The Christmas Song [+digital booklet]

Nat King Cole | Format: MP3 Music

Product Details

• Original Release Date: August 25, 2009
• Release Date: August 25, 2009
• Label: Capitol Records
• Copyright: (C) 2009 Capitol Records, LLC
• Total Length: 42:45
• Genres:
  • Miscellaneous > Holiday
• ASIN: B002L1D17A
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,733 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)
  • #69 in MP3 Downloads > MP3 Albums > Miscellaneous > Holiday

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

103 of 109 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Capitol, Can We Just Get Back To Basics? November 22, 2009

By smuthdude

Format:Audio CD

Capitol, since a new version of this album is released practically every year and you still haven't gotten it right, how about doing this NEXT year? Restore the original 1963 album track order. Restore the original ambient echo effect that was on that LP (or just remaster the original'86 CD version). Scan and remaster the original '63 cover art (with Nat sitting by the fire) including the original "full dimensional stereo" banner. Then, commission Will Freidwald or another music historian to write a brief history of this album. You know, how it began as "The Magic Of Christmas" in 1960 and morphed into the "Christmas Song" version we all knew and loved for 30-some odd years before you began monkeying with it? Then, on the back of the booklet, scan and print the original "Magic Of Christmas" artwork with its corresponding stereo banner. Then, add "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", "Happy New Year" and the English outtake of "Adeste Fideles" as extras. Leave Natalie's duet, the Toys For Tots PSA and all the novelty x-mas tunes to another collection. THAT is how you do a re-release!

For some reason, Capitol has been BUTCHERING its holiday releases by Nat, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and the Beach Boys just to name a few. In the 80's and 90's holiday CD's by each could be found with only slightly modified versions of the original album art and sound matching that of the LP master tapes. But in the past ten years, the Capitol art department has decided to give each album a complete makeover(several of them in fact)... all for the worse! Also, someone has decided to shuffle the track order, add a bunch of extra crap and dub it the "Ultimate Christmas Collection" (Beach Boys). Please, originality is best when it comes to re-issues, especially these sacred Christmas albums. Save the abstract art and marketing concepts for your NEW artist releases.

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars + 1/2 star--very good but it's also a half-hearted re-release November 20, 2009

By Matthew G. Sherwin HALL OF FAMETOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

The Christmas Song is indeed an expanded, remastered and repackaged version of Nat's CD entitled The Christmas Song from 1990, 2005 and more! If you have one or all of these albums already from the great Mr. Cole, your only true reason to buy this would be for the upgrade in sound quality although the improved remastering doesn't make a huge "night and day" difference when I hear it. If, however, you are a casual fan or a relative newcomer to Nat "King" Cole who has not yet purchased past releases of The Christmas Song CD, then go ahead and get this--although, for example, you will miss out tracks from the 2005 edition of this album including a version of "The Christmas Song" from 1946 by The King Cole Trio as well as tracks entitled "Toys for Tots" and "Happy New Year."

Of course, anyway you slice it Nat still sounds great on this album. There are religious holiday standards including "O Tannenbaum;" "O Little Town of Bethlehem;" "O Holy Night;" "The First Noel" and "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen." Nat performs these with panache and the lush musical arrangements greatly enhance the songs. They use a background choir on a few of these numbers but it's all done in good taste and the background singers never try to steal the spotlight for Nat "King" Cole.

Other terrific songs include more secular tunes such as "Caroling, Caroling;" "All I Want for Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)" by The King Cole Trio and the endlessly charming "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)" which is done both in its 1961 glory and as a duet with Nat's daughter Natalie.

Overall, get this if you're a casual fan without previous editions of this CD--or a newcomer just discovering Nat's artistry who wants some fine holiday music by Nat "King" Cole. Diehard fans should opt for a previous edition of this album which includes other tracks not found here. They should be here; and that's a disappointment. You'll find great music on this CD; but it's not as comprehensive as it could have been and so I can only give it 3 ˝ stars. What a shame Capitol Records didn't do more justice to Nat!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Superbly Merry Christmas February 1, 2012

By J.R. Shumacher

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

If I could only have 1 CD to listen to at Christmas time, I'd have to pick this one out of so many other great possibilities. The recording quality of this edition is excellent and Nat King Cole was never in better voice then when he recorded these songs -- and the arrangements dovetail with his singing so well that it's practically perfect in every way.