Christmas Legends - 20 Classic Original Christmas Albums

~ Release by Various Artists (see all versions of this release, 1 available)

Annotation

CD 1 - Elvis Presley & Connie Francis
Elvis Presley - 'Elvis' Christmas Album - 1957 - RCA Victor - LOC- 1035
Connie Francis - 'Christmas In My Heart' - 1959 - MGM Records - E 3792

CD 2 - Frank Sinatra & Ella Fitzgerald
Frank Sinatra - 'A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra' - 1957 - Capitol Records - W 894
Ella Fitzgerald - ''Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas' - 1960 - Verve Records - MG VS-64042

CD 3 - The Kingston Trio & Harry Belafonte
The Kingston Trio - 'The Last Month Of The Year' - 1960 - Capitol Records - ST-1446
Harry Belafonte - 'To Wish You A Merry Christmas' - 1958 - RCA Victor - LPM-1887

CD 4 - Dean Martin & Pat Boone
Dean Martin - 'A Winter Romance' - 1959 - Capitol Records - T-1285
Pat Boone - 'White Christmas' - 1959 - Dot Records - DLP-3222

CD 5 - Nat King Cole & Perry Como
Nat King Cole - 'The Magic Of Christmas' - 1960 - Capitol Recrds - W-1444
Perry Como - 'Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music' - 1956 - RCA Victor - LPM-1243

CD 6 - Bobby Darin & Jimmie Rodgers
Bobby Darin - 'The 25th Day Of December' - 1960 - Atco Records - 33-125
Jimmie Rodgers - 'It's Christmas Once Again' - 1959 - Roulette Records - R 25095

CD 7 - Paul Anka & Frankie Avalon
Paul Anka - 'It's Christmas Everywhere' - 1960 - ABC Paramount Records - ABC 360
Frankie Avalaon - 'Frankie Avalon's Christmas Album' - 1962 - Chancellor Records - CHL-5031

CD 8 - The Everly Brothers & Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra
The Everly Brothers - 'Christmas With The Everly Brothers' - 1962 - Warner Brothers Records - W 1483
Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra - 'Christmas Carols' - 1958 - Dot Records - DLP-3148

CD 9 - Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters
Bing Crosby - 'Merry Christmas' - 1955 - Decca - DL 8128
The Andrews Sisters - 'Christmas Cheer' - 1950 - Decca - DL 5282

CD 10 - Jim Reeves & Johnny Cash
Jim Reeves - 'We Thank Thee' - 1962 - RCA Victor - LSP-2552
Johnny Cash - 'Hymns From The Heart' - 1962 - Columbia Records - CS-8522

Annotation last modified on 2019-12-08 14:18 UTC.

