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1968 compilation album by various artists From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Soul Christmas is a 1968 collection of Christmas songs produced by Atco Records. The album contains new and previously recorded tracks, some originally released on Stax Records.[1] Soul Christmas reached number 13 on Billboard's Best Bets for Christmas in 1968,[2] and number 8 in both 1969[3] and 1970.[4] The CD version, with three additional tracks, reached number 89 on their Top R&B Albums chart in 1994.[5]
| Soul Christmas | |
|---|---|
| |
| Compilation album by various artists | |
| Released | November 1968 |
| Genre | |
| Label | |
| Singles from Christmas | |
| |
| No. | Title | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Back Door Santa" (Christmas chart #4) | Clarence Carter[6] | 2:08 |
| 2. | "The Christmas Song" | King Curtis with Duane Allman | 2:55 |
| 3. | "White Christmas" (Christmas chart #12) | Otis Redding with Booker T. & the M.G.'s[7] | 3:06 |
| 4. | "I'll Make Every Day Christmas (For My Woman)" (Christmas chart #15) | Joe Tex[8] | 3:04 |
| 5. | "Silver Bells" (from their album In the Christmas Spirit) | Booker T. & the M.G.'s | 2:28 |
| 6. | "Gee Whiz It’s Christmas" (Christmas chart #23) | Carla Thomas with Vinny Trauth | 2:40 |
| 7. | "Merry Christmas Baby" (Christmas chart #9) | Otis Redding with Booker T. & The MG's[9] | 2:30 |
| 8. | "Presents For Christmas" | Solomon Burke | 2:40 |
| 9. | "Jingle Bells" (Christmas chart #20) | Booker T. and The MG's[10] | 2:32 |
| 10. | "Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday" (Christmas chart #33) | William Bell | 2:35 |
| 11. | "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" | King Curtis with Duane Allman[11] | 3:20 |
| Total length: | 29:58 | ||
Randy Anthony on the site Hip Christmas says "the magic of 60's soul music – the gospel intensity, the ribald humor, the sensual conviction – comes to bear with its most powerful alchemy on Soul Christmas . . . All in all, Soul Christmas is a classic of both genres – soul and Christmas – one that belongs in the collection of anyone who claims to know anything about either. The most amazing aspect of Soul Christmas is that these songs are among the very best that these artists – all giants of soul – ever recorded."[12]
There are several variations on this collection. The 1994 Rhino Records CD reissue adds three bonus tracks, including the original 1963 version of Carla Thomas' "All I Want For Christmas Is You" (the b-side to her "Gee Whiz, It's Christmas") and Ray Charles' "Christmas Time."[13] