Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
1971 studio album by Elvis Presley
Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas RCA Victor
Producer Felton Jarvis
"O Come All Ye Faithful
" Released: November 1971
Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas is the fifteenth
Platinum on December 1, 1977, 2× Platinum on May 20, 1988, and 3× Platinum on July 15, 1999, by the
RIAA .
[6]
Several of the songs on the album were published by Elvis Presley's publishing company, such as "Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees", "
The Imperials Quartet
.
Elvis
.
In 2017, a two-CD special edition of the album was released on
Follow That Dream Records
, with a significant number of unreleased takes and unedited versions of the songs that made up the original LP.
In 2021, RCA released
Elvis Back in Nashville
, a collection of recordings from the spring of 1971. These were the songs that made up various albums including Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas . The four-LP version of this release consists of the raw unedited versions of the songs that would eventually be released after various overdubbing. Of the 21 Christmas related tracks included in the package, the first 11 are presented in the same order as the 1971 release. The remaining tracks are unreleased takes and rehearsals. "Merry Christmas Baby" is presented in its entirety (over 8 minutes) with some short discussion by Elvis prior to the start of the song.
In 2023, RCA re-released the original LP on vinyl, with the track list the same as the original. The cover art for this LP is the same as the 1971 release; however, the rear cover art was altered to reflect then-current updated releases from Elvis' RCA catalog.
Track listing
Original release
Side two Title Writer(s) Recording date 1. "I'll Be Home on Christmas Day " Michael Jarrett May 16, 1971 3:50 2. "If I Get Home On Christmas Day" Tony Macaulay May 15, 1971 2:54 3. "Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees" Glen Spreen, Red West May 15, 1971 2:14 4. "Merry Christmas Baby " Lou Baxter, Johnny Moore May 15, 1971 5:45 5. "Silver Bells " Jay Livingston , Ray Evans May 15, 1971 2:03 6. "Blue Christmas " (bonus track on some reissue pressings only) Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson June 27, 1968[9] [10] 2:34
Follow That Dream re-issue
The original album Title 1. "O Come, All Ye Faithful" 2:48 2. "The First Noel" 2:09 3. "On A Snowy Christmas Night" 2:49 4. "Winter Wonderland" 2:17 5. "The Wonderful World of Christmas" 1:57 6. "It Won't Seem Like Christmas (Without You)" 2:41 7. "I'll Be Home on Christmas Day" 3:48 8. "If I Get Home On Christmas Day" 2:51 9. "Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees" 2:52 10. "Merry Christmas Baby" 5:44 11. "Silver Bells" 2:26
Bonus song Title 12. "I'll Be Home On Christmas Day" (remake master) 3:43
First takes Title 13. "It Won't Seem Like Christmas (Without You)" (takes 1, 3) 4:36 14. "If I Get Home on Christmas Day" (take 1) 3:37 15. "I'll Be Home on Christmas Day" (takes 1, 3) 7:54 16. "Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees" (takes 1, 2) 3:13 17. "Silver Bells" (takes 1, 2) 4:41 18. "I'll Be Home On Christmas Day" (remake takes 1, 2) 5:48
First takes Title 1. "I'll Be Home on Christmas Day" (take 4) 4:58 2. "If I Get Home On Christmas Day" (takes 2, 3) 3:51 3. "Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees" (take 3) 2:27 4. "I'll Be Home on Christmas Day" (remake take 3) 4:24 5. "It Won't Seem Like Christmas (Without You)" (takes 4, 5) 3:03 6. "O Come, All Ye Faithful" (take 2) 4:28 7. "If I Get Home on Christmas Day" (take 5) 3:00 8. "The Lord's Prayer" (public domain) 3:01 9. "I'll Be Home On Christmas Day" (takes 5, 6) 4:20 10. "Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees" (takes 4) 2:36 11. "It Won't Seem Like Christmas (Without You)" (take 6) 3:14 12. "Merry Christmas Baby" (take 1[unedited version]) 8:29 13. "I'll Be Home on Christmas Day" (remake takes 4, 9) 7:24 14. "If I Get Home on Christmas Day" (take 7) 2:57 15. "Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees" (takes 5, 8) 3:39 16. "Winter Wonderland" (takes 7, 8) 3:53 Total length: 2:11:34
