Faithful, Winter Wonderland, and others. The Wonder of You, sung by Elvis Presley, words and music by Baker Knight, was released as a single on April 20, 1970. ... The 2 words combined together Silver Bells refers to: A song by V6, see Silver Bells (J-Pop Song) OR A Christmas Carol, see Silver Bells (Christmas song) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Adeste Fideles or O Come All Ye Faithful is a Christmas carol commonly attributed to John Francis Wade in approximately 1743. ... Winter Wonderland is a pop standard written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith. ...

In the late 1970s, RCA stopped issuing the revamped original Christmas album, but assigned the rights to a budget label called Pickwick. This album continued to be in print until the late 1980s. At that point, RCA released the 1969 version on CD. This version has been in print on CD ever since. Pickwick may refer to: the novel The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens, or its main character, Mr Pickwick, Pickwick, a theatre musical based on the Dickens novel, Pickwick, a fictional dodo in Jasper Ffordes novels about Thursday Next, likely named after the Dickens character, or Pickwickian syndrome, a medical...

Original LP track listing

1. "Santa Claus Is Back In Town" (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) – 2:26
2. "White Christmas" (Irving Berlin) – 2:25
3. "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)" (Gene Autrey, Oakley Haldeman) – 1:56
4. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (Buck Ram, Kim Gannon, Walter Kent) – 1:55
5. "Blue Christmas" (Bill Hayes, Jay Johnson) – 2:09
6. "Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me)" (Aaron Schroeder, Claude Demetrius) – 1:54
7. "O Little Town of Bethlehem" (Phillip Brooks, Lewis H. Redner) – 2:37
8. "Silent Night" (Joseph Mohr, Franz Gruber) – 2:25
9. "(There'll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me)" (Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey) – 3:22
10. "I Believe" (Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl, Al Stillman) – 2:05
11. "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" (Thomas A. Dorsey) – 3:21
12. "It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)" (Stuart Hamblen) – 3:52

Buck Ram (November 21, 1907 - January 1, 1991) was an American songwriter and businessman. ... Aaron Schroeder is a folk singer influenced by traditional American music (Gloria Estefan, Celine Dion, Hank Williams) and traditional rock (Creed, Marilyn Manson, Default). ... Claude Demetrius (born August 3, 1916 - May 1, 1988) was an African American songwriter. ... Josef Mohr was the Austrian priest who wrote the words to the Christmas carol, Silent Night. ... Mohr and Gruber on an Austrian stamp (1987) Franz Xaver Gruber (1787–June 7, 1863), was an Austrian primary school teacher and organist in the village of Oberndorf and then in Hallein, Salzburg. ... Thomas Andrew Dorsey (July 1, 1899 - January 23, 1993) is known as the Father of Gospel Music, and is best known today for his composition Take My Hand, Precious Lord. As formulated by Dorsey, gospel music combines Christian praise with the rhythms of jazz and the blues. ... Ervin Drake (born April 3, 1919 in New York City) is an American songwriter. ... Al Stillman (born June 26, 1906) was an American lyricist. ... Carl Stuart Hamblen (1908-1989), often called Stuart Hamblen, became radios firt singing cowboy in 1926. ...

Recording data

Tracks 1-8 recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, from September 5 to September 7 1957.

Tracks 9 and 11 recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, on January 13, 1957.

Track 10 recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, on January 12, 1957.

Track 12 recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, on January 19, 1957.

The 1969 Elvis Christmas Album Track Listing

Side One

1. "Blue Christmas" (Bill Hayes, Jay Johnson) – 2:09
2. "Silent Night" (Joseph Mohr, Franz Gruber) – 2:25
3. "White Christmas" (Irving Berlin) – 2:25
4. "Santa Claus Is Back In Town" (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) – 2:26
5. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (Buck Ram, Kim Gannon, Walter Kent) – 1:55

Side Two Josef Mohr was the Austrian priest who wrote the words to the Christmas carol, Silent Night. ... Mohr and Gruber on an Austrian stamp (1987) Franz Xaver Gruber (1787–June 7, 1863), was an Austrian primary school teacher and organist in the village of Oberndorf and then in Hallein, Salzburg. ... Buck Ram (November 21, 1907 - January 1, 1991) was an American songwriter and businessman. ...

1. "If Every Day Was Just Like Christmas" - 2:55
2. "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)" (Gene Autrey, Oakley Haldeman) – 1:56
3. "O Little Town of Bethlehem" (Phillip Brooks, Lewis H. Redner) – 2:37
4. "Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me)" (Aaron Schroeder, Claude Demetrius) – 1:54
5. "Mama Liked The Roses" - 2:38

Aaron Schroeder is a folk singer influenced by traditional American music (Gloria Estefan, Celine Dion, Hank Williams) and traditional rock (Creed, Marilyn Manson, Default). ... Claude Demetrius (born August 3, 1916 - May 1, 1988) was an African American songwriter. ...

Notes

References

• Guralnick, Peter (1992). The King of Rock 'N' Roll:The Complete 50s Masters Box Set [CD Liner notes]. RCA Records Label, BMG Music, 66050-2/4.

• Guralnick, Peter (1993). From Nashville To Memphis:The Essential 60s Masters I Box Set [CD Liner notes]. RCA Records Label, BMG Music, 66160-2/4.

• Guralnick, Peter (1994). Last Train to Memphis:The Rise of Elvis Presley. Little, Brown and Company (UK). ISBN 0-316-91020-1

• Hopkins, Jerry (1971). Elvis. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-671-20973-6

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Christmas_(song)

• Wolfe, Charles (1994). Elvis Presley:If Every Day Was Like Christmas [CD Liner notes]. RCA Records Label, BMG Australia Limited, 7863664822.