Elvis' Christmas Album (1957)

Album Overview

Released on October 15, 1957, Elvis' Christmas Album is the best-selling Christmas album in United States history, with over 20 million copies sold. The album combined traditional religious hymns with secular holiday songs and original rock and roll Christmas material, creating a collection that has remained a holiday staple for over six decades.

Recording Information

Artist: Elvis Presley
Released: October 15, 1957
Label: RCA Victor (LOC-1035)
Producers: Steve Sholes
Recorded: September 5–7, 1957 (Radio Recorders, Hollywood); January 12–13, 1957 (Radio Recorders, Hollywood)
Genre: Christmas, rock and roll, gospel, pop

Track Listing

Side One

"Santa Claus Is Back in Town"
"White Christmas"
"Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)"
"I'll Be Home for Christmas"
"Blue Christmas"
"Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me)"

Side Two

"O Little Town of Bethlehem"
"Silent Night"
"(There'll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me)"
"I Believe"
"Take My Hand, Precious Lord"
"It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)"

Musical Significance

The album is notable for its division between secular and sacred material. Side One features the holiday pop and rock songs, while Side Two is devoted to religious material including traditional hymns and gospel songs.

"Santa Claus Is Back in Town" opens the album with a rocking blues number written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It is one of the earliest examples of a rock and roll Christmas song and remains one of the genre's best, with Elvis delivering a swaggering vocal over a heavy blues arrangement.

"Blue Christmas" became one of Elvis's signature songs, though it was originally recorded by Doye O'Dell in 1948 and popularized by Ernest Tubb. Elvis's version, with its distinctive backing vocal arrangement by the Jordanaires, has become the definitive version and a perennial holiday radio staple.

"White Christmas" generated controversy upon release. Some radio stations refused to play Elvis's version of the Irving Berlin classic, considering his rock and roll interpretation disrespectful to the original. Berlin himself reportedly attempted to have Elvis's version suppressed, though this story may be apocryphal.

The gospel side showcases Elvis's deep love of sacred music. "(There'll Be) Peace in the Valley" had been previously released as a single and reached number three on the pop chart — a remarkable achievement for a gospel recording. His performances of "Silent Night" and "O Little Town of Bethlehem" are reverent and vocally accomplished.

Chart Performance

The album reached number one on the Billboard pop albums chart, spending four weeks at the top. It has been certified Diamond (over 10 million copies sold) by the RIAA and is estimated to have sold over 20 million copies in the United States alone, making it the best-selling Christmas album in American history.

Controversy

The album was controversial upon release. Many adults objected to Elvis applying his rock and roll style to beloved Christmas standards. Several radio stations banned the album, and one Portland, Oregon DJ broke the record on air, calling it a desecration. Despite — or perhaps because of — the controversy, the album sold enormously.

Reissues

The album has been reissued in numerous configurations over the decades. In 1970, RCA released a budget version titled Elvis' Christmas Album (Camden CAS-2428) with a different cover and rearranged track listing. Various CD reissues have restored the original track listing and added bonus material from the same sessions.

Legacy

Elvis' Christmas Album established the template for the rock-era Christmas album — a mix of traditional standards, religious material, and original songs. Its extraordinary longevity (it continues to sell well every holiday season, more than 65 years after its initial release) speaks to both the quality of Elvis's performances and the timeless appeal of its song selection. It remains an essential part of the American Christmas tradition.