Tracklist

1▶CD: Elvis Presley - "Elvis’ Christmas Album" (1957), Connie Francis - "Christmas In My Heart" (1959)
2▶CD: Frank Sinatra - "A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra" (1957), Ella Fitzgerald - "Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas" (1960)
3▶CD: The Kingston Trio - "The Last Month Of The Year" (1960), Harry Belafonte - "To Wish You A Merry Christmas" (1958)
4▶CD: Dean Martin - "A Winter Romance" (1959), Pat Boone - "White Christmas" (1959)
5▼CD: Nat "King" Cole - "The Magic Of Christmas" (1960), Perry Como - "Perry Como Sing Merry Christmas Music" (1956)
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1Deck The Hall
producer:
Lee Gillette
lead vocals:
Nat King Cole (in 1960)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (in 1960)
arranger:
Edith Bergdahl and Nat King Cole
part of:
Billboard Hot 100: 2026-01-03 (number: 20), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-20 (number: 23), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-27 (number: 25), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-13 (number: 29) and Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-06 (number: 45)
recording of:
Deck the Halls
lyricist:
Thomas Oliphant (musician, artist and author)
composer:
[traditional] (special purpose artist)
is based on:
Nos Galan (Talhaiarn, “Goreu pleser ar Nos Galan”)
Nat King Cole1:06
2Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful)
producer:
Lee Gillette
vocals:
Nat King Cole (in 1960)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (in 1960)
arranger:
Edith Bergdahl and Nat King Cole
recording of:
Adeste fideles (original latin version) (in 1960)
lyricist and composer:
John Francis Wade (from 1740 until 1743)
Nat King Cole52:25
3God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
producer:
Lee Gillette
vocals:
Nat King Cole (in 1960)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (in 1960)
arranger:
Edith Bergdahl
recording of:
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (traditional, no arrangement credits here)
lyricist and composer:
[traditional] (special purpose artist)
part of:
Roud Folk Song Index (number: 394)
Nat King Cole1:25
4O Tannenbaum
producer:
Lee Gillette
vocals:
Nat King Cole (in 1960)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (in 1960)
arranger:
Edith Bergdahl and Nat King Cole
recording of:
O Tannenbaum (O Fir Tree, original German version)
lyricist:
Ernst Anschütz (in 1824)
composer:
[traditional] (special purpose artist) (from 1500 until 1600)
version of:
Es lebe hoch der Zimmermannsgeselle
Nat King Cole2:59
5O Little Town Of Bethlehem
producer:
Lee Gillette
vocals:
Nat King Cole (in 1960)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (in 1960)
arranger:
Edith Bergdahl and Nat King Cole
recording of:
O Little Town of Bethlehem (traditional carol with the tune “St. Louis”, as commonly sung in the U.S.)
lyricist:
Phillips Brooks (in 1868)
composer:
Lewis Henry Redner (in 1868)
is based on:
St. Louis (hymn tune)
Nat King Cole2:17
6I Saw Three Ships
producer:
Lee Gillette
vocals:
Nat King Cole (in 1960)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (in 1960)
arranger:
Edith Bergdahl and Nat King Cole
recording of:
I Saw Three Ships
lyricist and composer:
[traditional] (special purpose artist)
part of:
Roud Folk Song Index (number: 700)
Nat King Cole1:24
7O Holy Night
producer:
Lee Gillette
vocals:
Nat King Cole (in 1960)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (in 1960)
arranger:
Edith Bergdahl and Nat King Cole
recording of:
O Holy Night
lyricist:
John Sullivan Dwight (in 1855)
composer:
Adolphe Adam (French composer) (in 1847)
arrangement of:
O holy night (arr. John Ebenezer West)
translated version of:
Cantique de Noël “Minuit chrétiens” (French original of “O Holy Night”)
recording of:
O Holy Night (catch-all for arrangements)
composer:
Adolphe Adam (French composer)
arrangement of:
O Holy Night
Nat King Cole2:54
8Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
producer:
Lee Gillette
vocals:
Nat King Cole (in 1960)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (in 1960)
arranger:
Edith Bergdahl and Nat King Cole
recording of:
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Christmas carol)
additional lyricist:
George Whitefield (in 1753)
lyricist:
Charles Wesley (hymn writer) (in 1739)
composer:
Felix Mendelssohn (composer) (in 1840)
arranger:
William H. Cummings (in 1855)
part of:
The New English Hymnal (hymn book) (number: 26)
Nat King Cole1:46
9A Cradle In Bethlehem
Nat King Cole2:17
10Away In A Manger
producer:
Lee Gillette
vocals:
Nat King Cole (in 1960)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (in 1960)
arranger:
Edith Bergdahl and Nat King Cole
recording of:
Away in a Manger (Mueller variation)
additional lyricist:
Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (in 1892)
lyricist:
[anonymous] (special purpose artist)
writer:
[traditional] (special purpose artist)
composer:
Carl Mueller and James Ramsey Murray (in 1885)
Nat King Cole1:58
11Joy To The World
producer:
Lee Gillette
vocals:
Nat King Cole (in 1960)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (in 1960)
arranger:
Edith Bergdahl and Nat King Cole
