Barbra Streisand – A Christmas Album

Barbra Streisand – A Christmas Album

You haven’t heard “Jingle Bells” until you’ve heard Barbra Streisand’s version. Sounding more like a bebop Santa on A Christmas Album’s rousing opening track, Streisand keenly races through the stanzas, toying with the words, pushing the song’s tempos, and generally having a lot of fun. After that, she gets down to the more serious side of holiday offerings, with tracks that include “My Favorite Things,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Silent Night,” “The Christmas Song,” and others. At times this world-class singer can bowl you over with her range, sensuality, and emotion, and when she visits “Ave Maria” or closes with “The Lord’s Prayer,” it’s easy to see why this is one singular Streisand record that has traveled so well for so many years. A classy classic. –Martin Keller

A Christmas Album was originally released in October 1967. Barbra Streisand recorded four Christmas songs in London on June 25, 1966 while she was in London performing Funny Girl at the Prince of Wales Theatre. According to producer Ettore Stratta, Barbra insisted on different interpretations without traditional arrangements for these songs. Streisand recorded the rest of the album in September 1966 while she was in Hollywood filming the Funny Girl movie. Of the variety of both secular and religious songs included on the album, the standout track is Barbras new adaptation of the classic holiday song Jingle Bells? with the ? added by Barbra! The track captures Barbras freewheeling vocal complete with jazzy dramatics. Upon its original release, the album spent five weeks at #1 on the Billboard Christmas chart and the album has been certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA with sales of more than five million copies in the United States.

Long out of print on vinyl, A Christmas Album vinyl configuration is once again available and it includes a bonus track, Gounods Ave Maria (English). This track was included on a limited-edition holiday Starbucks sampler which is no longer available.