Track Listing

1. Shake Hands With Santa Claus - Louis Prima
2. (Everybody's Waitin' for) The Man With the Bag - Kay Starr
3. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - Woody Herman
4. Cool Yule - Louis Armstrong & The Commanders
5. Boogie Woogie Santa Claus - Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra
6. Sleigh Ride - Tex Beneke
7. White Christmas - Esquivel
8. Happy Holiday/The Holiday Season (Medley) - Manhattan Transfer
9. That Swingin' Manger - Bob Francis
10. It's a Marshmallow World - Vic Damone,
11. Christmas Night in Harlem - Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars
12. Mistletoe and Holly - Jack Jones, Jack Jones
13. Christmas Blues - Jo Stafford
14. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Les Brown
15. Sleigh Ride - Jack Jones, Jack Jones
16. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
17. Rootn' Tootn' Santa Claus - Tex Beneke & His Orchestra
18. Zat You Santa Claus - Louis Armstrong & The Commanders

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #67279 in Music
• Released on: 2001-10-16
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com
You expect holly and ivy at Christmas, but how about a two-olive concoction loaded with classic swing? Eighteen cuts deep, there are pieces here for every generation that ever dug the style, from the '40s to the music's rebirth in the '90s. Truly timeless performances by Louie Armstrong (who rightfully should be Father Christmas), Louis Prima, Les Brown, and Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra, are matched by the country & western swing of Tex Beneke and filled with likeable middle-of-the-road pop fluff by Jack Jones, Jo Stafford, and Manhattan Transfer. The always-innovative Mexican pop composer-genius Esquivel delivers his eccentric trademark version of "White Christmas," while Bob Francis apes the Sinatra-Crosby-Como Rat Pack crooner style with "That Swingin' Manger," a must for any martini and mistletoe party. --Martin Keller

Customer Reviews

Cool, balanced, blend of artists for Swingin' Christmas
Rhino, the company that shops licenses from multiple
labels (rather than one label's library), has come through
with a fascinating mix of artists which range from Jack Jones
to Louis Armstrong, Loius Prima to Esquivel, Jo Stafford to
Kay Star, Tex Beneke to Woody Herman with a fascinating record
of AWAY IN THE MANGER by Bob Francis in swing tempo and unique lyrics called A SWINGING MANGER. The overly recorded WHITE CHRISTMAS is presented here by ESQUIVEL in a manner that is unique and refreshing. Half the songs, although familiar, are less frequently found in collections such as this.
I probably should have given it 5 stars.

An excellent & diverse collection.
This CD has great swingin' songs for the hip and the square. The first cut, "Shake Hands With Santa", is so hip & powerful that you'll be congratulating yourself on your purchase before it's over. "That Swingin' Manger" will remind you of a Bill Murray SNL skit. The Vic Damone & Jack Jones songs will convince you that sometimes being square can be cool. Highly recommended.

Good Stuff!
While I didn't care for one or two tracks, I have to agree with the other reviewer about this CD being an excellent, *diverse* set of swinging Christmas tunes. I was actually looking forward to Christmas getting closer so I could dig this one out and play it again (without strange looks from my wife!) Recommended without hesitation!