Andy Williams has long been called Mr. Christmas by just about anyone familiar with his holiday classics recordings, of which there are three for Columbia Records. It’s a sure bet that many of you reading this may have grown up listening to a spinning holidays LP from Andy Williams. I had the benefits of seeing the annual Christmas television shows hosted by Mr Williams. And I loved them.
With the Classic Christmas Album series being added to by Legacy, the one featuring Andy Williams’ recorded tunes stands out tall (for me). And it may just do the same for you.
Of the three albums recorded for Columbia, from which this collection culls from, the first one, The Andy Williams Christmas Album from 1963, contained the most popular Williams holiday tune in “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”. The odds are high you’ve heard this one. If you’re a fan, then you’ve heard them all on all three Columbia titles.
While the best case scenario is to have all of the Williams holidays albums at your disposal during the festive times of the year, a well selected collection of the best is just as refreshing. And this collection really does the trick.
It begins with the tenderly sung “Joy To The World” and runs through (within the course of its sequencing, and not in order), “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire”, “Winter Wonderland”, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”, “Silver Bells”, “Kay Thompson’s Jingle Bells”, “My Favorite Things”, “O Holy Night”, and, ironically, closing with “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”.
And there are more songs on this set than I’ve mentioned, sixteen all together. I have to tell you, I love this playlist. It absolutely works. I’m an old softie at heart when it comes to the holidays. In fact, I own quite a lot of holiday albums. But with all of the ones that I own, I’m insistent that all of the Andy Williams holiday albums come out for several plays each.
This play-list collection warms the heart on those cold holidays.
Release Date: October 8, 2013
Label: Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings
Website
Availability: CD
–Matt Rowe
A very good single CD collection but there was room for at least a few more. Fans of Andy Williams’ Christmas songs can get all three albums together (along with a few bonus cuts) from Real Gone Music’s double CD re-issue. Scheduled for the end of October. It’s going to be an expensive month.
I was surprised that “Happy Holiday/The Holiday Season” was missing. Someone goofed!