Search - Doris Day :: Personal Christmas Collection

DORIS MAKES EVERY DAY LIKE CHRISTMAS

Paul Brogan | Portsmouth, NH United States | 12/24/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This well-packaged and great sounding CD is one that should be enjoyed every day not just during the holiday season. The reason? Because Doris Day's vocal expertise brings something ageless and timeless to each and every song she sings. Some of the songs on this deservedly well-loved Christmas collection have rarely been sung better and Miss Day lends such a distinctive flare to some of the songs that it'll take you a moment to realize you have heard the song before.
The bulk of this collection is taken from her 1964 Christmas Album that was released by Columbia. The orchestrations are lush and lovely but it is Miss Day who ultimately makes it work. Her voice had taken on a wonderfully smoky quality that lends romance and almost a touch of eroticism to such standards as "Christmas Waltz" and "Winter Wonderland" and "Let It Snow....". The last two are usually sung by artists in a perky, bouncy manner but Miss Day's renditions in a slower tempo with her usual brilliant enunciation making every word count, quickly takes one to a fire crackling in a fireplace in front of a couch replete with drinks and a romantic pairing. It's quite a remarkable feat but Miss Day makes it work effortlessly.
The other numbers are also rendered well and I especially enjoyed "The Christmas Story" which Miss Day sang in one of the more memorable scenes of her 1951 hit film, "On Moonlight Bay" and "Ol Saint Nicholas" which she chirped in the baseball hit, "The Winning Team" co-starring Ronald Reagan.
While one might quibble with this or that and certainly wish that the 1964 recordings of a couple of numbers were included in lieu of earlier versions, this is a Christmas treasure that will quickly become a favorite of anyone who owns it, a gift to be unwrapped 365 days a year."

Nothing Like a DAY for Christmas!!

Jeepster01 | Southwest US | 12/08/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Virtually all of Doris Day's awesome recording career is on the Columbia label. So researching her career is not that difficult.
Her Christmas album recorded with Pete King on June 16,17,18 of 1964 is absolute perfection. It should be used as a benchmark for professionalism by any recording artist to hope to achieve!
This particular compilation has a couple of fatal flaws. The producer, Mr. Jerry Schulman, pulled a fast one on listeners. He did exactly what he said, that's that every Christmas title Doris covered is here. With the exception of one that was found after this CD was produced.
He substituted 2 of the incredible titles from the 1964 sessions with the same songs recorded in Doris' early years. They are, "The Christmas Song(Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)"which the 1946 one is included here, and "Silver Bells" which the 1950 is included here. These two titles from the 1964 sessions with Pete King are absolutely stunning! To have not included them at all on this collection was a big mistake!!! Shame on him. Doris' rendition of these two songs from 1964 will leave you speachless.
Didier Deutsch mentions in his liner notes the 9 tracks of Christmas music that Frank DeVol layed down in 1959 for Doris to record a Christmas Album for that year. They couldn't find any vocals in the vaults and it looks like the project was abandond for some reason. But later on, when Bear Family was putting out the four Boxed sets of everything Doris recorded including alternates and unreleased stuff, they found a gem! At the end of the session where Doris recorded "Pillow Talk" and some other songs for the film in 1959, they ended up with extra time. So she recorded "Deck The Halls". What a find! To date, "Deck the Halls" has been released on a few Sony/Columbia Christmas collections. It's an awesome recording from that time.
There's still 8 tracks of fine Christmas music waiting in the Columbia vaults for Doris Day to lay down the vocals to. I've mentioned it to Doris on many an occasion. Imagine! A CD released next year with all that great music and Doris singing the songs, finishing a project started over 40 years ago! I figure tho, that if her son Terry Melcher can't talk her into recording anymore, NO ONE CAN. Send her letters! There's no reason for this not to happen. The music is already done!This is the only Christmas CD for Doris Day in release right now. But I would immagine the original 12 songs from the 1964 Christmas Album will be released again. It's just too good not to be. In the meantime, this CD needs to be updated and three tracks added b/4 being sold again next year!
The liner notes on this CD are superb and very informative. The picture of Doris on the cover circa 1964 is flawless. How could anyone be that beautiful, sound that good, and just "do" things the way this woman does. Thank you GOD! I think Columbia Legacy should let me put together a Cd or two of Doris's stuff. It would be like NOTHING you've had to date and would be carefully mixed and layed down as they were meant to be with some real suprizes of my own ingenutiy, including Doris Day! And I would guarntee you continutiy of sound! Not a 1946 track followed by a 1966 track. They just don't go together no matter how good they are!
Jason Derer, December 7, 2002"

2003 re-release of the Doris Day Christmas Album!!

tallguy | Chicago, IL | 12/06/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"To all of you who are disappointed in this CD because some of the tracks from the 1964 release of The Doris Day Christmas Album are "missing", look no further. Apparently, in November of 2003, either Columbia (or Sony) has re-released the Christmas Album as a UK Import. Look it up on Amazon UK or Tower UK. It is called "Doris Day Christmas Collection" or "Doris Day Christmas Album" depending on which website you find it on. From what I can tell (I have not heard the CD yet), it has all 9 tracks from the original 1964 release, plus several more "bonus" tracks. I will order it right away. Even paying for the international air mail from the UK is worth having those tracks. At least now, true Doris fans won't have to pay a "super rare out of print" price on what has become one of Doris's BEST albums. Doris has always been one of the 20th Century's most underrated singers."