“The Andy Williams Christmas Album” is the Best!

It`s a hard thing to attempt to identify the greatest Christmas record ever recorded. But for me it`s easy. It`s The Andy Williams Christmas Album. I don`t even blink when trying to figure that one out. While growing up, my family always watched The Andy Williams Christmas Special on NBC together. Andy would always sing many of his classics from his original 1963 release. I would play the album on my parents low-fi record player and sing with amateur passion along with him, imagining myself to be a recording artist and superstar just like Andy.

The thing that`s so great about the 1963 release is the perfect performances by Andy Williams on the songs. Completely sincere and earnest. No fakeness in his voice. He really buys into the Christmas Story and we can accept it ourselves when he tells it through moving song. The biggest hit is certainly It`s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Second would have to be Happy Holiday/The Holiday Season. If I hear this one while I`m shopping at the department stores I`m going to spend more money. This is the American Way!

Most of us know of the sadder chapters in the life of Andy Williams. I won`t get into that here. But this morning I did learn something new. Andy was at the Ambassador Hotel on the night that Robert Kennedy was assassinated. That is a sad fact. Subsequently, he released a 45″ single on Columbia with Ave Maria and Battle Hymn of the Republic as a tribute to Bobby. So make a beeline to your attic and get The Andy Williams Christmas Album out of storage. It`s the best! P.S. His The Christmas Song is my favorite version of that one also.

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