Personnel
Credits from Keith Flynn and Ernst Jorgensen's examination of session tapes and RCA and AFM paperwork.[11] [12]
Elvis Presley – lead vocals
James Burton – lead guitar
Chip Young – rhythm guitar
Norbert Putnam – bass
David Briggs – piano
Kenneth Buttrey – drums (tracks A1-A5, B1)
Jerry Carrigan – drums (tracks A6, B2-B5)
Charlie Hodge – rhythm guitar
Charlie McCoy – harmonica, organ, percussion
Millie Kirkham – backing vocals (tracks A2-A3, A5-A6, B2-B3, B5)[13]
Gene Estes – marimba (tracks A3, B3, B5)[14]
Eddie Hinton – overdubbed lead guitar on "Merry Christmas Baby"[15]
Larrie Londin – additional drums (track B1), additional percussion (A1, A3, B3)
Farrell Morris – bells (track B5), additional percussion (B5)
Tommy Shepard – trombone (tracks A3, B3, B5)
The Imperials
Terry Blackwood – backing vocals (tracks A1-A3, A5-A6, B2-B3, B5)
Joe Moscheo – backing vocals (tracks A1-A3, A5-A6, B2-B3, B5)
Jimmie Murray – backing vocals (tracks A1-A3, A5-A6, B2-B3, B5)
Armond Morales – backing vocals (tracks A1-A3, A5-A6, B2-B3, B5)
Greg Gordon – backing vocals (tracks A1-A3, A5-A6, B2-B3, B5)
Production and Arrangements
Felton Jarvis – producer
Al Pachucki – basic track(s) recording engineer (tracks A1-B5), overdubs recording engineer (organ on A1, background vocals on A2-A3, A5-A6, B2-B3, B5, guitar on B4, bell & percussion on B5)
Glen Spreen – brass arrangements (tracks A1, A5, B1-B2), string arrangements (A1, A3, A5-B3, B5), organ played by (tracks A1-A5, B1), organ overdubs (A1)
Sidney Sharp – string contractor (tracks A1, A3, A5-B3, B5), brass contractor (A1, A5, B1-B2)
Mickey Crofford – instrumental overdubs recording engineer (tracks A3, A6-B1, B3, B5)
Bonus Track Personnel ("Blue Christmas", included on some re-releases)
Certifications
Provider
Level
Date
RIAA
3× Platinum
July 15, 1999
References
AllMusic
. Retrieved March 10, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
.
^ "Elvis Presley: Album Guide" . rollingstone.com . Archived from the original on September 18, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2015 .
.
^ "Elvis sings The Wonderful World of Christmas" . RIAA. 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2013 . Note: Enter advanced search for The Wonderful World of Christmas
^ "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: May 16–17, 1971". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/710516.html
^ "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: May 15–16, 1971". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/710515.html
^ "Live Recordings for NBC TV Special 'Elvis': 6PM Sit-Down Show". 27 June 1968. Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/680627_6pm.html
^ "Live Recordings for NBC TV Spevial 'Elvis': 8PM Sit-Down Show". 27 June 1968. Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/680627_8pm.html
^ Flynn, Keith. "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: May 15-16, 1971" . KeithFlynn.com . Retrieved January 4, 2024 .
^ Flynn, Keith. "Elvis Presley Recording Sessions: May 16-17, 1971" . Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages . Retrieved January 4, 2024 .
^ The Imperials and Millie Kirkham. "May 24, 1971 Overdub Sessions". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/710524ods.html
^ Spreen, Glen. "June 22, 1971: Tuesday Afternoon Overdub Sessions". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/710622as_ods.html
^ Glen Spreen, Eddie Hinton & Farrell Morris. "July 26, 1971 Overdub Sessions". Keith Flynn's Elvis Presley Pages. http://keithflynn.com/recording-sessions/710726ods.html
External links
Studio albums Soundtrack albums EPs Live albums Budget albums Compilation albums Box sets Biographical media Documentaries TV specials Stage shows Related people Related articles