The Beach Boys' Christmas Album

[Rocker]

I was listening to this yesterday and here are some thoughts:

I was reminded, again, of what a great singer Mike was/is. His leads are really moving and his nasal-best. Then if you listen to his part in the harmonies, like in "We three kings..." for example, you'll hear that he has some pretty difficult stuff to sing compared to Brian who takes the leadmelody.

But not only Mike but everyone puts on a great show singing wise. The groupharmonies sound unbelievable full and are probably among the best in the early year. Brian's leads on "Blue christmas" is breathtaking especially when combined with the great arrangement. Same goes for "White christmas". "I'll be home for chrismas" is probably the closest the BBs ever came to the Four Freshmen (did Dick Reynolds also arrange the vocals for side two?).  A definite highlight is the duett of Mike and Brian on "Santa claus is comin' to town", plus the acapella-intro. All this shows the Beach Boys as a great vocal group who was also capable of singing in other styles than rock.

"Christmas day", although just a filler, has a very nice organ solo (who did play the organ?) and I always imagine that this is the sound that was heard in the Wilson's ome during christmas and the family gatherings at that time. It sounds so corny and square but in a good way.
I wonder why there's no Carl or Dennis-lead (except "Auld lange syne").

I also think it's cool that the album is done with one side for the young people who'd like to rock a little and one side in a more traditional way, which probably also found listeners in the non-teenage league back then. So instead of having that "dirty" image above it, like Elvis' first christmas album, this one really was an album for the whole family.

All in all, this record sounds like the Beach Boys' at their early peak (which would stretch to "Pet sounds"), when all still seemed to be fun and exciting. No bad feelings, no on stage fistfights, stoned and half-hearted appearances or stuff like that. Everybody's just happy to make this great music.

Happy christmas !

[Jason]

The Christmas Album is indeed one of the best examples of Michael's voice in the band's history, alongside his work on Smile, Sunflower, and First Love. The traditionals are very well done and Michael's baritone fits beautifully in the mix. The group vocals are just as amazing, although you can sense Al's overdriven nerves on Christmas Day.

I always believed that the Beach Boys were a group born to sing Christmas music, what with the quality of their vocals.

[Rocker]

I always believed that the Beach Boys were a group born to sing Christmas music, what with the quality of their vocals.

I know what you mean. They really were able to sing a variety of styles and these kind of songs lend themselves very good to the early Beach Boys.


BTW for everyone who hasn't seen this, it's Marvin Gaye singing a song, which then goes over into a acapellaversion of "We three kings..." by the Beach Boys. Very good idea, unfortunately the songs are in different keys so it has some bad tones during the transistion. But the Boys' performance is perfect. One asks himself how they could do this so seemingly effortless

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-zhTP_iCkc

[donald]

If you were making a mix to include the original BB Christmas Album along with select other Christmas or Winter themed songs by the Band or Brian, which would you add?  I might add Snow Flakes by AMSPRING and the single version of LSN, and Winter Symphony.  That would do it for me.

[Sheriff John Stone]

If you were making a mix to include the original BB Christmas Album along with select other Christmas or Winter themed songs by the Band or Brian, which would you add? 

Funny you should ask....I've been using this one.

A Wilson Family Christmas

1. Little St. Nick - The Beach Boys
2. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Carnie & Wendy Wilson
3. The Man With All The Toys - Brian Wilson
4. The First Noel - Brian Wilson
5. Hey Santa! - Carnie & Wendy Wilson
6. Blue Christmas - The Beach Boys
7. Christmas Day - The Beach Boys
8. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Carnie Wilson
9. Deck The Halls - Brian Wilson
10. The Christmas Song - Brian Wilson
11. Jingle Bells - Carnie Wilson
12. Let It Snow - Carnie & Wendy Wilson
13. Frosty The Snowman - The Beach Boys
14. White Christmas - The Beach Boys
15. Winter Wonderland - Carnie & Wendy Wilson
16. Winter Symphony - The Beach Boys
17. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Carnie & Wendy Wilson
18. On Christmas Day - Brian Wilson
19. Christmas Message From Dennis Wilson
20. Child Of Winter - The Beach Boys
21. Morning Christmas - Dennis Wilson
22. We Three Kings / Silent Night / Hark The Herald Angels Sing - Carnie & Wendy Wilson
23. Joy To The World - Brian Wilson
24. We Wish You A Merry Christmas - Brian Wilson

