![]() Interestingly enough, This Christmas could have been a record of holiday standards. Famously called “Where Are My Background Singer?” LaBelle tersely asks after her backup singers as she soldiers through a rendition of Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas” that meanders because the poor soul in charge of holding up the cue cards was off, as well. Parton would become the epitome of goodness and kindness, and as a sparkly, ebullient Fairy Queen of Christmas, she shines.Ĭhristmas with Patti LaBelle, for many, will mean her viral video of a shambolic performance at the National Christmas tree lighting in 1996, in which she was forced to perform solo because her backup singers were MIA. And on the churchy stuff like “Go Tell It on the Mountain”, Parton gives spirited, lively performances, her voice channeling her deep faith. On the kids’ songs like “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, she uses her mega-watt personality and charisma. The selections of tunes on Home for Christmas are roughly divided into fun, secular Christmas tunes, and gospel numbers. Also, because the song choices were Christmas standards, we can revel in the gorgeous beauty of Parton’s beautiful, angelic voice. But on this album, she seems enlivened, imbued with the holy spirit. Dolly Parton isn’t merely a country singer, but she’s a devout and spiritual woman, and the sacred material on the record is beautiful During this period of her career, a lot of her music felt rote, and as a result, her performances were often perfunctory in the 1980s. ![]() Despite being recorded at the height of her 1980s/1990s Daisy Mae in the Hollywood phase of her career, the record is a rootsy, largely acoustic affair that allows for the country legend to train. Home for Christmas plays to Dolly Parton’s immense strengths. With support from band leader Frank DeVol, Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas is a fun, blissful listen. Louis is still the seminal version), take a spin of Fitzgerald’s casual, relaxed rendition: instead of sounding pressed and desperate, the song becomes a sporty rumination on patience – Fitzgerald sounds confident that even if she cannot see her loved ones this Christmas, she’ll soon…She’ll be fine. Though Ralph Blane’s lyrics on “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” have the potential to be devastating (Judy Garland’s heart-wrenching take from Meet Me in St. Though the song selection is fizzy and lively, it’s still a solid jazz-pop record and not just a novelty seasonal album. (She would follow up this holiday album with a religious record of holiday music on 1967’s Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas.) Choosing light, enjoyable fare makes this album a fun, swinging record that is light and effervescent, like bubbly champagne. On Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas, the jazz great chooses to record an album of secular Christmas pop, eschewing any spiritual music.
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