Customer Reviews

Christmas Album

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This Christmas album is a classic. Ray Conniff brings together all your favorite Christmas carols, bringing back fond childhood memories of the holidays. Every song has a special uniqueness that makes it different from the ordinary, modern version. As a child, I owned a tape of this album and listened to it when going to sleep for many years, eventually wearing out the tape. I hope you love this album as much as I do.

Whenever I hear this recording, I am transported back to Christmas Eve at my father's drugstore. We would sell last minute gifts to customers and offered free gift wrap. Many times the music playing in the background was from the album RAY CONNIFF'S CHRISTMAS ALBUM (HERE WE COME A CAOLING). Since that time, Ray Conniff and the Conniff singers always remind me of Christmas, probably since I cannot remember a Christmas without hearing the Conniff Singers version of famous Christmas carols. At home, my parents listened to this album, along with WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS. My siblings and I used to make fun of it, but I secretly enjoyed it since I have purchased the LP, then the cassette, and finally the CD. I usually listen to it when I need to get in the Christmas mood. The CD contains the snippy renditions of popular Christmas carols that is part of the Ray Conniff style. It also has an original song "The Real Meaning of Christmas" and an interesting rendition of the Go Tell It on the Mountain, with doo-waps and all. Though it is a mid-priced compact disk, it has full price joy and no doubt, will connect with memories of Christmases past and Christmases yet to come.

This album was released in 1965 (not in 1961 or 1971 as stated in some places)and achieves a good balances between religious and secular songs. The best song is GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMEN. Yes, some of the tunes sound a bit commercial but then Ray Conniff was in the market of selling records and entertaining people.

All of Ray's Xmas albums are great; they really sound happy and cheery as Xmas music should be.

This is the 'weakest' of the 3 Conniff Columbia Christmas LP's, and was originally released on LP back in 1971. The 'Here We Come A Caroling' LP from 1962, and the original 'Christmas With Conniff' LP are the better two of the Conniff Christmas trilogy. There are a couple of gems on here, but Ray tried to be too appealing to the kids of the 70's on a couple of the song arrangements presented here. Still, above average overall.

One selection on this album stands out from all the rest. I don't know of another artist who has recorded "The Real Meaning of Christmas". However, on this album, the Conniff group presents an outstanding rendition of the beautiful song. The lyrics are masterful, especially as they relate to the world in which we live today.

The other tried and true Christmas selections on the album are just just as inspiring. No, it would not be Christmas without the music of Ray Conniff and the singers.

A bit quaint now, the choral renditions of these Christmas songs are very well done. This is a classic Christmas album, well worth getting.

This past season I was listening to Christmas music on one of the cable TV music channels. I heard a very catchy and upbeat version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen that caused me to stop and see who was singing it. It was the Ray Conniff Singers!

I wrote down the name and came to Amazon.com (a great place to Christmas gift shop BTW, no lines and free shipping!) to look up the album. I was skeptical I would like this group. From my perspective, it looked like something that belonged in a nursing homes CD player or record player. Far from it. This group has outstanding vocals sung with an acoustic guitar player. I could not stop singing God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen after hearing their version on TV so I ordered the CD. I am glad I did, I will be listening to this album each Christmas season for a long time.

After the success of his Christmas albums in 1959 and 1962, Ray Conniff decided to do yet another recording of Christmas favorites in 1965. There were some uptempo versions of carols but the one that sticks out in my mind is 'The Real Meaning of Christmas". A true song of what Christmas is all about. Good stuff to listen to any time of the year!

Although the weakest of the three Ray Conniff christmas albums, Ray Conniff`s "Ray Conniff`s Christmas Album," recorded in 1965, is still worthy of 5 stars as it brings the most cheerful, lively versions of traditional religious christmas songs I know of. With the exception of a song or two that remain traditional, the songs on this cd were very refreshing from the usual renditions you`ll often to always find on other cd`s (although I do like the traditional approach when it`s done with the power that Ray Conniff (when he performs them traditionally), Fred Waring, Mitch Miller, Percy Faith (his instrumentals), and a few others who, for my liking, can only do it). While the whole cd is great, at least five songs are standouts including O TANNENBAUM, AWAY IN A MANGER, and IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR which all bring a whole new, original approach to these songs, yet the familiar beat is still there deep within. Children will probably really like this cd as well. A great family christmas cd. As with all Ray Conniff christmas cd`s, an essential buy.

Classic Ray Conniff with some extra zest for the holdiay seasoning--energetic and harmonious ...a frolicking good time with a familiar crew.