Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas is a 1960 album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, recorded in the summer of 1960, with a studio orchestra arranged and conducted by Frank DeVol. The tracks are all secular Christmas seasonal songs, in contrast to her second Christmas album released in 1967.
Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1960 | |||
Recorded | July 15 – August 5, 1960 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 34:00 (original 1960 release) 52:14 (2002 CD release) | |||
Label | Verve | |||
Producer | Norman Granz | |||
Ella Fitzgerald chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [2] |
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings | [3] |
It is Fitzgerald's only Verve complete album of Christmas tunes. Verve had issued a 7" 45rpm single in 1959, featuring "The Christmas Song" with "The Secret of Christmas" on the B-side; both were recorded with Russ Garcia and His Orchestra in September 1959. The album has been reissued several times and there have been variations to the sleeve's artwork.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Jingle Bells" | J.S. Pierpont | 2:21 |
2. | "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" | 2:56 | |
3. | "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" | 2:56 | |
4. | "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" | Frank Loesser | 3:32 |
5. | "Sleigh Ride" | 2:56 | |
6. | "The Christmas Song" | 3:00 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
7. | "Good Morning Blues" | 3:15 | |
8. | "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" | 2:43 | |
9. | "Winter Wonderland" | 2:16 | |
10. | "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" | Johnny Marks | 2:51 |
11. | "Frosty the Snowman" |
| 2:12 |
12. | "White Christmas" | Irving Berlin | 3:02 |
Total length: | 34:00 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Notes | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
13. | "The Secret of Christmas" |
| Released in 1959, 7" single, B-side | 2:45 |
14. | "Medley: We Three Kings of Orient Are/O Little Town of Bethlehem" | John Henry Hopkins/ | Released in UK 1960, 7" single, A-side | 3:35 |
15. | "Christmas Island" | Lyle L. Moraine | Released in UK 1960, 7" single, B-side | 2:18 |
16. | "The Christmas Song" (alternate take) |
| 3:41 | |
17. | "White Christmas" (alternate take) | Irving Berlin | 3:44 | |
18. | "Frosty the Snowman" (alternate take) |
| 2:11 | |
Total length: | 52:14 |
Recorded July 15–16, August 5, 1960, New York, New York:
Track 13 recorded September 3, 1959, United Records, Hollywood:
Chart (2019–2024) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[4] | 45 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[5] | 55 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[6] | 111 |
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[7] | 54 |
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[8] | 24 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[9] | 37 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[10] | 47 |
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[11] | 38 |
Irish Albums (IRMA)[12] | 93 |
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[13] | 33 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[14] | 33 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[15] | 33 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] | 29 |
UK Albums (OCC)[17] | 68 |
US Billboard 200[18] | 88 |