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Nat King Cole "Christmas Song" still ultimate X-mas offering

Les Fishman | New York | 11/24/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ah yes, "chestnuts roasting on an open fire"...... what a feeling of Holiday spirit invoked by just that line alone! Aside from the classic title track, Mr. Cole's versions of some of the most well-loved Christmas tunes are all superb. O Come All Ye Faithful, The First Noel, O Holy Night, Joy To The World, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Deck The Hall, Silent Night,.........the list goes on. If you don't already have this recording, get it; this is an absolute MUST HAVE!"

Christmas without Nat!? What's that about?!

C. E. Miles | O'Fallon, IL United States | 11/22/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It just can't be Christmas until you've heard Nat King Cole sing "The Christmas Song". I can't begin to tell you how many times I have heard the songs contained on this CD, but I can tell you they never get old. There is just something about them, and the way Nat sings them that keep them new. Nat King Cole was one of the greatest vocal talents we have ever known, and the fact that he saw fit to lay down these wonderful holiday standards for us to enjoy year after year, is indeed a treat. Sure these songs and carols have been around forever, but isn't that what Christmas is about; tradition, and familiarity? I you haven't got this CD yet, what are you waiting for? Pick it up today, I promise you won't be disappointed."

A must for any Nat King Cole fan...

Ken Claassen | Norman, OK USA | 12/14/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"... but a delight for others as well!Before I begin, let me say that I am one of those people who could sit and listen to Nat King Cole's voice for hours on end. He has one of those voices that makes you relax no matter what kind of mood you happen to be in at the moment.That said, I've listened to a lot of songs by Mr. Cole, and I don't believe he is in finer voice on any other album he ever did than on "The Christmas Song." Most people have heard Nat's rendition of the title cut ("Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..."), but there are a lot of other superb tracks on this CD as well. My favorite is his stirring rendition of "Adeste Fidelis" (for those who don't know, that's "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful" in the original Latin). Nat sings the entire song in the original language, and it gives me chills every time I hear it.Another song Nat tackles in its original language is "O Tannenbaum" ("O Christmas Tree" in the orginal German for you non-linguists out there). Along with Christmas classics such as, "Deck the Halls," "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "O Holy Night," "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," "Away in a Manger," "Joy to the World," "The First Noel," and "Silent Night," there are several selections which are hard to find on other CDs. Among these are the cheerful "Caroling, Caroling" and Nat's jaunty rendering of "I Saw Three Ships." Finally, the soothing and thoughtful "A Cradle in Bethlehem" is a perfect lullaby for getting your keyed-up little ones to sleep on Christmas Eve. Though not the final song on the disk, it would have made a perfect conclusion, IMHO.This is a masterwork, plain and simple, and a must-have for your Christmas collection. Buy it. Trust me. You won't be disappointed."

Sounds of the Season

Mark Baker | Santa Clarita, CA United States | 11/08/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"How can you not love Nat King Cole's classic Christmas release? From the first note to the last, it just drips with memories of Christmases past. Of course, it does help that I grew up listening to it.It opens with the title song, which was introduced to the world by Nat. While I enjoy other renditions, this version is definitely a classic. This CD also includes the "duet" presented at the end with his daughter. Maybe I'm too much a traditionalist, but it just doesn't work for me nearly as well as the original, and I usually skip over it.While every song is wonderful, standouts for me are the songs I don't have as often in my Christmas music collection. "Deck the Hall," "O Tannenbaum" (Yes, recorded in German.), "I Saw Three Ships," and "Caroling, Caroling" are included in this group. And I have to make special note of "A Cradle in Bethlehem." This musical version of the Christmas story is very touching. I wish more artists would record it.Having listened to this album every Christmas I can remember, it just wouldn't be Christmas without it. Even now, listening to it makes me think of dark winter nights, decorating the tree, and wrapping presents. It has a special place in my collection, and I'm sure it will in yours as well. Don't hesitate, buy it today."

Almost perfect...

Brian Chidester | Los Angeles, CA United States | 11/30/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"At the risk of restating the obvious, let it be said once more -- Nat "King" Cole has a magical voice, adaptable to the ruminations of a Jazz trio, the brassy sass of a Big Band or the celestial delights of a string orchestra. THE CHRISTMAS SONG -- Capitol's CD reissue of Cole's 1961 arrangements (conducted by Ralph Carmichael) -- features the singer's warm baritone set to orchestra and chorus. For all intents-and-purposes, the songs themselves are a stunning listen -- diciplined, personal and romantic. This reissue features the standard 1961 version of Cole's timeless "The Christmas Story" (written by Mel Torme and Bob Wells); Cole did three other versions prior to the Carmichael take, going as far back as 1946 (the first without a string section). These three versions have not been the reissue standard since '61. However, two other renderings are represented on this CD: [1] another stale cut-n-paste duet with daughter Natelie (MOR radio has Hallmark to thank) and [2] a hidden bonus version, more piano-based, featuring only a small string section (likely the second 1946 version, which was the first "Christmas Song" to chart). In other good news, there's also first-to-CD versions of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "O' Come All Ye Faithful" (the latter of which is worth the price of admission alone), plus two King Cole spoken greetings.My feeling is that no serious music collection should be without a compilation of Nat "King" Cole's Holiday classic. I'm biased, of course, because Cole is my favorite singer, but the music stands on it own as timeless. There are many Christmas-themed CDs available from this artist, but this is as good as any, if not the top so far."

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	Christmas Favorites Genres: Jazz, Special Interest, Pop Countless singers have recorded the now-famous title track to this 14-song collection, but none have explored its evocative nuances as fully as the man who first brought it into our living rooms--Nat King Cole. Then again,... more » « less
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