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| Capitol ST- 2164 [LP], Released October 1964 |
And A Very Merry Christmas To You Too! Welcome to this, the first of several special Christmas pages, we hope you'll enjoy listening to Brian's special
Christmas Message. This album is a classic, the rememberance of seeing it, purchasing it, and hearing it, for the very first
time, are one of those precious Christmas memories. The cover and album number are those of the original vinyl, it is
now available, with bonus tracks, on CD, but if you can, track down this version, for the cover, if for no other reason.
Now for a wee bit of history and our favourite tracks.
The Beach Boys were apparently on a very tight schedule to put out
product by the time this album came to fruition, and the success of their Christmas single, "Little Saint Nick" meant that
a full-blown album was needed to be ready for the holidays. Not surprisingly Brian and the band were able to pull it
off stuffed with Christmas pudding and eggnog to spare, creating a timeless holiday classic. Blending new rock
originals, with wonderful, orchestrated arrangements of familiar Christmas classics, The
Christmas Album has something to please everyone. Personal favourites are the classic "Little Saint
Nick", The lush and slightly off-key "We Three Kings of Orient Are, a truly lovely "I'll Be Home For Christmas," and the traditional
"Auld Lang Syne" Now, rock "purists" may baulk at the use of a 40-piece orchestra to back up the boys on the ballads,
but we've always thought the Beach Boys' shimmering vocal blend and the dense orchestrations compliment each other rather well;
so there!
Love and Mercy and A Very Merry
Christmas from
All At The Brian Wilson Legacy
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Little Saint Nick" - 2:00
Album version is a different mix from the 1963 mono single
"The Man With All The Toys" -1:32
(Brian Wilson/Mike Love)
"Santa's Beard" - 2:00
(Brian Wilson/Mike Love)
"Merry Christmas, Baby" - 2:20
(Brian Wilson)
Christmas Day" -1:47
(Brian Wilson)
"Frosty The Snowman" -1:54
(Steve Nelson/Jack Rollins)
We Three Kings Of Orient Are" - 4:03
(John Henry Hopkins)
Blue Christmas" - 3:09
(Billy Hayes/Jay W. Johnson)
"Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town"
- 2:20
(J. Fred Coots/Haven Gillespie)
"I'll Be Home For Christmas" - 2:44
(K. Gannon/W. Kent/B. Ram)
"Auld Lang Syne" - 1:19
(Trad. Arr. Brian Wilson)
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