Christmas [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

Peggy Lee | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 24, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: EMI Special Products
• ASIN: B00004ZBB3
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #178,746 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Winter Wonderland

2. I Like a Sleighride (Jingle Bells)

3. Christmas Carousel

4. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

5. Don't Forget to Feed the Reindeer

6. The Star Carol

7. The Little Drummer Boy

8. White Christmas

9. The Christmas Waltz

10. The Christmas Song

11. Happy Holiday

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Peggy Lee Christmas (Almost), December 24, 2004

By 

MCB "sound-and-vision" (West Hollywood, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christmas (Audio CD)

This CD release is a bit of an oddity, featuring eight of the twelve cuts from Lee's classic 1960 "Christmas Carousel" album (omitted, unfortunately, are "Deck the Halls" and a trio of Lee-penned tunes, "The Christmas List," "The Christmas Riddle," and "The Tree"), plus three additional tracks ("Winter Wonderland," "The Little Drummer Boy" and "Happy Holidays"). Package artwork is nicely done, but credits are nonexistent (which leaves the listener not knowing that the arrangements are by the great Billy May, and that two Lee originals remain - "Christmas Carousel" and "Don't Forget to Feed the Reindeer"). Nevertheless, even at a brief 26 minutes, this is a must-have. Sound quality is beautiful, and Lee was at the peak of her vocal abilities at the time of these recordings. Until a more complete package of Peggy Lee holiday recordings comes along, you'll be playing this collection over and over again. And what a price! Enjoy!

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Peggy Lee at Christmas, March 15, 2003

By 

Kip G. (So. Cal.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christmas (Audio CD)

Excellent. The holidays would not be the same without
this cd. Miss Lee's interpretations are both personal and at the same time universal in the spirit of the holiday.
Miss Lee's wonderful voice sets the standard for all the songs on this CD except for "santa claus is coming to town" which will always and forever belong to Karen Carpenter.
If you don't own this Christmas CD of Miss Lee, you are missing
the great sounds of Christmas. This CD will never leave your mix so start playing it early ! BUy it now before it disappears!

4.0 out of 5 stars Fevered Christmas Dreams, December 5, 2005

By 

Gregor von Kallahann - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christmas (Audio CD)

Ever had one of those grating experiences where everyone is gathered around the piano singing "Jingle Bells," and some show off feels the need to jazz things up and starts throwing in that "I Like A Sleigh Ride" riff at the end of every other phrase. Yes, I hate those people too. And I am shocked, shocked that it now appears that we may have Miss Peggy Lee to blame for that particular, uh, innovation.

Well, I (along with Bette Midler and Maria Muldaur and just about everybody else these days) just love Peggy Lee, so I can't stay mad Besides, unlike the drunken show off at your Christmas party, Lee does this kind of thing exquisitely. Her elegant stylings and cool delivery are unbeatable, and allow her rise over all kinds of Yuletide silliness. The children's choir that appears on many of these tracks would normally have me headed for the door, but as a counterpoint to Lee's elegant coolness, they're almost bearable.

In the 50s and 60s, of course, nearly every pop singer was obliged to do a Christmas album or five over the course of his or her career. If Peggy Lee seemed the epitome of supperclub chic, she still apparently loved kids and dogs (especially Lady and the Tramp) and had as much of sentimental side as any Rat Packer. So if the thought of a Peggy Lee Christmas album has you wishing for something on the order of "Black Coffee...and Pumpkin Pie" or "Santa Gives Me Fever," forget it. This is much more conventional holiday fare.

Or is it? Well, Lee would not be Lee if she didn't jazz things up at least slightly. Aside from the above mentioned, "I Like A Sleigh Ride" twist, she also starts off her version of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" with a sly, "Dig that Santa comin' to Town." Can you get more 50s hip than that?

And with the ballads, well, a woman can get away with "White Christmas" without being compared to der Bingle or with "The Christmas Song" without being negatively contrasted with Nat King Cole. And at first hearing, you may find these tracks pleasant enough alternative takes. But listen again. You may find--as did I--that Lee's subtle phrasing forces you to listen to those old lyrics in a new way. She gives weight to each word, like a good jazz singer should. The versions here are truly remarkable.

And Lee could be warm as well as (as she is so often described) sultry. So a Christmas album from the woman who immortalized "Fever" is NOT a contradiction in terms. It's just another example of this singer's consummate musicianship.

Despite being an old hippie, I love the old classic singers and in Lee's case, am ecstatic to see her still getting deserved attention almost four years after her death. Thank you, Bette, and thank you, Maria, for bearing the torch. And thank you, Miss Peggy Lee, for starting the fire. God rest ye, gentle lady.