Nat King Cole The Christmas Song 180g LP (Picture Disc)

The magic of Christmas is a strange and wondrous thing. Like a midwinter spell it makes the chill air turn warm, and fills men's hearts with good will to all other men. It's a kind of magic that finds voice in the joyous Christmas songs that are the common chorus of the western world. For this album, Nat King Cole's own contribution to Christmas, he has chosen a program of songs that are not only his own favorites, but the time-tested favorites of most people. Accompanying him, in a variety of beautiful combinations, are two orchestras and three choral groups, all under the direction of arranger-conductor Ralph Carmichael. The result, unique among musical presentations, is a definitive and majestic dedication to the spirit of the season. Never has the magic of Christmas been more beautifully expressed.

Nat King Cole was so smooth that his songs could elegantly slide away from a listener, like a figure skater heading for the far end of the pond. This album, originally released as The Magic of Christmas in 1960, provides baritone reassurance that Christmas is a happy time, not an annual family debacle. But the secret ingredient is Cole singing hymns in German and Latin: straining to put across foreign lyrics, you can hear him employing all his professional skill.