This was Cole's only complete album ofChristmas songs, although he had recorded several holiday singles earlier in his career. One of these, "The Christmas Song", originally recorded in 1946, was re-recorded for the 1961 albumThe Nat King Cole Story.
It is the best-selling Christmas album released in the 1960s, and was certified by theRIAA for shipments of 6 million copies in the U.S.[5] The 1962 version reached number 1 onBillboard's Christmas Albums chart and remained for two weeks.
All tracks, save for "A Cradle in Bethlehem" and "Caroling, Caroling", are credited on the LP label as being adapted by Nat King Cole and Edith Bergdahl.[6]
The album was reissued in 1962 asThe Christmas Song, with thetitle track added as the leadoff to Side 1 and "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" omitted.[7]
An alternate, all-English performance of "O, Come All Ye Faithful" was recorded during the album sessions and first released in 1990 on the compilation albumCole, Christmas, & Kids.[8]
Reeds: Lloyd W. Hildebrand, Jules Jacob, Harry Klee, Arthur Smith
Tracks 1, 2, 4, 8, 11,
06-July-1960 (Wednesday) - Hollywood. Capitol Tower Studio A
The Ralph Carmichael Chorus (Vocalists); Ray Linn, Joe Triscari, George Werth (tpt); James Henderson, Tom Shepard, Lloyd Ulyate (tbn); Jules Jacob, Lloyd Hildebrand, Harry Klee, Arthur Smith (wwd); Victor Arno, Israel Baker, Emil Briano, James Getzoff, Nathan Kaproff, Joseph Livoti, Emanuel Moss, Alex Murray, Erno Neufeld, Isadore Roman, Ralph Schaeffer, Joe Stepansky, Gerald Vinci (vln); Allan Harshman, Louis Kievman, Ray Menhennick, Milton Thomas (via); Armand Kaproff, Edgar Lustgarten, Emmet Sargeant, Joseph Saxon (vlc); Bob Stone (arco); Kathryn Thompson (harp); Milt Raskin (p); John Collins (g); Lloyd Lunham (b); Lee Young (d); Dale Anderson, Ralph Hansell (perc); Ralph Carmichael (arr/cond).
Tracks 3, 5, 7, 9, 13,
07-July-1960 (Thursday) - Hollywood. Capitol Tower Studio A
The Ralph Carmichael Chorus (Vocalists); Victor Arno, Israel Baker, Emil Briano, Harold Dicterow, Dave Frisina, James Getzoff, Alex Murray, Erno Neufeld, Lou Raderman, Ralph Schaeffer, Joe Stepansky, Gerald Vinci (vln); Alvin Dinkin, Allan Harshman, Louis Kievman, Gary Nuttycombe (via); Dave Filerman, Emmet Sargeant, Joseph Saxon (vlc); Bob Stone (arco); Kathryn Thompson (harp); Milt Raskin (p); John Collins (g); Lloyd Lunham (b); Lee Young (d); Dale Anderson, John Cyr (perc); Ralph Carmichael (arr/cond).
Tracks 6, 10, 12, 14,
05-July-1960 (Tuesday) - Hollywood. Capitol Tower Studio A
The Ralph Carmichael Chorus (Vocalists); Ralph Carmichael (arr/cond).
In 1999The Magic of Christmas was reissued under the titleThe Christmas Song, with several added tracks including an alternate version of "The Christmas Song" with Cole's daughter, and with new cover art.[9] This version of the album was placed at number 38 onRolling Stone's top 65 greatest Christmas albums of all time.[10]
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