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.
| The Magic of Christmas | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 21, 1999 | |||
| Recorded | 1998–99[1] | |||
| Studio | Abbey Road Studios (London, UK). | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 41:11 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Producer | Fred Salem | |||
| Natalie Cole chronology | ||||
| ||||
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [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
editAll tracks producer by Fred Salem.[5]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Christmas Song" (duet with Nat King Cole) | 3:45 | |
| 2. | "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" |
| 3:43 |
| 3. | "O Tannenbaum" | Traditional | 3:57 |
| 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" | Traditional | 6:04 |
- Note
- "The Christmas Song" uses samples from a recording of "The Christmas Song", as performed by Nat King Cole.[6]
Personnel
editAdapted from album booklet.[2][5]
- Natalie Cole – vocals
- London Symphony Orchestra – orchestra (strings, horns, woodwinds, percussion)
- Terry Trotter – grand piano
- Christopher Argent – organ (1–4, 7)
- Bob Krogstad – musical arrangements (1–3, 5–8, 10), orchestra conductor
- Robert MacGimsey – musical arrangements (4)
- Peter Wilhousky – musical arrangements (9)
- Nat King Cole – vocals (1)
Production
edit- Fred Salem – producer
- Dick Carter – executive producer
- Toby Foster – recording, engineer, mixing
- Al Schmitt – mixing
- Doug Sax – mastering at The Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California)
- Alli Truch – art direction, design
- David Jensen – photography
- Cecille Parker – stylist
- Tara Posey – make-up
- Janet Zeitoun – hair stylist
Charts
edit| 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 |
References
edit- ^ Cole, Natalie. “Christmas With You” (Album Notes). Hallmark. 1998.
- ^ a b "The Magic of Christmas". AllMusic. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
- ^ "The Magic of Christmas: Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
- ^ a b Phares, Heather. "Natalie Cole – The Magic of Christmas". AllMusic.
- ^ a b Cole, Natalie. “The Magic of Christmas” (Album Notes). Elektra Records. 1999.
- ^ "Nat 'King' Cole's Holiday Track Returns to Billboard Hot 100". U Discover Music. 2018-12-06.
- ^ "Natalie Cole Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
- ^ "Natalie Cole Chart History (Holiday Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
- ^ "Natalie Cole Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
External links
edit- The Magic of Christmas at Discogs (list of releases)