Published on Oct 11, 2017
You better watch out, you better not cry, better not pout, I’m telling you why: Elvis Presley is coming to town (again).
Christmas is less than three months away and another batch of Elvis Presley music has been re-imagined. The latest in the Elvis sweepstakes is 13 of his Christmas tunes, now backed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Elvis Presley’s three Christmas albums have sold a combined 24,000,000 copies and his original 1950s Christmas release, Elvis’ Christmas Album, remains his biggest selling. The original reease is one of the better Christmas releases in that it combines rock, sacred, and gospel with some gritty – and in several cases bluesy – vocals by the King. It is just about the perfect Christmas album.
As Jim Croce wrote, “And you don’t tug on Superman’s cape, you don’t spit into the wind, you don’t pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger,” and you don’t mess around with the perfect Christmas album.
In many ways, the background orchestra takes away from the power of Elvis’ vocals. When the orchestra is reduced to the distant background and the vocals are more upfront, it is just a better listen, such as on “Merry Christmas Baby.”
If you have not heard or want to obtain some of Elvis’ Christmas music, seek out a copy of his original first album. It is readily available. If you are an Elvis fan who has to have everything, then go ahead and get this one.