Nat King Cole - The Christmas Song (1960) SACD from Audio Fidelity

So, we have an early X-mas this year..... Great news.

 

Wow, how'd I miss this thread. Wonderful news. I can only hope that there will be more NKC AFs in the future!

 

I can't recall: Was the mono version of this album a fold-down or a dedicated mono recording (separate microphones) and mix, like "Love Is The Thing" and some other Capitol albums of the era?

 

I think the context of Mike dk's post was, "Hopefully Audio Fidelity will release this SACD."

 

Gotcha.

 

Personally, I think this release deserves a Christmas Song "trilogy". The 46 version put it on the map, was a huge success - and helped make Nat a household name. There's no telling how differently his career may have unfolded without this song. The 53 version is considered to be the "definitive" version by many. Capitol continued to release it as a 45 for years - long after Nat recorded the stereo version. I know we sold it to record stores & jukebox dealers when I worked at a one-stop in the 80s. Plus, it was the version played on most radio stations, especially AMs. (The "original" recording, before the strings were added - that snuck on to the Rhino Billboard comp - I consider a "gift". I like it, but it's not "essential".) The other 3 are!

"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" should also be included. It was on The Magic Of Christmas and removed only to make room for The Christmas Song. Capitol has been including it on their re-issues in the CD-era for years.

I would be happy - ecstatic even - with just this much!


"O Come All Ye Faithful" is an interesting case - sung all in English. I prefer the released half-English/half-Latin version ... and I believe that was the one that was on both The Magic Of Christmas & The Christmas Song. (My Cole, Christmas & Kids CD lists it as an unreleased alternate take.) Personally, I don't really have a opinion on it. I always listen to the released version.

Including his one-off Christmas singles would be a nice touch, but I don't really see that happening. This will be a single-disc release, I'm sure.

 

Yes, the well-known hit versions were the 1946 & 51 monos.

 

Nice one.... ready for holidays

 

+1

I don't care so much for Christmas music, but this is a nice one that I will order.

 

My mom and dad had this record when I was young. Now, I will have this.

 

I'm really curious to hear the differences in the recorded versions of "The Christmas Song." I believe the CD copy I own has the 1961 and 1946 versions, although I could be wrong. Maybe that hidden track 20 is the 1950s version or the unsweetened 1961 recording? Can you point me in the direction of YouTube videos (or something similar) where I might compare and contrast the tracks? How distinct could they be?

 

You are correct - your CD has the 61 & 46 versions......plus an artificial duet version with daughter Natalie.

Here is the 1946 version - it's sometimes referred to as the "second" 1946 version, because Nat recorded it without strings first. However, the first version was never officially released, save for a happy "accident" on Rhino's "Billboard Greatest Christmas Hits 1935-1954" CD (or maybe Bill Inglot snuck it thru!). Here is the one that was released with strings:

Here is the 1953 version with Nelson Riddle's Orchestra (IMO, "the" version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU1f8K3XH6c

And finally the 1961 re-recording in stereo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ85RiQPg6A

If anyone can find a link to the 1946 "first version" go ahead & post it - I couldn't...but I'm at work!

 

The Mosaic box has both versions from 1946 and the 1953 Nelson Riddle one.

The first version without strings was also released on a German compilation LP of early Capitol recordings.

 

Thank you for the links! I'm surprised that the recordings of "The Christmas Song" are quite unique in all aspects. There's absolutely no mistaking one for the other.

To my ears, there's a depth, maturity, and sophistication to Nat's vocals in the 1961 stereo re-record that's lacking in both the 1946 and 1953 versions. Dare I say a little wistful melancholy crept in to his performance by the 1961 re-record? In previous recordings, his voice sounds more youthful and I can almost hear a smile cross Nat's face while he sings. This contrasts the somewhat moody orchestration of the melody. Perhaps it's because it's the version I grew up with, but I definitely prefer the 1961 stereo "The Christmas Song" - and Steve's remaster of it on The Nat King Cole Story SACD is a revelation!

Thanks again for sharing! Hopefully ALL these versions find their way on to the Audio Fidelity SACD this October! It would be a shame for them to NOT be included!

 

And didn't we also get an alternate take of the 1961 stereo version on last year's "The Extraordinary Nat King Cole" set?