recording of:
Joy to the World (Christmas carol)
lyricist:
Isaac Watts (hymn writer) (in 1719)
composer:
George Frideric Handel (German‐British baroque composer)
arranger:
Lowell Mason (in 1839)
Nat King Cole31:22
12The First Noel
producer:
Lee Gillette
vocals:
Nat King Cole (in 1960)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (in 1960)
arranger:
Edith Bergdahl and Nat King Cole
recording of:
The First Noël
publisher:
William B. Sandys (in 1823, in 1833)
additional lyricist:
Davies Gilbert (in 1823)
lyricist and composer:
[traditional] (special purpose artist)
additional arranger:
John Stainer (in 1871)
arranger:
Davies Gilbert (in 1823)
part of:
The New English Hymnal (hymn book) (number: 36)
arrangement of:
The First Nowell
part of:
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944 musical film soundtrack)
Nat King Cole1:55
13Caroling, Caroling
producer:
Lee Gillette
vocals:
Nat King Cole (in 1960)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (in 1960)
recording of:
Caroling, Caroling
lyricist:
Wihla Hutson
composer:
Alfred S. Burt (composer of Christmas carols)
publisher:
TRO Essex Music Ltd.
Nat King Cole1:59
14Silent Night
producer:
Lee Gillette
vocals:
Nat King Cole (in 1960)
conductor:
Ralph Carmichael (in 1960)
arranger:
Edith Bergdahl and Nat King Cole
recording of:
Silent Night (Christmas carol, English translation)
lyricist:
Josef Mohr (composer/author) (in 1816)
composer:
Franz Xaver Gruber (composer/author) (in 1818)
translator:
John Freeman Young (in 1859)
part of:
Roud Folk Song Index (number: 27088)
translated version of:
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht
Nat King Cole2:07
15'Twas The Night Before Christmas
spoken vocals:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001)
vocals:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001)
conductor:
Mitchell Ayres
arranger:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001)
recording of:
’Twas the Night Before Christmas (Ken Darby version) (on 1953-06-22)
writer:
Clement Clarke Moore
composer:
Ken Darby
is based on:
A Visit From St. Nicholas
Perry Como0.53:41
16The Twelve Days Of Christmas
choir vocals:
Mitchell Ayres and His Chorus
vocals:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001)
orchestra:
Mitchell Ayres and His Orchestra
recording of:
The Twelve Days of Christmas (on 1953-05-26)
lyricist and composer:
[traditional] (special purpose artist)
arranger:
Frederic Austin (English baritone and composer) (in 1909)
publisher:
Shawnee Press Inc.
Perry Como3:56
17God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
choir vocals:
Mitchell Ayres and His Chorus
vocals:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001)
orchestra:
Mitchell Ayres and His Orchestra
arranger:
Mitchell Ayres and Ray Charles (soul musician, singer and songwriter)
recording of:
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (traditional, no arrangement credits here) (on 1953-05-26)
lyricist and composer:
[traditional] (special purpose artist)
part of:
Roud Folk Song Index (number: 394)
Perry Como3:29
18C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S
vocals:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001)
orchestra:
Mitchell Ayres and His Orchestra
recording of:
C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S (on 1953-05-05)
lyricist:
Jenny Lou Carson (in 1949)
composer:
Eddy Arnold (in 1949)
publisher:
Hill and Range Songs, Inc. (publisher) (on 1949-10-30)
Perry Como2:49
19Joy To The World
choir vocals:
Mitchell Ayres and His Chorus
vocals:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001)
orchestra:
Mitchell Ayres and His Orchestra
recording of:
Joy to the World (Christmas carol) (on 1953-05-26)
lyricist:
Isaac Watts (hymn writer) (in 1719)
composer:
George Frideric Handel (German‐British baroque composer)
arranger:
Lowell Mason (in 1839)
Perry Como2:35
20Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
choir vocals:
Mitchell Ayres and His Chorus
vocals:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001)
orchestra:
Mitchell Ayres and His Orchestra
recording of:
Rudolph, the Red‐Nosed Reindeer (on 1953-05-21)
lyricist and composer:
Johnny Marks (American songwriter)
publisher:
Chappell & Co Ltd., Chappell Music Ltd., Warner Chappell, Warner Chappell Music (publisher as Warner/Chappell Music), Warner/Chappell Music Ltd. (1996–2019), St. Nicholas Music Publishing Co. (on 1949-05-09) and St. Nicholas Music Inc. (from 1950 to present)
arrangement of:
Rudolph, the Red‐Nosed Reindeer (for voice, choir and orchestra, Elms)
Perry Como2:42
21Frosty The Snowman
choir vocals:
Mitchell Ayres and His Chorus
vocals:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001)
orchestra:
Mitchell Ayres and His Orchestra
cover recording of:
Frosty the Snow Man (on 1953-05-21)
writer:
Steve Nelson (US songwriter who co-wrote “Frosty the Snowman”) and Walter E. Rollins (songwriter)
publisher:
Carlin Music Corporation, J. Albert & Son Pty. Ltd., Warner/Chappell North America Limited (formerly incorporated as Marmalade Music Ltd., from 1968/09/19–1999/11/09), Chappell & Co. (in 1950) and Hill and Range Songs, Inc. (publisher) (on 1950-06-02)
Perry Como2:17
