On October 18, 2024 the Memphis Recording Service released an album called "From Elvis At Christmas". It's a single compact disc, housed in a 5" hardcover digipak, but in contrast to their previous outings without a booklet. Of course the album is also available on the various streaming platforms.

According to the cover we get to hear "Elvis' Christmas Album" remastered and mixed into True Living Stereo for the first time ever. Maybe "True Living Stereo" is some kind of trademark and therefore the claim might be true, but it's definitely not the first stereo incarnation of the original mono tracks.

In fact RCA issued their first "fake stereo" albums as early as 1961. Three Toscanini longplayers were upgraded with the label's own ESR (Electronic Stereo Reprocessing) technology and sold much better than the original mono editions. At the time stereo was the new standard for all recordings and the old monaural sound was considered to be outdated. Even though RCA's ESR technology sounded fine, the label switched to a variation called ERS (Electronically Reprocessed Stereo) in 1962. This procedure quickly became the norm and RCA soon re-released their complete mono catalogue (including the five Presley albums of the 1950s) in a new "fake stereo" incarnation. Everyone wanted multi-channel sound and so RCA was able to sell the old stuff a second time. When the production of mono releases was stopped in 1968, the ERS incarnations became the only available versions of older albums. With some distance more and more people realized, that the original mono editions sounded much better than the "noisy" fake versions, but it took the major labels until the 1990s (!) to re-issue the material the way it was recorded. To make a long story short: "From Elvis At Christmas" certainly isn't the first stereo incarnation of "Elvis' Christmas Album".

Back in the old days the fake stereo effect was archived by copying two separate mono signals in two separate stereo channels. The highs in one channel were stressed, while the lows in the other channel were stressed. Both channels were delayed a fraction of a second, the "hole" between the two channels was filled with reverberation and echo. Of course today's AI tools also copy the original monaural signal, but additionally they also can filter certain elements and place them on the sound stage whereever the engineer wants them to be. Besides that, there are far more opportunities to emphasize on sound elements or eleminate them (at least to a certain degree). 

From 2021 onwards the Memphis Recording Service has re-released several concert recordings. While Sony's own collector's label (Follow That Dream Records) puts the material out in their original mono version, their competitor opts to beef them up with a fake stereo sound. The results are mixed, especially the recordings of lesser quality sound better in their original form. Somehow the "stereo" treatment seems to emphasize on the distortions. However, if the audio quality of the original mono recording is good, MRS's treatment makes them sound even better.

So what about "Elvis' Christmas Album"? The original mono recordings sound tighter, but the new version adds some space to the music and sounds a bit fuller, more modern. One might say that Memphis Recording Service archieved, what RCA once longed for with their ERS technology.

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).

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 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".

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.