The Magic of Christmas (Natalie Cole album)

Last updated
The Magic of Christmas
Natale Cole Christmas.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 21, 1999 (1999-09-21)
Recorded1998–99 [1]
Studio Abbey Road Studios (London, UK).
Genre
Length41:11
Label Elektra
Producer Fred Salem
Natalie Cole chronology
Snowfall on the Sahara
(1999)
The Magic of Christmas
(1999)
Ask a Woman Who Knows
(2002)

The Magic of Christmas is a collaborative Christmas album by American recording artist Natalie Cole and London Symphony Orchestra, released on September 21, 1999, by Elektra Records. [2] The album is a follow-up to Snowfall on the Sahara . It reached peak positions of number 157 on the US Billboard 200 and number 84 on Billboard 's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. [3] A number of the tracks on The Magic of Christmas were first released on the 1998 album Christmas With You, which was produced exclusively for Hallmark Cards.

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]

AllMusic's Heather Phares awarded the album 2.5 out of 5 stars and described the collection of songs as "traditional yet sophisticated". She also highlighted "O Tannenbaum", "The 12 Days of Christmas", and "The Christmas Song". [4]

Track listing

All tracks producer by Fred Salem. [5]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Christmas Song" (duet with Nat King Cole)3:45
2."Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"3:43
3."O Tannenbaum"Traditional3:57
4."Sweet Little Jesus Boy" Robert MacGimsey 3:43
5."Sleigh Ride"3:31
6."My Grown-Up Christmas List"4:11
7."The Christmas Waltz"4:23
8."Mary, Did You Know?"3:26
9."Carol of the Bells"4:34
10."Twelve Days of Christmas"Traditional6:04
Note

Personnel

Adapted from album booklet. [2] [5]

Production

Charts

Chart (1999–2000)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [7] 157
US Top Holiday Albums (Billboard) [8] 21
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [9] 84

Related Research Articles

Nat King Cole American singer and jazz pianist

Nathaniel Adams Coles, known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. He recorded over 100 songs that became hits on the pop charts. His trio was the model for small jazz ensembles that followed. Cole also acted in films and on television and performed on Broadway. He was the first African-American man to host an American television series. He was the father of singer-songwriter Natalie Cole (1950–2015).

The 34th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 25, 1992, recognizing accomplishments by musicians from the previous year (1991). Natalie Cole won the most awards (three), including Album of the Year. Paul Simon opened the show.

Natalie Cole American singer and songwriter

Natalie Maria Cole was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was a daughter of American singer and jazz pianist Nat King Cole. She rose to success in the mid-1970s as an R&B singer with the hits "This Will Be", "Inseparable" (1975), and "Our Love" (1977). She returned as a pop singer on the 1987 album Everlasting and her cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Pink Cadillac". In the 1990s, she sang traditional pop by her father, resulting in her biggest success, Unforgettable... with Love, which sold over seven million copies and won her seven Grammy Awards. She sold over 30 million records worldwide.

"The Christmas Song" is a classic Christmas song written in 1945 by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé.

<i>Unforgettable... with Love</i> 1991 studio album by Natalie Cole

Unforgettable... with Love, also known as simply Unforgettable, is a 1991 album by American singer Natalie Cole. Released on June 11, 1991, the album includes covers of standards previously performed by her father, Nat King Cole. It was also her debut for Elektra Records, after being given her release from EMI Records.

Unforgettable (Nat King Cole song) 1951 popular song

"Unforgettable" is a popular song written by Irving Gordon. The song's original working title was "Uncomparable"; however, the music publishing company asked Gordon to change it to "Unforgettable". The song was published in 1951.

<i>James Taylor at Christmas</i> 2006 studio album by James Taylor

James Taylor at Christmas is the seventeenth studio and second Christmas album by singer-songwriter James Taylor, released by Columbia Records in 2006. It was his last release for Columbia since signing with them in 1977.

Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole song) Popular song first performed by Nat King Cole

"Mona Lisa" is a popular song written by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston for the Paramount Pictures film Captain Carey, U.S.A. (1950). The title and lyrics refer to the renaissance portrait Mona Lisa painted by Leonardo da Vinci. The song won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 1950.

<i>Ask a Woman Who Knows</i> 2002 studio album by Natalie Cole

Ask a Woman Who Knows is a 2002 jazz album by vocalist Natalie Cole, with guest Diana Krall, and receiving four Grammy Award nominations.

<i>Still Unforgettable</i> 2008 studio album by Natalie Cole

Still Unforgettable is a 2008 studio album by American singer-songwriter and performer Natalie Cole. Cole won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for Still Unforgettable at the 51st Grammy Awards.