22The Christmas Song
vocals:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001) (on 1953-05-05)
orchestra:
Mitchell Ayres and His Orchestra
cover recording of:
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) (on 1953-05-05)
lyricist:
Robert Wells (songwriter) (in 1945-07) and Mel Tormé (“The Velvet Fog”) (in 1945-07)
composer:
Mel Tormé (“The Velvet Fog”) (in 1945-07)
publisher:
Chappell/Morris Ltd., MPL Music Publishing Inc., Sony/ATV Music Publishing Australia Pty Ltd., Sony/ATV Tunes LLC (ASCAP), Warner Chappell, Warner Chappell Ltd., Warner Chappell Music (publisher as Warner/Chappell Music), Warner/Chappell Music Australia Pty. Ltd. and Edwin H. Morris & Co., Inc. (a division of MPL Communications Inc.) (from 1946 to present)
Perry Como3:31
23That Christmas Feeling
vocals:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001) (on 1946-08-06)
recording of:
That Christmas Feeling (1946 song) (on 1946-08-06)
writer:
Bennie Benjamin and George David Weiss
publisher:
Francis, Day & Hunter Ltd.
Perry Como3:12
24I'll Be Home For Christmas
vocals:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001) (on 1946-08-06)
recording of:
I’ll Be Home for Christmas (on 1946-08-06)
lyricist:
James Kimball Gannon
additional writer:
Buck Ram
composer:
Walter Kent
publisher:
Chappell Music Ltd., Edward B. Marks Music Co. (founded originally as J. Stern & Co. in 1894, renamed in 1919), Gannon and Kent Music Co., Piedmont Music Company, Warner Chappell and Warner Chappell Music (publisher as Warner/Chappell Music)
sub-publisher:
ヤマハミュージックエンタテインメントホールディングス (Yamaha Music Entertainment Holdings, Inc., holding company – do not use as release label) and ワーナー・チャペル音楽出版 Synch事業部 (Warner/Chappell Music Japan K.K., Synch Division)
Perry Como2:51
25Silent Night
vocals:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001) (on 1946-08-20)
recording of:
Silent Night (Christmas carol, English translation) (on 1946-08-20)
lyricist:
Josef Mohr (composer/author) (in 1816)
composer:
Franz Xaver Gruber (composer/author) (in 1818)
translator:
John Freeman Young (in 1859)
part of:
Roud Folk Song Index (number: 27088)
translated version of:
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht
Perry Como3:47
26Adeste Fideles
vocals:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001) (on 1946-08-20)
recording of:
O Come, All Ye Faithful (English version of Latin “Adeste fideles”) (on 1946-08-20)
lyricist and composer:
John Francis Wade (from 1740 until 1743)
translator:
Frederick Oakeley (in 1841)
arrangement of:
O Come, All Ye Faithful
translated version of:
Adeste fideles (original latin version)
Perry Como2:43
27Jingle Bells
vocals:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001) (on 1946-08-22)
recording of:
Jingle Bells (on 1946-08-22)
lyricist and composer:
James Lord Pierpont (in 1850)
publisher:
Warner Chappell Music Ltd. (no slash; used 1988–1996)
composed at and lyrics written at:
Simpson Tavern in Medford, Massachusetts, United States (in 1850)
Perry Como2:56
28White Christmas
vocals:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001) (on 1947-07-10)
recording of:
White Christmas (on 1947-07-10)
lyricist and composer:
Irving Berlin (from 1938 until 1940)
publisher:
Copyright Control (not for release label use! this is only for copyrights and publishing relationships), Irving Berlin Music Corp., Williamson Music Company and Irving Berlin Music Company (from 1940 to present)
sub-publisher:
EMI Allans Music Australia Pty Ltd, Irving Berlin Music Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Pty Ltd. (Australian subsidiary of Universal Music Publishing Group), Warner/Chappell Music Ltd. (1996–2019), Warner/Chappell Music, Hong Kong Limited (華納音樂版權香港有限公司, 1995–2019), シンコーミュージック・エンタテイメント (Shinko Music Entertainment Co., Ltd.) and ユニバーサル・ミュージック・パブリッシング Synch事業部 (Universal Music Publishing, Synch Division)
part of:
The 15th Academy Award for Best Original Song (number: 1) and Academy Award for Best Original Song (number: 1942 winner)
Perry Como3:24
29Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Perry Como2:18
30Winter Wonderland
vocals:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001) (on 1946-08-01)
recording of:
Winter Wonderland (on 1946-08-01)
lyricist:
Richard B. Smith (wrote lyrics to “Winter Wonderland”)
composer:
Felix Bernard
publisher:
Bregman, Vocco & Conn, Inc., EMI Music (do not use as release label! this is a music publisher), Francis, Day & Hunter, Redwood Music Ltd. (Carlin), Warner Chappell Music Inc., Warner/Chappell Music Australia Pty. Ltd., WB Music Corp. (1929–2019) (until 2019-05-28) and WC Music Corp. (from 2019-05-28 to present)
Perry Como2:29
6▶CD: Bobby Darin - "The 25th Day Of December" (1960), Jimmie Rodgers - "It’s Christmas Once Again" (1959)
7▶CD: Paul Anka - "It’s Christmas Everywhere" (1960), Frankie Avalon - "Frankie Avalon’s Christmas Album" (1962)
8▶CD: The Everly Brothers - "Christmas With The Everly Brothers" (1962), Billie Vaughn & His Orchestra - "Christmas Carols" (1958)
9▶CD: Bing Crosby - "Merry Christmas" (1955), The Andrews Sisters - "Christmas Cheer" (1950)
10▶CD: Jim Reeves - "We Thank Thee" (1962), Johnny Cash - "Hymns From The Heart" (1962)

