How Many Days Until Christmas Again? - Page 2

Ray Conniff's Christmas Album

I must admit, I don't specifically recall Ray Conniff's Christmas album, originally released as "Here We Come A-Caroling," as being played much around our house during the Christmas season. But as Conniff's daughter writes, I think I share a perspective with him:

Christmas was my dad's favorite holiday. He and my mom would turn into big kids - giddy as they decorated the house with holly, bells, red and green candles, sparkly lights and holiday knick-knacks purchased on one of their many cross-country motor home trips during which no antique shops was ever left unturned.

Christmas was always my favorite holiday as a child, and remains so. It isn't just my faith in "the reason for the season," but the memories and associations the holiday brings to mind. I remember the tree-decorating ceremonies, the elaborate rituals of the advent calendar and candles, the stories my grandfather (and then my mother) would recite about their own childhoods. And yes, the music. It seemed we always had Christmas music playing in the background, be it playful tunes like "All I Want For Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth") and "I'm Gettin' Nuttin' For Christmas" to carols like "Silent Night" and "Joy to the World." This collection falls in the latter category, as other than the title cut, "Here We Come A-Caroling," the album is largely filled with spiritual carols that focus on the babe of Bethlehem rather than the more modern Claus of Christmas. There's "Silent Night, Holy Night," "Away in a Manger," "Joy to the World," "Go Tell It On the Mountain," "What Child is This?" and more. Here again, this album - originally released in 1965 - reminds me of my childhood, and for those folks like me born in the occasionally turbulent sixties it may well bring back memories.

As for the music itself: well, as one site describes Conniff: "If Mantovani is the epitome of elevator music, Ray Conniff is the epitome of supermarket music." Though his work is occasionally maligned in such fashion, in truth his work on this album is entertaining and engaging. The way I'm thinking, no collection of "classic Christmas music" would likely be complete without Conniff's "easy listening" style.

Article Author: W.E. Wallo

W.E. Wallo is a book and movie junkie whose writings have appeared in a variety of print and online publications.

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