Happy Holidays: I Love the Winter Weather

Jo Stafford | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 10, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Corinthian Records
• ASIN: B00000K1IO
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,905 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Legendary jazz vocalist Jo Stafford sings you all the way from Thanksgiving through Christmas (and even on into Valentines Day) on this remastered album from 1955. The singer is backed up by the orchestra of Paul Weston, as well as by The Starlighters.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly inspired collection - Merry Christmas, October 13, 2002

By 

Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Happy Holidays: I Love the Winter Weather (Audio CD)

Please note that this review relates to the realease titled "Happy Jolidays / I love the winter winter weather" and not to the budget release "Happy holidays" that contains fewer tracks.

I see what some earlier reviewers have written, not always liking the resequencing of the tracks from the two LP's that make up this collection. As I normally prefer to keep Christmas music separate from other music, I had my doubts when I bought it - an essential purchase for me, as a huge fan of Jo's music. I needn't have worried - all the songs here are ideal for the Christmas season.

The non-Christmas songs about warmth, winter, moonlight and suchlike are masterpieces which sit comfortably alongside the standard Christmas songs. Baby it's cold outside has actually become commonplace on Christmas albums, even though it was never intended to be a Christmas song. I have heard many versions of this song, including the modern duet by Tom Jones and Cerys Matthews, as well as other duets starring Maggie Whiting, Dinah Shore and Petula. Jo's magnificent rendition (with the Starlighters) is as good as any of them. Maggie's version is (just) my favorite, but they are all lovely.

The Starlighters sing Hanover winter song without Jo - no doubt this was Jo's way of thanking them, allowing them the chance to show what they could do, but I would have preferred Jo to join in. Still, there's plenty of other tracks here and the Starlighters certainly give Jo great backing on these.

Jo's lovely, warm voice is well suited to these songs, which contain mostly familiar songs to appeal to casual buyers, while including just enough obscure stuff to appeal to Christmas music fans. The nature of this album, with it's unusual mix of songs, means that it's always one of the first Christmas CD's I listen to as the season comes round - it gets you into Christmas gradually.

Jo was a very special singer, as you will realise when listening to this wonderful CD.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful winter music, November 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Happy Holidays: I Love the Winter Weather (Audio CD)

I grew up listening to Jo Stafford's album"Ski Trails". This CD is a wonderful blend of winter songs from that collection as well as some holiday songs. If you enjoy Ms. Stafford's husky voice singing melodies that will have you thinking of New England, snow, a roaring fire and happy memories, then this is a must for you.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best Christmas album in existence! SIX stars!, December 17, 1999

By 

T. VANBRONKHORST (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Happy Holidays: I Love the Winter Weather (Audio CD)

I've been waiting for "Ski Trails" to come out on CD ever since finding it on vinyl eight years ago, and what a pleasant surprise to discover even MORE holiday songs included here. This album is to Christmas music what "It's A Wonderful Life" is to Christmas movies -- quintessential. Adjectives that come to mind are: Romantic, jovial, sentimental, joyful, and SWINGING! Hearing "Babes in Toyland" and "Night Before Christmas" will evoke your best childhood memories, and Stafford's rendition of "Moonlight in Vermont" is easily the best version ever recorded. Most importantly, this isn't one of those Christmas albums you'll listen to each December and then put in storage. The selections from the original "Ski Trails" record are timeless standards appropriate for the WHOLE season. After the 25th, just program your CD player to skip the Christmas-specific titles and keep listening throughout the New Year!