Brenda is one of those singers - just like Bing Crosby - who's most famous song is a Christmas classic, despite a vast catalog of other material. On this collection, Brenda demonstrates her skills on a wide variety of Christmas songs, although there is only one carol (Silent night).
The oldest recordings here (from 1956, when Brenda was only 11) are Christy Christmas and I'm gonna lasso Santa Claus - this song is quite amusing but also has a moral tale, as it points out that Santa is more generous to the rich than the poor. Sadly, that will always be true.
In 1958, Brenda recorded Papa Noel, a cajun-flavored song, and Rockin' around the Christmas tree. Expected to be a massive hit, it missed the charts completely, though Brenda wasn't yet in the big time. Following the multi-million selling I'm sorry in 1960, a decision was taken to try again that Christmas. This time, the song went high in the charts, not just in America, but around the world.
The remainder of these songs, except the last three (which were recorded in 1965, but remained unissued outside Japan until the release of this CD), were first released on Brenda's original Christmas album in 1964, which also included some of the earlier tracks, including (of course) Rockin' around the Christmas tree.
Some of the songs were originally popularized by other singers, including Jingle bell rock (Bobby Helms), White Christmas and Silver bells (both Bing Crosby), This time of the year (Brook Benton) and Blue Christmas (Ernest Tubb, but made even more popular by Elvis), but Brenda's vocal style makes her versions distinctive, even though the arrangements are mostly faithful to the originals. It's a marshmallow world is a brilliant song which had already appeared on the Phil Spector Christmas album, though I don't know it's origin.
What really makes this album, though, are the original songs. Apart from those recorded in 1956 and 1958, there is Christmas will be just another lonely day (a serious song written by Ray Stevens, best known for his comic songs), Strawberry snow and the slightly silly (but brilliant) The angel and the little blue bell.
This is one of my favorite christmas records growing up.
Every year I have personal tradition of starting my christmas music playing by playing this record first. I had the CD version with only ten songs. This CD has all twelve of the original songs plus three songs that were added after this record was made plus three songs that Brenda Lee recorded when she was younger, Two were recorded when she was eleven years old! I'm gonna lasso Santa Claus is an adorable song about a little girl who wants to bring chrismas joy to everyone. Of course Johnny Marks "Rockin around the christmas tree" and Bobby Helms "Jingle Bell Rock" are pure classics. "Christmas will be just another lonely day" soars with its orchestral acompaniment.
Brenda Lee's Christmas songs have been a part of my holiday celebrations for over 30 years. My children look forward to singing the tunes every year while decorating our tree and opening gifts. I too looked for years for copies of the original "A Brenda Lee Christmas" and was thrilled to find a CD a few years back, but it was an incomplete recording of my favorites, No "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", and no "Frosty" It is wonderful to finally add this to my collection!
You surprised me when I opened my gift. I couldn’t believe what you’d given me. You knocked my socks off
Doing the Jingle Bell Rock and Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, how fun! These songs are from the happy days and get you moving to the music. I really like this cd because it adds variety to the Christmas music of the holiday season.
