Stand-out tracks include their popular version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” Rowlf the Dog singing a duet with Denver on “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and Miss Piggy leading a round with “Christmas Is Coming.” Even when songs threaten to stray into hokeyness, the Muppets’ comedic bits bring it back into genuine earnestness without the tongue-in-cheek cynicism you’ll find nowadays. The album A Christmas Together is a soundtrack to a 1979 holiday television special and while it hasn’t received annual airings the way other specials have, the soundtrack is still something unique and wonderful. That magic and sincerity requires someone who is equally sincere and maybe a bit square, and arguably no one did it better than singer-songwriter John Denver. Rhere’s something magical when people interact with the Muppets even as an adult it’s so easy to believe in these characters. John Denver & The Muppets – A Christmas Together Christmas and start prepping those “parties for hosting and marshmallows for toasting” because well, you know what time of year it is. For that post-goodbye hour when you’re walking around your place surveying the damage with drink in hand and heels kicked off, side two’s traditional carols and hymns are calming and reflective. The entire first side is perfect for a sophisticated evening with friends, Williams’ smooth pop vocals going down like butterscotch. But when you actually sit down to listen to this, Williams’ first of many Christmas albums, there’s an overwhelming urge to throw a cocktail party complete with fondue and eggnog. The Andy Williams Christmas Album (1963) topped the Christmas album charts three years in a row and has become a holiday mainstay thanks to well-known songs like “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Happy Holiday/The Holiday Season,” and a popular cover of “White Christmas.” Anyone who’s ever gone shopping at a mall in December will be familiar with these songs.

Mary’s” and “Here Comes Santa Claus” and Darlene Love wows with her rendition of “White Christmas” and on the album’s only original song and now Christmas standard, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).” It’s hard to believe the album initially flopped and it wasn’t until subsequent reissues that it was able to claw its way onto ‘best of’ lists everywhere.* A Christmas Gift for You *is sugary pop goodness, the cream of the crop, setting the standard for holiday compilations for decades to come.Īndy Williams – The Andy Williams Christmas Album Soxx & the Blue Jeans add to the earnestness with their versions of “The Bells of St. The Ronettes and the Crystals add some rock ‘n roll power to kid favorites like “Frosty the Snowman,” “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town,” “Sleigh Ride,” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Bob B. Sure, Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound production style helps to define A Christmas Gift for You (1963) but do you know what else defines this album? The artists! Spector used the stars from his label, Philles Records, and was determined to make a smash holiday hit. A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector

The best holiday albums