A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra (1957)

A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra

• This is definitely a great Christmas album to listen to, as well as putting on in the background while doing Christmas activities. All the songs are beautifully sung, which is to be expected when it comes to Frank. All of them are pretty slow-paced, so it’s not an album that totally energizes. It’s one to listen to if you want to appreciate his vocal talents. The album is almost entirely traditional Christmas songs, and several hymns. There is only one original song on the whole album. However, despite hearing very familiar tunes, Frank still puts a beautiful, fresh take on each track. The album has a strong opening, with “Jingle Bells”, “The Christmas Song”, and “Mistletoe and Holly”. Frank helped write “Mistletoe and Holly”, which is the only track on the album that is brand new. The latter half of Side A is probably my favorite part of the whole album. It includes “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”, “The Christmas Waltz”, and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. To me, it’s one of the best Christmas trio’s on any Christmas album, and I can’t get enough of it. His version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is one of the most beautiful versions done, and he gives it a somber, yet somewhat hopeful feel. I also really like his version of “The Christmas Waltz”, and there are times that I listen to it several times in a row. It just sounds so good, and it has a gorgeous, pick-me-up feel, despite the slow pace. It’s easily one of my favorite Christmas songs of all time. The B side of the album consists of well known tracks such as “The First Noel”, “O Little Town of Bethlehem”, “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”, and “Silent Night”. They all have the drawn out, awesome vocal sound to them. Like I said, this isn’t an album that you want to dance to, but one where you can really appreciate the beauty of Frank’s voice. The Ralph Brewster Singers provide the background vocals on several of the tracks, and they add a great feel to each song they’re in. Nelson Riddle also has a great presence on this album, and every time he and Frank pair up, you’re always in for a special treat. Overall, this is a great album that is nice to listen to with a cup of hot chocolate while looking at lights. I would definitely recommend it to those who like the slower traditional Christmas songs. This album is officially Berry Approved, so go give it a listen!