Track Listing

1. Overture/A Holly Jolly Christmas
2. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
3. White Christmas
4. Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem
5. Silver Bells
6. Twelve Days of Christmas
7. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
8. Little Drummer Boy
9. What Child Is This?
10. Silver and Gold
11. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
12. Winter Wonderland
13. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
14. Silent Night
15. Holly Jolly Christmas

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2621 in Music
• Brand: MCA
• Released on: 2003-09-23
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Customer Reviews

Classic Burl Ives singing
We love to hear Burl Ives sing songs such as "Wayfaring Stranger" and "What Shall I Do With the Baby-O". It is only natural that we would want to hear that wonderful, warm voice singing our favorite Christmas carols. We were delighted to find this CD. These carols have instruments and back up vocals that I don't remember Burl Ives using, but it is kept simple. "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is done with only guitar music. "Winter Wonderland" is one of my favorites with guitars, bass, and backup vocals. The instruments that I hear are harp, strings, bass, and guitars. (I hear an occasional flute or bell and a couple of other instruments that I can't identify.) The backup vocals add traditional harmonies. Even with the added instruments and backup vocals, the music is still very much done in the classic Burl Ives style. This is on my short list of "must have" Christmas CD's.

Details: This CD is 37 minutes long. The songs were originally recorded in the 50's and 60's. The quality of the remastering is very acceptable, no muddiness at all. The stereo separation is impressive.

Wonderful Christmas Collection
I bought this CD on a whim. The price was right and I'd been thinking about trying to get a copy of "A Holly Jolly Christmas." This was certainly the right choice.

Burl Ives contributes his distinctive vocals to many Christmas favorites. Compiled from several different Christmas recordings, they include such classics as "Silver Bells," "White Christmas," "What Child is this?" (with all the choruses, a bonus), "Winter Wonderland," and "O, Little Town of Bethlehem." Also included are a fun arrangement of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and a slightly different version of "Twelve Days of Christmas."

Of course, the collection wouldn't be complete without the inclusion of songs from the Rudolph special. Included here are "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Silver and Gold," and the previously mentioned "A Holly Jolly Christmas."

The recordings are simple; usually with one a few instruments and some background singers. This is different from the lush orchestra usually popular for Christmas recordings, but it's refreshing to have a different sound.

I'm not super familiar with Burl Ives' Christmas music, so I don't know what I might be missing by starting with this best of. All I do know is I don't regret the money I spent on this CD and will be enjoying it for many Christmases to come.

Return to your 1960's Childhood
During the 1950's & 1960's, Burl Ives was remembered for his unique sounding American folk music. Today most remember him for his Christmas music from the TV special "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer". The most famous songs from that series plus a few from the 1950's are in this collection. The production does sound its age, the separation & highs are off, or to write it this way: it sounds thin compared to modern recordings. I collect many records from many periods & most are better upgraded than this CD. Most songs are done rather straight forward, with few instruments & back up singers, which may sound a little corny for some, yet revealing a time of innocence & fun. Try out the Listen to Samples & see if you remember any of the songs & then sing along with your family. The most remembered are: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Silver Bells, & A Holly Jolly Christmas.