Credits

Release group

includes:A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra by Frank Sinatra (American singer and actor, “Ol’ Blue Eyes”)
A Winter Romance by Dean Martin (American singer/actor)
Christmas Carols by Billy Vaughn and His Orchestra
Christmas Cheer by Andrews Sisters, Danny Kaye, Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians, Dick Haymes
Christmas in My Heart by Connie Francis (American former actress and chart-topping singer)
Christmas With The Everly Brothers & the Boys Town Choir by The Everly Brothers
Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas by Ella Fitzgerald (American jazz singer)
Elvis’ Christmas Album (1957 version, includes “Peace in the Valley”) by Elvis Presley (“The King of Rock and Roll”)
Frankie Avalon’s Christmas Album by Frankie Avalon (American actor, singer)
Hymns From the Heart by Johnny Cash (country music legend)
It’s Christmas Everywhere by Paul Anka (Canadian singer, songwriter and actor)
It's Christmas Once Again by Jimmie Rodgers (1950s pop/country singer, born in 1933; “Honeycomb”, “Kisses Sweeter Than Wine”)
Merry Christmas (White Christmas, later known as “White Christmas”) by Bing Crosby
Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music (1956 2-in-1 reissue/compilation) by Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001)
The 25th Day of December by Bobby Darin
The Christmas Song (originally titled The Magic of Christmas) by Nat King Cole
The Last Month of the Year by The Kingston Trio
To Wish You a Merry Christmas by Harry Belafonte
We Thank Thee by Jim Reeves (US country & pop singer)
White Christmas by Pat Boone