Timed to coincide with the Christmas business RCA Victor released "Elvis' Christmas Album" on October 15, 1957. Starting on December 2nd Billboard listed the record on their "Pop Albums Chart" where it had a run of nine weeks and peaked at number one. Between 1963 and 1974 the magazine compiled a special "Christmas Chart". Here the album became a constant feature and was ranked at number 5 (1963), 3 (1964), 2 (1965), 2 (1966), 3 (1967), 3 (1968), 2 (1969) and 2 (1970). After that RCA canceled the album and replaced it by a budget release issued through their own CAMDEN label. The RIAA honored the US sales with Gold (1963), Platinum (1992) and Tripple Platinum (1999). During its initial sales period "Elvis' Christmas Album" sold 200,000 units, the total global sales are 5 million copies. Translated to the present this would be 750 million paid streams of the complete album or 7.5 billion paid streams of individual tracks. The album belongs to the best sellers of the Presley catalogue, compared to the previously released "Loving You" it was a sales increase of a staggering 67%. In modern times the way of listening to music has changed a lot, but still "Elvis Christmas Album" managed to gain about 800 million streams on Spotify.

The first edition of "Elvis' Christmas Album" featured a booklike cover, evoking a feeling of high quality. It included pictures of the singer, which were shot in conjunction with his latest movie "Jailhouse Rock". Later editions featured a new artwork and were delivered in the usual record sleeves. Here RCA Victor used pictures shot while Elvis served the US Army in Germany. The front cover featured a photomontage of the king and snowy mountains, the back cover showed him on duty in his uniform, which not really matched the message of peace and love.

On the streaming platforms "Elvis' Christmas Album" is available as released on November 28, 2022. I don't know if any further mixing or mastering has been done since 2016, when the core of the Presley albums was re-worked for "The Album Collection". For this project all tracks were scanned with high-resolution equipment and remastered. Therefore the album can be presented with the golden Hi-Res emblem. The better sound of these versions is owed exclusively to the new mastering (the elimination of interfering noise). Because first one cannot turn an analogue recording into a high resolution recording just by scanning the tape with hd equipment and second even an old cd with 16 bit/44.1 kHz exceeds the auditory sense of a human being.

The album was filled with eight newly recorded Christmas songs and four gospels, that had already been released on the ep "Peace In The Valley". It's quite obvious that Colonel Parker and RCA Victor wanted Elvis to appeal to a broader audience and tried to attract it by a high class presentation. The army pictures of the later editions served the purpose of pleasing the true patriots and maybe also some teenagers, who bought the album because of the "rare" photos of private Presley. By the way, the album has a running time of 30:09 minutes.

The Christmas songs were recorded between September 5 and 7, 1957 at Radio Recorders in Hollywood/California. As usual Steve Sholes acted as producer, the sound engineer was Thorne Nogar. The quartet of Elvis, Scotty, Bill and D.J. was accompanied by Dudley Brooks, who played the piano. The harmony vocals were provided by The Jordanaires (Gordon Stoker, Hoyt Hawkins, Neal Matthews and Hugh Jarrett) and Millie Kirkham.

For a review of the ep "Peace In The Valley" tap HERE.

In 1970 RCA Victor removed the album from the catalogue and substituted the product by a budget version released by their own discount-label CAMDEN. This cheaper version sold more than three times as much as the original release and is regarded to be the best selling Christmas album to date. Tap HERE to read the review.

Sony Music Entertainment's own collector's label Follow That Dream Records released a special edition of "Elvis' Christmas Album" in 2014. Besides the tracks of the original album, this edition also featured bonus songs and outtakes. For a review tap HERE.

In this great, bluesy song Santa arrives in a black Cadillac and it's up to the imagination of the listener what is meant by "Hang up your pretty stockings and turn off the light - Santa Claus is comin' down your chimney tonight". Obviously Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller completely satisfied the wish to deliver a song suitable for the image of the king of rock'n'roll. "Santa Claus Is Back In Town!" was recorded on September 7, 1957 within seven takes. RCA Victor also released the track on the ep "Elvis Sings Christmas Songs" (1957) and the single "Santa Claus Is Back In Town!" / "Blue Christmas" (1965).

The song premiered on the first Christmas day of 1941, when Bing Crosby performed it on his radio show "The Kraft Music Hall". On May 29th of the following year he recorded it with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra and The Ken Darby Singers within 18 minutes and released it on July 30th on the album "Songs From The Film Holiday Inn". To Crosby "White Christmas" wasn't anything special, but in 1942 it peaked at the number one of the Billboard Charts and stayed there for no less than 11 weeks. With sales of over 50 million units it's regarded to be the most successful single release of all time. Countless artists have covered "White Christmas", Elvis did it on September 6, 1957 and needed nine takes. It is said that Irving Berlin, the writer of the song, disliked the king's version so much, that he asked the radio stations to boycott the recording. Even though Berlin's reaction was ridiculous, I cannot help to agree to his general criticism. Elvis' version simply lacks all festiveness and emotional depth I expect of a performance of this song. By 1957 he simply lacked the technique and the wealth of experience to do it right. RCA Victor also released "White Christmas" on the ep "Christmas With Elvis" (1958).