<i>The Magic of Christmas</i> (Nat King Cole album) 1960 studio album by Nat King Cole

The Magic of Christmas is a 1960 album by Nat King Cole, arranged and conducted by Ralph Carmichael.

<i>Everlasting</i> (Natalie Cole album) 1987 studio album by Natalie Cole

Everlasting is the eleventh studio album by American singer Natalie Cole, released on June 14, 1987 by Manhattan Records. The album is considered Cole's commercial comeback and features production by duo The Calloways who contributed to the track "Jump Start", a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Pink Cadillac", which reached the US Billboard Hot 100 Top 10, and the hit "I Live for Your Love". Everlasting earned a nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 1988 Grammy Awards.

<i>Take a Look</i> (Natalie Cole album) 1993 studio album by Natalie Cole

Take a Look is a 1993 album by American singer Natalie Cole, released on June 9, 1993 by Elektra Records. Cole won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance for Take a Look at the 36th Grammy Awards.

<i>Stardust</i> (Natalie Cole album) 1996 studio album by Natalie Cole

Stardust is a studio album by American singer Natalie Cole, released on September 24, 1996. Cole won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for the song "When I Fall in Love", a duet with Nat King Cole, at the 39th Grammy Awards.

<i>Holly & Ivy</i> 1994 studio album by Natalie Cole

Holly & Ivy is a 1994 Christmas album and 16th overall studio album by American singer Natalie Cole. Released on October 4, 1994 by Elektra, it is Cole's first album featuring Christmas music and serves as a follow-up to Take a Look (1993). Cole co-produced the album with American music producer Tommy LiPuma, with whom she had worked on Unforgettable... with Love (1991). Holly & Ivy consists of 12 tracks, including 11 covers of Christmas standards and carols and one original song written by Gerry Goffin and Michael Masser. Cole promoted the album as non-traditional in interviews and live performances.

<i>Caroling, Caroling: Christmas with Natalie Cole</i> 2008 studio album by Natalie Cole

Caroling, Caroling: Christmas with Natalie Cole is an album by Natalie Cole that was released by Elektra in 2008. It is a compilation of tracks from her previous holiday albums.

<i>Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Volume 2</i> album by Glee

Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Volume 2 is the tenth soundtrack album by the cast of the American musical television series Glee, released by Columbia Records on November 11, 2011.

<i>Natalie Cole en Español</i> 2013 studio album by Natalie Cole

Natalie Cole en Español is the twenty-third and final studio album by Natalie Cole, released on June 25, 2013 through Verve Records. Produced by the Cuban American composer Rudy Pérez, it is her first and only Spanish album and her first record released following her kidney transplant in 2009. The album is a follow-up to her third Christmas album Caroling, Caroling: Christmas with Natalie Cole.Natalie Cole en Español consists of twelve tracks, which are cover versions of Spanish standards. The album features duets with Juan Luis Guerra, Chris Botti, Arthur Hanlon, Andrea Bocelli and a posthumous duet with her father Nat King Cole.

<i>Unforgettable – A Musical Tribute to Nat King Cole</i> 1983 live album by Johnny Mathis

Unforgettable – A Musical Tribute to Nat King Cole is a soundtrack album released in the UK in 1983 by the CBS Records division of Columbia in conjunction with the broadcast of American pop singer Johnny Mathis's BBC television concert special of the same name that featured Cole's daughter Natalie. The front of the original album jacket credits the concert performers as "Johnny Mathis and Natalie Cole", whereas the CD booklet reads, "Johnny Mathis with special guest Natalie Cole".

<i>Nat King Cole & Me</i> 2017 studio album by Gregory Porter

Nat King Cole & Me is the fifth studio album by American jazz musician and singer Gregory Porter. He sings songs that were either recorded by or inspired by Nat King Cole, whom Porter has cited as an important part of his childhood and an influence on his career. The tracks were arranged by Vince Mendoza for a 70 piece orchestra and recorded at AIR Studios in London, England. It is the first time Porter recorded with a full orchestra. The album was released by Blue Note Records and Decca Records on October 27, 2017.

References

  1. Cole, Natalie. “Christmas With You” (Album Notes). Hallmark. 1998.
  2. 1 2 "The Magic of Christmas". AllMusic. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
  3. "The Magic of Christmas: Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
  4. 1 2 Phares, Heather. "Natalie Cole – The Magic of Christmas". AllMusic.
  5. 1 2 Cole, Natalie. “The Magic of Christmas” (Album Notes). Elektra Records. 1999.
  6. "Nat 'King' Cole's Holiday Track Returns to Billboard Hot 100". U Discover Music. 2018-12-06.
  7. "Natalie Cole Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  8. "Natalie Cole Chart History (Holiday Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  9. "Natalie Cole Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 24, 2017.