And while we're at it, there's also a posthumous "duet" version with Frank Sinatra that I think is pretty cool, if not exactly essential.

 

I cannot wait for the official announcement.

 

If it's actually being released in October, shouldn't it have been officially announced by now?

 

Great choice.

 

I was looking back over previous NKC threads and came across a post of mine from NINE years ago (where did the time go?) detailing the various versions of "The Christmas Song," so I updated it just a bit in light of the discussion in this thread:

1. TRIO VERSION, NO STRINGS: The Christmas Song by The King Cole Trio, in mono, with no strings. This was recorded June 14, 1946, but was not released at the time because Nat believed strings were sorely needed. This version was mistakenly released on Rhino's Billboard Christmas compilation in the 1980s, and also on the Mosaic box set.

2. TRIO VERSION, WITH STRINGS: The Christmas Song by The King Cole Trio, in mono, with strings and harp. This was recorded Aug. 19, 1946, and was a hit for the trio.

3. SOLO MONO VERSION: The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole, in mono, with strings arranged by Nelson Riddle. This was recorded Aug. 24, 1953, and was long considered the definitive hit recording. This is the version that appears on most of the 45 rpm reissue singles. Legend has it that one reason Nat recorded this new version was that a friend had alerted him to the fact that in the previously released version (No. 2, above) he sang the word "reindeers," with an 's' on the end. Nat was supposedly embarrassed by the gaffe, and for this 1953 version he used the correct word "reindeer."

4. SOLO STEREO VERSION: The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole, in stereo, with strings arranged by Ralph Carmichael, recorded March 30, 1961. This is the version you hear most often on the radio now and it's the one many people today consider "definitive." To date, the best version of this is, of course, the Hoffman-mastered SACD of "The Nat King Cole Story."

5. SOLO STEREO ALTERNATE TAKE: The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole, in stereo, with strings arranged by Ralph Carmichael, recorded March 30, 1961. This is an alternate take of No. 4, above, and is most easily spotted by the lack of any piano overdub at the beginning of the instrumental break. This is available only on the 2014 2-CD set "The Extraordinary Nat King Cole," also released on Bluray Audio.

There are some other quasi-official versions, such as one performed live at NBC-TV studios for "The Nat King Cole Show," broadcast Dec. 17, 1957. That one has appeared on a few CDs and it also shows up on one very nice video compilation of clips from Nat's TV show. The DVD is entitled "The Incomparable Nat King Cole," and although it's budget priced, it has a mountain of fabulous performances in pretty decent Kinescope quality. A highly enjoyable disc and is usually available for $10 or so. It seems to be out of print now, so ebay might be the best place to look for it.

Also, there are a couple of posthumous duet versions with Natalie Cole and, separately, Frank Sinatra.

 

A UK original pressing of "The Magic Of Christmas" LP ...

 

Mel Torme said that the first version without strings was issued on the initial pressings of the 78 but was replaced by the strings version on the second run.

 

Could be. I sort of doubt that Mel's recollection was correct, though, because that would mean Capitol issued "The Christmas Song" in either JULY or AUGUST, since the strings version was recorded August 19 and would have been available from that point forward. I can't imagine a Christmas song being issued in the dead of summer. That said, I suppose Mel could have been referring to some sort of screw-up that took place later in the year, in which Capitol had both trio recordings on the shelf and simply grabbed the wrong one when it came time to actually issue the song.

A third possibility is that Mel heard (or saw, or had) an acetate or test pressing of the initial version, as opposed to a commercially released version.

By all accounts, Nat wanted strings on this song from the get-go, but Capitol was very reluctant to mess with the success of the trio sound. So he recorded the no-strings version, more or less under protest, but it only served to convince him (and apparently Capitol) that strings definitely were needed -- and so they almost immediately booked the Aug. 18 session for a do-over.

 

yes? well at least we know it's coming sooner or later. until I see an official release date I'm skeptical.

 

Yes, this CD/SACD needs to have, at a minimun, the 4 versions of "TCS" ,
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and the few other Christmas recordings that werent on the album.

What a beautiful, wonderful album this is. Its special to me, as it was a family favorite in our house and it reminds me of the great days of my youth.

please take the care and do this one right!!