A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra (1957)

A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra was his first and best known Christmas album. It was released in 1957 with Gordon Jenkins conducting the orchestra and The Ralph Brewster Singers providing background vocals.

The album is mostly a low key affair with Jenkins' lush orchestra backing the singing legend on an array of carols and traditional holiday standards. Sinatra is mostly subdued on this thirty-nine minute album, and even on the uptempo arrangements he never comes close to working up a sweat.

The bouncier tunes include a unique version of "Jingle Bells" on which the singers share the spotlight with him to great effect. "Mistletoe and Holly," is a rarity because Sinatra shares a co-writing credit and while it's not exactly exuberant it stands out as one of the looser, more free-spirited tracks on the record.

Sinatra had a way of adding an earthiness to his ballads as "One For My Baby" has always proven but there is no grit on this record anywhere, perhaps because he recognized the sacredness of much of the music even though he was not a religious man.

A few of Ol' Blue Eyes' highly regarded contemporaries - Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, and Andy Williams among them - all released livelier Christmas records while Sinatra's set often sounds like he's having trouble staying awake. This isn't a criticism. The albums by Martin, Cole, and Williams are more suited for an activity such as decorating a tree or baking cookies while Sinatra's is for quiet listening by a crackling fire while snuggling with your loved one after the youngsters have gone to bed on Christmas Eve.

The 1987 CD reissue adds two bonus tracks, "White Christmas" and "The Christmas Waltz," with the orchestra conducted by Nelson Riddle.

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