Elvis recorded this nice uptempo song on September 6, 1957 within two takes. He really delivered a great performance, very snappy and catchy. The first version was recorded in 1947 by Gene Autry, who had written "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)" with Oakley Haldeman. RCA Victor used the king's version also on the extended player "Christmas With Elvis" (1958).

Bing Crosby sang this song in 1943 and portrayed a soldier, who promises his family to be back home for Christmas. It turns out that it's nothing but wishful thinking when he sings at the end "I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams". Elvis' version, recorded on September 7, 1957 within 15 takes, certainly is ok, but it lacks the depth a song of this kind requires. "I'll Be Home For Christmas" was written by Kim Gannon and Walter Kent. To avoid a legal dispute with Buck Ram, who had written a song of the same title, Gannon and Kent credited him and therefore gave him a third of their royalties. RCA Victor also released Elvis' recording on the ep "Elvis Sings Christmas Songs" (1957).

The rock'n'roll king put this one on tape within three takes on September 5, 1957. RCA Victor released it on the ep "Elvis Sings Christmas Songs" (1957), the singles "Blue Christmas" / "Wooden Heart" (1964) and "Santa Claus Is Back In Town!" / "Blue Christmas" (1965) and the album "A Legendary Performer - Volume 2" (1976). A live recording is featured on the album "Elvis" (1968). The song was written by Bill Hayes and Jay Johnson, the first recorded version was done by Doye O'Dell. It finally got popular by cover versions of Ernest Tubb, Hogo Winterhalter & His Orchestra and Russ Morgan & His Orchestra.

This song ends the a-side of the album. The catchy uptempo popsong was written by Aaron Schroeder and Claude DeMetrius, but even though it was often played by the radio djs, RCA Victor only released it on a single in Great Britain. It was quite successful and made it in the top 10 of the UK Charts. Elvis recorded "Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me)" on September 7, 1957 within nine takes. His recording was also released on the extended player "Elvis Sings Christmas Songs" (1957).

The song was written in 1868 by Phillips Brooks and Lewis Redner and first recorded by The Trinity Choir in 1916. Elvis did so on September 7, 1957 and needed four takes to create a satisfactory version. He certainly sings well, but by 1957 he was way better on the uptempo stuff. RCA Victor released "O Little Town Of Bethlehem" in 1958 on the ep "Christmas With Elvis".

This is an adaptation of "Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht", a song written by Joseph Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber in 1818. Today this composition is regarded to be the most famous of its kind and was declared "world heritage" by the UNESCO in 2011. Even though I am not religious, this is my favorite piece of music. No other song is so solemn, moving and beautiful like this. Unfortunately Elvis' performance doesn't evoke any emotions, it simply lacks depth and feelings. In 1958 RCA Victor also used "Silent Night" on the extended player "Christmas With Elvis".

On January 6, 1957 Elvis had surprised his audience when he performed the gospel "Peace In The Valley" on "The Ed Sullivan Show". Seven days later he recorded it in the studio within nine takes. Originally Thomas A. Dorsey had written the song for Mahalia Jackson, but the big hit was by Red Foley & The Sunshine Boys. Their version made it to number 7 on the "Country & Western Charts" in 1951 and became the first gospel record that sold more than a million copies. I am known for disliking most of the ballads Elvis recorded in his early days, but "Peace In The Valley" is the big exception. His voice sounds nothing but great and he performs with depth, warmth and believable feelings. RCA Victor had released "Peace In The Valley" on an extended player of the same name, in 1971 it was also featured on the CAMDEN album "You'll Never Walk Alone".

The same applies to "I Believe". Elvis recorded it on January 12, 1957. Take 9 was selected as the master. The king surely sings it well, but he certainly would have done it better a few years later. Erwin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl and Al Stillman had written "I Believe" in 1953 for Jane Froman. The song was covered by many great artists like Perry Como, Dolly Parton and Frank Sinatra. 

This one was also written by Thomas A. Dorsey. At least, that's what the copyright claims, because the melody is based on a hymn by George Nelson Allen called "Maitland". The Heavenly Gospel Singers were the first to record "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" way back in 1937. On January 13, 1957 Elvis needed 14 attempts to do so. RCA Victor released the track on the ep "Peace In The Valley", CAMDEN used it on the album "You'll Never Walk Alone" (1971).

Like all gospel songs on this album, this one, too, was first released on "Peace In The Valley" and later on "You'll Never Walk Alone". Elvis recorded "It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)" on January 19, 1957 within 13 takes. The songs was written by Stuard Carl Hamblen, who also recorded it in 1950.