Before Celine Dion, it was Barbra Streisand who had the pipes. While I was never really a fan, I will admit that as a little kid I did like some of her songs from the movies. It's interesting that of all the holiday standards I never even knew Babs recorded Christmas songs. Well of course she did. The songs included on this special collection come from her 1967 album simply called, A Christmas Album. I just never heard any of the songs, or if I did they I don't have any memories, like the corners of my mind. Misty water-coloured memories of the way they were.
Forgive me. How could I not?
The first side of the album is all Barbra and the songs are okay and forgettable. I was hoping to discover a diamond in the rough, but all I got was a bag of coal. The second side was the one that was cobble together with as assortment of Christmas songs. Jim Nabors had an amazing voice for a guy who spent his career playing a buffoon and saying, "Golly." The Doris Day songs likewise were fun but this wasn't the good stuff, these were songs the label could cobble together and package at will. Probably the most fun is contained in the two medley mashups conducted by Andre Kostelanetz.
While this isn't an album that will make a lot of trips to my turntable, it was interesting to hear Barbra's songs. It's too bad the arrangements weren't as complimentary to her voice.
I should have gotten a ginger ale out of the fridge before I sat down, that would have made the difference.
Maybe I'll take a mulligan and give this another play through.
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