Notes: It was hard keeping The Beach Boys' "We Three Kings" off, but I love Carnie & Wendy's version and didn't want to repeat any songs. "Christmas Time Is Here Again" just missed the cut. Don't really care for "Santa's Goin' To Kokomo" or Al's solo one (the title escapes me). I almost started the mix with "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" going right into "Little St. Nick" - it works nicely, but I nixed it. "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" appears briefly on Dennis' Christmas message BTW. Frankly, I forgot about "Snowflakes"; I have to re-visit that one. Never was that crazy about "Auld Lang Syne", but would be an obvious good closer. I like closing with Brian's "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" with his kids message/greeting and the sleigh bells and bass harmonica fading away.

Any other mixes out there?   

[Paulos]

Dennis' Morning Christmas is utterly magnificent, so stately and moving I get goose bumps for the entire song especially the piano outro

[donald]

I might add a couple from Brians xmas album.  Where is the Carnie/Wendy xmas stuff from...did they do a xmas album?

[Jason]

Carnie and Wendy did a seasonal album in '93 called Hey Santa!, which is decent at best. It's also the only place to hear an official version of the Beach Boys and related families singing I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus in 1977.

[rogerlancelot]

I would love to make a mix like this. And very happy you didn't use "Santa's Got An Airplane". Probably could fit "The Lord's Prayer" though. What's the running time on your cd?

[LetHimRun]

Then if you listen to his part in the harmonies, like in "We three kings..." for example, you'll hear that he has some pretty difficult stuff to sing compared to Brian who takes the leadmelody.

Which is pretty typical. The lead is usually the melody thus usually easier to sing. Bass parts can be very simple, but also very difficult by filling out the bottom of the chords. Brian almost always came up with great vocal bass lines and Mike did a great job with them.

[grillo]

Then if you listen to his part in the harmonies, like in "We three kings..." for example, you'll hear that he has some pretty difficult stuff to sing compared to Brian who takes the leadmelody.

Which is pretty typical. The lead is usually the melody thus usually easier to sing. Bass parts can be very simple, but also very difficult by filling out the bottom of the chords. Brian almost always came up with great vocal bass lines and Mike did a great job with them.

I bet Mike came up with plenty of his own parts since he seems really into that doo-wop sort of thing. Don't Worry Baby is an example, I think, of Mike at his creative best.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I would love to make a mix like this. And very happy you didn't use "Santa's Got An Airplane". Probably could fit "The Lord's Prayer" though. What's the running time on your cd?

The running time is a little under 80 minutes; you could squeeze another song in there I guess.

I always enjoy Carnie & Wendy's CD, "Hey Santa"; there are some good traditional songs on there. At a Christmas party I DJ'd, I played their version of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" for a special slow dance (ladies' choice), and two people came up to the DJ booth after I played the song and asked who sang it! As I mentioned above, their brief version of "We Three Kings" is stunning; excellent production. I think the entire CD is well produced, actually. A clunker or two, but a good effort.

Donald, I DID include 7 solo Brian songs in the mix, including "The Christmas Song"!

A quick note on The Beach Boys' Christmas album....It might be in the top 3-4 albums as far as Brian's vocals are concerned. The falsetto was never clearer - "Blue Christmas", "White Christmas", "We Three Kings", and "Little St. Nick" (in my opinion, one of the most underrated songs in Brian's catalogue).

EDIT: Rogerlancelot, actually "The Lord's Prayer" would be a nice addition, maybe even as a closing track....

[LetHimRun]

Then if you listen to his part in the harmonies, like in "We three kings..." for example, you'll hear that he has some pretty difficult stuff to sing compared to Brian who takes the leadmelody.

Which is pretty typical. The lead is usually the melody thus usually easier to sing. Bass parts can be very simple, but also very difficult by filling out the bottom of the chords. Brian almost always came up with great vocal bass lines and Mike did a great job with them.

