Here We Come A-Caroling [Original recording remastered]

Ray Conniff | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 24, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0002S94MK
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #161,969 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

In the 50's, former big band trombonist-turned-arrange Ray Coniff experimented with replacing solo instrumental parts with often wordless vocal choruses and concocted the wildly successful easy listening ethos that came to symbolize pre-rock pop. This 1965 collection of Christmas favorites is a testament to the staying power of Coniff's milieu, even at the height of Beatlemania (which bizarrely inspired the arranger to set "Joy to the World" to a Liverpool beat). Backed by Coniff's typically bubbly arrangements, the impossibly joyful, pristine voices here seem to be caroling at some timeless, unlikely crossroads of hipster kitsch and nostalgic Americana. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman" even evokes the Hollywood Western ethos of former Conniff colleague Frankie Laine so convincingly that one almost expects to hear Santa cracking a whip over Rudolph's head on the fade-out. --Jerry McCulley

Product Description

This orchestral-pop superstar was in the midst of his streak of hit Columbia LPs when he wrapped up this 1965 holiday gift for his fans. Here are his wonderfully effervescent versions of O Tannenbaum; What Child Is This? It Came upon the Midnight Clear; Joy to the World; O Little Town of Bethlehem , and more! --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Collection For Every Ray Connif Christmas Songs fan, December 12, 2008

By 

Ronaldo B. Villena "Ronville" (Mandaluyong, Philippines) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Here We Come A-Caroling (Audio CD)

I bought the other two christmas cds of Ray Connif a few years ago and it never failed to bring back fun and nostalgic memories of my childhood during the Christmas season. I was surfing the internet to look for new Christmas Cds when I accidentally came across this one. I was surprised to know that there is still another christmas album that was released earlier in the 50's by ray connif. After listening to the music samplers at amazon, I immediately ordered a copy of it, for i couldn't wait to have one in order to complete my Ray Connif Christmas Album Collection. Now that my collection is complete,i couldn't ask for more. Ray and his choir were great and the sound of the CD is excellent.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Ray Conniff Singers singing mostly religious carols, December 2, 2003

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Here We Come a Caroling (Audio CD)

Ray Conniff's "Here We Come A-Caroling" is a 1965 holiday offering from the is in the mold of the rest of their Christmas albums, including his most successful, the 1962 "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." That means familiar songs done in peppy choral arrangement. It might be true that the Ray Conniff singers were muzak before muzak was muzak, but I have to plead guilty to this sound being the one I most associate with Christmas. This album even had a minor hit when "The Real Meaning Of Christmas" made it to #19 on the Billboard Pop chart that year. Nobody is more intent on spreading the Christmas cheer than the Ray Conniff Singers, although this time they do it with mostly traditional religious carols like "Silent Night," "Away in the Manger," "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," and "O Little Town of Bethlehem," the last of which particularly shows the Conniff approach to such songs. The only complaint is that compared to their other albums this one has a shorter playing time, but that is a minor complaint if you like this particularly resisliant type of holiday musical cheer.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Avid Christmas Music Collector, May 16, 2010

By 

Russell A. Starner - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Here We Come A-Caroling (Audio CD)

I have a large collection of Christmas Music and many are on CDs. I have been converting them to digital for easy listening during the Holiday Season. This Lable is a classic for any collector and will be a wonderful addition to your library. Any person who has any of the Ray Conniff records or tapes in the past will want to have this for their Christmas Collection.