Sony/Legacy's Follow That Dream collectors label will issue a new CD edition of Elvis' Christmas Album next month, just in time for the holidays. Featuring the original album, first released in 1957, the CD adds several bonus tracks, three of which may seem out of place to most listeners as they are totally unrelated to Christmas: “My Wish Came True,” “Treat Me Nice,” and “Don't.” The remaining nine bonuses are various alternate takes of two gospel numbers that also appeared on the album: "Peace in the Valley" and "It Is No Secret."
Elvis released another Christmas album in 1971 and many holiday compilations were issued after his death, notably Memories of Christmas in 1982, which contained some alternate takes and a memorable, unedited, eight-minute version of "Merry Christmas Baby." But the 1957 album revealed a side of Elvis that few were aware of at the time, most notably his gospel influences and instincts. In addition to some holiday rockers and blues, like "Santa Claus Is Back in Town" and his classic "Blue Christmas," as well as a hopped up rendition of Gene Autry's "Here Comes Santa Claus," Elvis turned in moving performances of "Silent Night" and "O Little Town of Bethlehem." The album also tacked on four gospel numbers Elvis had released earlier: "Peace In The Valley ," which he had performed on The Ed Sullivan Show earlier in the year, "I Believe," "Take My Hand, Precious Lord," and "It Is No Secret," each of which demonstrated how deeply Elvis invested himself in gospel music, a characteristic he never lost, even in his final years, when his vocal powers were fading.
According to Graceland's Elvis website, the FTD label “is a collectors record label that exists exclusively for the dedicated Elvis music collector and currently offers over 100 different Elvis CDs, books and LPs with additional titles released throughout the year. The FTD label was created by Sony Music and launched in 1999.” Thus, you'll have to surf the web to find FTD discs, which are not available from mainstream sources like Amazon, and can be costly (one website has advertised the Christmas CD at $40).
Since the bonus tracks are of marginal interest to most listeners, or should the search just prove too difficult, you might want to hunt down a copy of the 1994 CD If Every Day Was Like Christmas instead, which includes all of Elvis' Christmas songs, plus a few bonus tracks and a rare, all too brief, Christmas greeting from Elvis. The CD was issued in a long, gatefold sleeve that opens into a pop-up of Elvis' Graceland mansion. That one can readily be found on Amazon and elsewhere and makes a nice Christmas gift for any Elvis fan, including yourself.
Since the holiday season already seems well underway, why not start planning to spend part of it with Elvis?
Here is a summary of Elvis' Christmas recordings:
LP Elvis' Christmas Album (1957)
Santa Claus Is
Back In Town
White Christmas
Here Comes Santa
Claus
I'll Be Home For
Christmas
Blue Christmas
Santa Bring My
Baby Back
O Little Town
Of Bethlehem
Silent
Night
Peace In The Valley
I Believe
Take My Hand, Precious Lord
It Is No Secret
LP Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas (1971)
O Come All Ye Faithful
The First Noel
On a Snowy Christmas Night
Winter Wonderland
The Wonderful World of Christmas
It Won't Seem Like Christmas
I'll Be Home on Christmas Day
If I Get Home on Christmas Day
Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees
Merry Christmas Baby
Silver Bells
LP Memories of Christmas (1982)
O Come All Ye Faithful (take 2)
Silver Bells
I'll Be Home on Christmas Day
Blue Christmas
Santa Claus Is Back in Town
Merry Christmas Baby (unedited)
If Every Day Was Like Christmas (undubbed)
Christmas Message from Elvis/Silent Night
CD If Every Day Was Like Christmas (1994)
If Every Day Was Like Christmas
Blue Christmas
Here Comes Santa Claus
White Christmas
Santa Bring My Baby Back
I'll Be Home for Christmas
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Santa Claus Is Back in Town
It Won't Seem Like Christmas
If I Get Home on Christmas Day
Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees
Merry Christmas Baby (edited version)
Silver Bells
I'll Be Home on Christmas Day (alternate version)
On a Snowy Christmas Night
Winter Wonderland
The Wonderful World of Christmas
O Come All Ye Faithful
The First Noel
It Won't Seem Like Christmas (unreleased alternate - take 6)
Silver Bells (alternate - take 1)
Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees (unreleased alternate - take 8)
I'll Be Home on Christmas Day
Christmas Message from Elvis/Silent Night
Channeling Elvis: How Television Saved the King of Rock 'n' Roll:
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