Christmas Island (Leon Redbone album)

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Christmas Island
Christmas Island (Leon Redbone album).jpg
Studio album by
Leon Redbone
Released1988
Recorded1988
StudioManhattan Recording Company
Genre Jazz, Christmas music [1]
Length30:19
Label August [2]
Private Music [3]
Producer Beryl Handler, Leon Redbone
Leon Redbone chronology
No Regrets
(1988)		Christmas Island
(1988)		 Sugar
(1990)

Christmas Island is an album by the musician Leon Redbone. [4] [5] It was released in 1988, with a re-release the following year. [6] [7]

Contents

The title track has been mentioned in many works of fiction. [8] [9] [10]

Production

The album was recorded in three days. [11] Redbone picked songs that he thought would appeal to listeners who didn't usually enjoy Christmas music. [12] He duetted with Dr. John on "Frosty the Snowman". [6] "Winter Wonderland" contains a dobro solo. [13] "Christmas Ball Blues" is a version of the song made popular by Bessie Smith. [14]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [15]
Robert Christgau B+ [16]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [17]
MusicHound Folk: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [18]
Orlando Sentinel Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]

Robert Christgau wrote: "Beyond sacred schlock-by-association and rock and roll gifts, Christmas is a pop holiday that plays best in the background, which suits Redbone's forgettable old-timey lassitude." [16] The Philadelphia Inquirer concluded that, "with a deep, wavery delivery, the growl-voiced blues-folkie comes across as a kind of Crosby on Quaaludes." [19] The St. Petersburg Times stated that Redbone's "trademark laconic style puts an entirely new spin on these tunes." [20]

The Washington Post determined that "after a while the effortless renditions start sounding too similar." [21] The Los Angeles Times deemed the album "sultry, desert-island swing." [13] The Orlando Sentinel noted the "bittersweet" atmosphere, writing that the songs are "exceptional, true-to-the-original versions." [7] The Toronto Sun opined that Redbone's "cornball style is tailor-made for traditional hokum." [22]

AllMusic praised Redbone's "joyous performance." [15]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."White Christmas" Irving Berlin 2:22
2."Winter Wonderland" Felix Bernard, Dick Smith 2:33
3."Frosty the Snowman" Steve Nelson, Jack Rollins 1:58
4."Blue Christmas"Bill Hayes, Jay Johnson2:27
5."There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays" Robert Allen, Al Stillman 2:36
6."Toyland" Victor Herbert, Glen MacDonough2:37
7."Christmas Island"Lyle Moraine3:39
8."That Old Christmas Moon" Terry Waldo 3:03
9."I'll Be Home for Christmas" Kim Gannon, Walter Kent 2:40
10."Let It Snow" Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne 2:39
11."Christmas Ball Blues"Traditional3:05

Personnel

Musicians

Technical

References

  1. ↑ "Christmas Island - Leon Redbone | Album". AllMusic . Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  2. ↑ Gundersen, Edna (December 2, 1988). "It's a new age for classics". USA Today. p. 4D.
  3. ↑ Campbell, Mary (December 1, 1990). "Old bluesman Redbone offers Christmas album". Vancouver Sun. p. H11.
  4. ↑ Cuddihy, Kevin; Metcalfe, Phillip (October 1, 2005). Christmas's Most Wanted™: The Top 10 Book of Kris Kringles, Merry Jingles, and Holiday Cheer. Potomac Books, Inc. ISBN   9781574889680.
  5. ↑ Hiltbrand, David (December 11, 1989). "Picks & Pans—Song". People. Vol. 32, no. 24. p. 29.
  6. 1 2 Heim, Chris (December 2, 1988). "Leon Redbone brings his trademark old timey sound ...". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 82.
  7. 1 2 3 Henderson, Bill (December 1, 1989). "Leon Redbone, Christmas Island". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 21.
  8. ↑ Abrahams, Peter (June 29, 2011). Revolution #9. Random House Publishing Group. ISBN   9780307800787.
  9. ↑ Buckley, Julia (September 6, 2016). Cheddar Off Dead. Penguin. ISBN   9780698166745.
  10. ↑ Garbera, Katherine (November 21, 2017). Once Upon a Texas Christmas. Tule Publishing. ISBN   9781947636767.
  11. ↑ Boren, Ray; Wadley, Carma (December 14, 1990). "Christmas Music: No Other Holiday Inspires a Broader Range of Melodies". Deseret News. p. W1.
  12. ↑ Gilbert, Calvin (November 11, 1988). "Redbone mixes being humorist and being serious". Fun. The Advocate. Baton Rouge. p. 12.
  13. 1 2 Goldstein, Patrick (December 4, 1988). "Holiday Hoopla". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 84.
  14. ↑ Okamoto, David (December 18, 1988). "Making music for Christmas". Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. p. E1.
  15. 1 2 "Leon Redbone Christmas Island". AllMusic.
  16. 1 2 "Leon Redbone". Robert Christgau.
  17. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 813.
  18. ↑ MusicHound Folk: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 656.
  19. ↑ Landry, Peter (December 1, 1988). "The Sounds of Christmas". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. D1.
  20. ↑ Riccio, Richard (December 13, 1991). "Everything old is new again". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 26.
  21. ↑ Harrington, Richard (December 2, 1988). "Sounding Out the Season". The Washington Post. p. N8.
  22. ↑ Sakamoto, John (December 20, 1990). "It's Beginning to Sound a Lot Like Christmas". Entertainment. Toronto Sun. p. 87.
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