Elvis and Christmas go together like….Elvis and Christmas.
Elvis truly was a man self made and who “surprised” so many who tried to box him into a category whether it was his beautiful rendition of Peace In The Valley on the Ed Sullivan Show or his affinity for Opera to his success that his Christmas Album/Songs achieved initially in 1957 and continuing each and every year thereafter.
It is estimated that over (13) thirteen Elvis’ Christmas records and Elvis’ Christmas Album entitled “The Wonderful World Of Christmas” (released in the 1970s) is the highest selling Christmas Album of all time (i.e. estimated to be over 10 million), and Elvis’ first Christmas Album entitled “Elvis Christmas Album” sold (approximately) (3) three million records and was released in October of 1957.
In summary Elvis’ Christmas Albums have sold approximately (13) thirteen million records which needs to be put in context as the US population was a fraction of what it is now.
In spite of these achievements a decision was made a few years ago to take Elvis’ Christmas recordings and turn them into “duets”.
I believe that if they decided to release Elvis’ Original Christmas Album(s), in their entirety, and then as an “additional CD” of the “duets” that it would have been more appropriate and tasteful. At the time I shared my (personal) disdain for the “Elvis Christmas Duets” not because I didn’t like/respect/appreciate the talents of the “duet singers” but because if Elvis had wanted to record duets during his lifetime….he would have.
Secondly, the recordings of Elvis during his lifetime (with some exceptions which angered Elvis to no end) were (a) just like Elvis wanted them to be and (b) were beautiful and wonderful as “stand alone songs”.
I equate it to, with no disrespect to each of the artists who contributed to the “duet”, taking the worlds greatest artwork (i.e. painting, sculpture, drawings, etc.) and asking other “artists” to add to what is already a masterpiece. No one would support that and yet by attempting to change Elvis’ versions of these songs actually (in my opinion) diluted their brillance.
Now that the Thanksgiving feast is over (is anyone else still full?) it is time to bring out the Christmas Tunes which include, of course, those by Elvis. Whether it is the bluesy “”Merry Merry Christmas Baby” to the heartfelt “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” to the Elvis standard “Blue Christmas”. Elvis left his mark on Christmas Classics such as “The First Noel” and “White Christmas”.
Here are the details from Elvis’ Christmas Albums:
ELVIS CHRISTMAS ALBUM
Side One
Track Date Recorded Song Title Song Writer(s) Run Time
1. 9/7/57 Santa Claus Is Back In Town Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller 2:22
2. 9/6/57 White Christmas Irving Berlin 2:23
3. 9/6/57 Here Comes Santa Claus Gene Autry and Oakley Haldeman 1:54
4. 9/7/57 I’ll Be Home for Christmas Buck Ram, Kim Gannon, Walter Kent 1:53
5. 9/5/57 Blue Christmas Bill Hayes and Jay Johnson 2:07
6. 9/7/57 Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me) Aaron Schroeder and Claude Demetrius 1:54
Side Two
Track Date Recorded Song Title Song Writer(s) Run Time
1. 9/7/57 O Little Town of Bethlehem Phillips Brooks and Lewis H. Redner 2:35
2. 9/6/57 Silent Night Joseph Mohr and Franz Gruber 2:23
3. 1/13/57 (There’ll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me) Thomas A. Dorsey 3:22
4. 1/12/57 I Believe Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl, Al Stillman 2:05
5. 1/13/57 Take My Hand, Precious Lord Thomas A. Dorsey 3:16
6. 1/19/57 It Is No Secret (What God Can Do) Stuart Hamblen 3:53
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF CHRISTMAS – Camden/Pickwick Reissue
Side One
Track Date Recorded Song Title Song Writer(s) Run Time
1. 9/5/57 Blue Christmas Bill Hayes and Jay Johnson 2:07
2. 9/6/57 Silent Night Joseph Mohr and Franz Gruber 2:23
3. 9/6/57 White Christmas Irving Berlin 2:23
4. 9/7/57 Santa Claus Is Back In Town Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller 2:22
5. 9/7/57 I’ll Be Home for Christmas Buck Ram, Kim Gannon, Walter Kent 1:53
Side Two
Track Date Recorded Song Title Song Writer(s) Run Time
1. 6/10/66 *If Every Day Was Like Christmas Red West 2:42
2. 9/6/57 Here Comes Santa Claus Gene Autry and Oakley Haldeman 1:54
3. 9/7/57 O Little Town of Bethlehem Phillips Brooks and Lewis H. Redner 2:35
4. 9/7/57 Santa Bring My Baby Back (to Me) Aaron Schroeder and Claude DeMetruis 1:54
5. 1/15/69 *Mama Liked the Roses John Christopher 2:47
* Denotes that “If Every Day Was Like Christmas” was recorded at RCA Studio B in Nashville, and “Mama Liked The Roses” at American Studios in Memphis, Tennessee.
From me, and www.ElvisCollector.info, we want to wish you and your loved ones a; healthy, blessed, happy, memorable, wonderful, joyful Christmas. For in this season it is not the number of presents under the tree, or the lack of, but sharing the details of the birth of Jesus and giving (i.e. time, of self, from our heart, wisdom, etc.) of ourselves.
Take care and may God bless you.
Jeff Schrembs
The Elvis Expert 