Christmas | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 15, 1984 | |||
Recorded | 1984 | |||
Genre | Christmas music, synthpop, new wave | |||
Length | 33:01 | |||
Label | American Gramaphone | |||
Producer | Chip Davis | |||
Mannheim Steamroller chronology | ||||
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Mannheim Steamroller Christmas albums chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Christmas [2] (also known as Mannheim Steamroller Christmas [3] ) is the first Christmas album and sixth studio album released by American musical group Mannheim Steamroller. It was the band's first album to chart on the Billboard 200 album chart, peaking at No. 50.
On June 21, 2004, the album was certified 6× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipment of six million copies in the United States since its 1984 release, making it one of the best-selling Christmas/holiday albums in the U.S. [4]
Seven of the album's 11 tracks were included in the group's 2004 compilation Christmas Celebration .
It is Manheim Syeamroller's second best selling Christmas album (next to A Fresh Aire Christmas ), [5] and as of November 2014, it was the seventh best-selling Christmas/holiday album in the U.S. during the Nielsen SoundScan era of music sales tracking (March 1991 – present), having sold a total of 3,500,000 copies during that period according to SoundScan. [6]
2019 marked the 35th anniversary of the album, which was celebrated with special-edition vinyl and compact disc releases. [3]
No. | Title | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Deck the Halls" | Traditional (Welsh ayre) | 3:43 |
2. | "We Three Kings" | John Hopkins | 3:45 |
3. | "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella" | Traditional (17th century French) | 2:32 |
4. | "Coventry Carol" | Traditional (16th century English) | 2:38 |
5. | "Good King Wenceslas" | Traditional (English carol) | 3:29 |
6. | "Wassail, Wassail" | Traditional (Ancient English carol) | 2:20 |
7. | "Carol of the Birds" | Traditional (Bas-Quercy) | 2:03 |
8. | "I Saw Three Ships" | Traditional (15th century legend) | 1:28 |
9. | "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" (Renaissance version [lower-alpha 1] ) | Traditional (English carol) | 1:38 |
10. | "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" (rock version) | Traditional (English carol) | 4:19 |
11. | "Stille Nacht" | Franz Gruber | 5:26 |
Louis F. "Chip" Davis Jr. is the founder and leader of the music group Mannheim Steamroller. Davis composed the music for several C. W. McCall albums, including the hit 1975 song "Convoy". He has also written and made other albums, such as Day Parts, and has written several books.
Mannheim Steamroller is an American neoclassical new-age music ensemble founded and directed by percussionist/composer Chip Davis in 1974. The group is known primarily for its Fresh Aire series of albums, which blend classical music with elements of new age and rock, and for its modern recordings of Christmas music. The group has sold 28 million albums in the U.S. alone.
Home for Christmas is the tenth studio album by Christian music and pop music singer Amy Grant, released on October 6, 1992. It is Grant's second holiday album, the first being 1983's A Christmas Album.
Christmas in the Aire is the third Christmas album and twenty-first studio album released by American musical group Mannheim Steamroller. The album was originally released in 1995, and was the biggest-selling holiday album in the United States that year with sales of 1,844,000 according to Nielsen/SoundScan.
A Fresh Aire Christmas is the tenth studio album and second Christmas album by American musical group Mannheim Steamroller, released in 1988.
Christmas Extraordinaire is Mannheim Steamroller's sixth Christmas album overall and the group's fourth Christmas studio album. The album was originally released in 2001. The song "O Tannenbaum" features a lead vocal by Johnny Mathis.
Miracles: The Holiday Album is the first holiday album and seventh studio album by saxophonist Kenny G. It was released by Arista Records on November 22, 1994, and peaked at number 1 on the Billboard 200, Contemporary Jazz Albums and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. It was the overall best-selling Christmas/holiday album in the United States for both 1994 and 1996. It sold 2,987,000 copies in 1994 and 888,000 copies in 1996.
Fresh Aire is the first album by new-age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. It was originally released in 1975.
Fresh Aire II is the second album that new-age musical group Mannheim Steamroller originally released in 1977. Each of the first four Fresh Aire albums is based on a season; Fresh Aire II's theme is fall.
Fresh Aire III is the third album by the new-age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. It was originally released in 1979 on American Gramaphone. Each of the first four Fresh Aire albums is based on a season; Fresh Aire III's theme is summer. The opening track, Toccata, was played behind station IDs for OEPBS until 1986.
Fresh Aire 4 is the fourth album in new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller's Fresh Aire series. The album was originally released in 1981. Each of the first four Fresh Aire albums is based on a season; Fresh Aire 4's theme is Winter. The entire album was mixed and recorded digitally and was also one of the first CDs released.
Wintersong is the sixth album and first Christmas album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, released in October 2006. It was produced by longtime collaborator Pierre Marchand and includes contributions from Jim Creeggan of Barenaked Ladies. The album also includes a collaboration with Jazz musician Diana Krall. In 2007, the album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. In 2015, all songs from Wintersong plus five more tracks were released as The Classic Christmas Album.
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Live is Mannheim Steamroller's fourth Christmas album overall and was first released in time for the 1997 holiday season. It is a recorded live performance which includes variations on the arranged tracks featured in previous Steamroller albums.
Christmas Song is Mannheim Steamroller's fifth Christmas studio album and eighth overall. It was released in 2007 on CD by American Gramaphone, and features twelve Christmas songs. Steamroller co-founder Jackson Berkey does not appear on the album.
Christmasville is Mannheim Steamroller's tenth Christmas album. It was released in 2008 on CD by American Gramaphone and features 13 Christmas songs. It contains a series of songs made for Universal Studios Florida for their "Grinchmas" event.
Christmas Symphony is the twelfth Christmas music album released by American musical group Mannheim Steamroller. The album was originally released in 2011. Recorded in Prague, the album features the Czech Philharmonic, performing new recordings of previously released Mannheim Steamroller arrangements.
Classical Gas is a 1987 album by new age group Mannheim Steamroller and guitarist/composer Mason Williams. The album's title piece, "Classical Gas", was originally featured on Williams's 1968 solo album The Mason Williams Phonograph Record.
Gold: A 50th Anniversary Christmas Celebration is a compilation album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released on September 19, 2006, by Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings. It includes selections from four of the first five Christmas albums that he had recorded: Merry Christmas, Sounds of Christmas, Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis, and The Christmas Album. Two tracks that were recorded with other artists are also included: "O Tannenbaum", which comes from Mannheim Steamroller's 2001 album Christmas Extraordinaire, and a medley duet of "Winter Wonderland" and "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" with Bette Midler from her 2006 holiday album Cool Yule.
Christmas Symphony II is an album by Mannheim Steamroller, featuring the Czech Philharmonic. It was released in October 2013 only through Target.
Chip has remastered Mannheim Steamroller Christmas — his very first holiday album — in a special green vinyl version!