I bet Mike came up with plenty of his own parts since he seems really into that doo-wop sort of thing. Don't Worry Baby is an example, I think, of Mike at his creative best.

Yes, you are probably right.

[PongHit]

If you were making a mix to include the original BB Christmas Album along with select other Christmas or Winter themed songs by the Band or Brian, which would you add?

These are not Xmas-related, but Winter/snow: "Let The Wind Blow," & "Time To Get Alone."

[Aegir]

Let the Wind Blow -- winter? I associate it with May/June. Late spring, early summer.

[Rocker]

Let the Wind Blow -- winter? I associate it with May/June. Late spring, early summer.

I associate it with Johnny Cash

[Sheriff John Stone]

"Time To Get Alone", definitely. "Let The Wind Blow", I really don't get a wintery feeling for. I kind of do with "A Day In The Life Of A Tree", even with "Til I Die" a little bit. If you're looking for "wintery" filler for a comp, you could even use "Things We Did Last Summer".

Rocker, the curiosity is killing me. Why Johnny Cash?

[Rocker]

Rocker, the curiosity is killing me. Why Johnny Cash?

 
It's just that in my mind I always hear very clearly a American Recordings-version by Cash of this song. Really, I can hear it in my head. Unfortunately he never did record it....

[shelter]

I never cared for the Beach Boys' christmas album, but I LOVE Brian's christmas album. I even prefer the new versions of Little St. Nick and The Man With All The Toys over the originals. Brian's album just sounds so much warmer and "fuzzier". His current voice works great on those nostalgic christmas songs.

[Rocker]

I never cared for the Beach Boys' christmas album, but I LOVE Brian's christmas album. I even prefer the new versions of Little St. Nick and The Man With All The Toys over the originals. Brian's album just sounds so much warmer and "fuzzier". His current voice works great on those nostalgic christmas songs.

I agree on "The man with ...." (the new "little st Nick" is cool). TMWATT has some great and interesting changes but it always sounded unfinished on the original album. Much better on "What I really...."

[Nicko]

I much prefer the originals. Firstly because the original lead vocals are much better than the leads on Brian's album but also because the original harmonies are far stronger. Nothing against Brian's band but they aren't the BBs and even though the slurring has been eliminated from Brian's voice a lot on those recordings, it's still evident.

[shelter]

I much prefer the originals. Firstly because the original lead vocals are much better than the leads on Brian's album but also because the original harmonies are far stronger. Nothing against Brian's band but they aren't the BBs and even though the slurring has been eliminated from Brian's voice a lot on those recordings, it's still evident.

Obviously Brian was a much better singer in 1964 than he was in 2005. And the vocal blend of the original Beach Boys had something magical that's never been matched by any other group, including Brian's current band. No argument there. But still, I think this particular material somehow works really well with Brian's current voice. And musically, the new versions are definately superior. And I agree that the original TMWATT sounds unfinished (or at least rushed).

[punkinhead]

I actually heard Hey Santa the other day in the mall

[matt-zeus]

I love it, it's probably my favourite Christmas album and probably also my favourite pre-Today Beach boys album.
The vocals are outstanding, my favourite side 1 song is probably 'Santa's Beard' as I love the chord changes and my favourite on side 2 is 'I'll be home for christmas'.
None of the songs on the 1977 album really measure up to it (Though I do like Winter Symphony and Morning christmas), though I do like the MIU versions of the songs. I find Als Peggy sue remake 'christmas time is here again' to be excruciating, the lyrics have got to be among the lamest ever heard on a Beach boys track, and thats saying something.

[Rocker]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCjyHOzLdIg&feature=related

Go to 1:14 min


EDIT:
Well, what the heck, let's make this the Beach Boys' christmas-thread for this year.
Here are some other videos.

Mike&Bruce-Show with "White christmas":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODDl4VqtdBY

Al singing "Christmas day" and "Little st. Nick":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkl4yv4etNU


And a promospot for Brian on exteme home makeover:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPQAo9Kfqpk

Carnie & Wendy "Hey Santa" (featuring Carl on backig vocals):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO8NYJ0bZ1c&feature=related