Customer Reviews

Christmas with the Chipmunks, Vol. 1

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I can't help it-- I've been listening to The Chipmunks for as long as I remember, my parents bought me this WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT (in 1962), and I've never gotten bored with it during the holidays. There are several Chipmunks Christmas albums these days (some 2nd-rate "repackages"-- beware!) but only the 2 from the 60's are really worth owning to my tastes.

EVERY song here is a classic, including "Here Comes Santa Claus", "Up On The House Top" and "Jingle Bells" (each of these is a close tie with Gene Autry's versions-- although "Jingle Bells" is the ONLY version I've heard that has ALL the lyrics, plus it slowly speeds up until by the end it's turned rock & roll!). "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" originally appeared on AROUND THE WORLD WITH THE CHIPMUNKS (1960), while "The Chipmunk Song"-- the very first "Chipmunks" song-- dates back to the 1958 single, and the 1959 album LET'S ALL SING WITH THE CHIPMUNKS. It's nice to have them both here, though, as this package would seem incomplete without them. While child (of any age) cannot relate to such heart-wrenching lyrics ("we can hardly stand the wait, please Christmas don't be late")?

A year later came the follow-up, CHRISTMAS WITH THE CHIPMUNKS VOL.2-- also essential. (Just be careful which one you get-- it's the one that starts with "Jingle Bell Rock" and should have a pic of Santa on a rooftop while Alvin, Simon & Theodore are raiding his parked sleigh!)

Please note to get instead the new great sounding Capitol 2007 release which has ALL 24 songs (includes both Volumes 1 & 2) plus one bonus and is very reasonably priced. This is the disappointing 10 song abbreviated version. The 2006 version has a recording flaw. This is a classic Christmas album that should be FULLY enjoyed and the 2007 is the best version out there!

This CD version of an original 1963 vinyl LP (the original cover is shown on the reverse) came out at the dawn of the CD age and, at the time, was eagerly grabbed up by fans of David Seville (born Ross Bagdasarian on January 27, 1919 in Fresno, California).

He had been cutting records since the mid-1950s, scoring in early 1956 with The Trouble With Harry (# 44 Billboard Pop Top 100) under the billing Alfi And Harry, and inspired by the Hitchcock film of the same name. Then, from late 1956 to 1959 he registered six more hits under the billing The Music Of David Seville, the most successful of which was early 1958's The Witch Doctor which hit # 1 on both the Pop and R&B charts.

But later that year, and in time for Christmas, his voice over-dubbing technique hit upon the idea of three cute Chipmunks named Alvin, Simon and Theodore after Liberty Records execs Alvin Bennett, Simon Waronker and Teodore Keep. And with the debut The Chipmunk Song, a whole new industry was born as it soared to # 1 Pop Hot 100, where it remained for 4 weeks, as well as # 5 R&B on Liberty 55168 b/w the Seville solo, Almost Good.

Numerous hits would follow, a few more related to Christmas and usually with a Seville solo as the3 flip, and so when that first LP was released it was gobbled up by fans.

But this CD has long since been surpassed by releases with many more tracks and far better sound quality (on this, the voice of David on Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, is barely legible). Also, there are no liner notes at all.

Christmas With The Chipmunks is an all-time Christmas classic. This album gives you ten songs. Here they are:

1. The Chipmunk Song
2. (All I Want For Christmas Is) My Two Front Teeth
3. Jingle Bells
4. Frosty The Snowman
5. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
6. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
7. The Night Before Christmas
8. Silver Bells
9. White Christmas
10. We Wish You A Merry Christmas

This stuff has served me well around the holidays over the years. I highly recommend this album.

Actually, if you have a duel cassette deck with high speed dubbing capability, you can still experience the "Super Chipmunk" effect. Just make a cassette copy of the CD and play the copy back at high speed!

As for the album, I love it! I had it as a little kid on vinyl and it was great to find it on CD. Every song is a Christmas classic and every Christmas season I look forward to again hearing these songs and enjoying the Chipmunks' unique brand of humor! "The Chipmunk Song" is especially hillarious!

Yes, CD generation kids won't get to enjoy the "Super-Chipmunk" experience of playing the 33 rpm LP at 45 rpm. Neither will they get to "discover" how this recording was done by playing it at 16 2/3 rpm (we must have had an odd phongraph!) and hearing NORMAL voices.

This is meant to be an album for kids, though this would be a much bigger hit among all ages if they cut out all the mentions of "boys" and the intros to the songs, which are pretty corny. They might capture more audiences, among possibly some teens.
The guys did a great job of representing "chipmunks" though, and it is hilarious. Some especially interesting songs include "Jingle Bells", "Silver Bells", and of course, "The Chipmunk Song". Very cute album for young and young at heart.

"Christmas with the Chipmunks" is a big hit with children young and old alike.

I am 62 years old. I was a teenager when Alvin and the Chipmunks' "Christmas Don't Be Late" song came out. Until now, I would hear the song at Christmas time and say to my self "I love that song". Well this Christmas 2011 I searched the internet and not only found the song, but I found the entire Christmas album. The singing is great because they are harmonizing. "Silver Bells" is actually beautiful to listen to. I recommend this album to young and old. Also, there is another Christmas Album - Volume 2. I will be purchasing this album next Christmas season.

P.S. The singing is actually done by adults and then they speed up the songs. David Seville ("stage name") is the man that came up with the idea, and he is the man with the Chipmunks. The 3 adults that sing are people that work with him in the music industry.

Every Christmas I get my niece a gift that will annoy my sister and brother in law...my niece LOVES the Chipmunks and is still playing this CD everyday!! My sister has expressed her gratitude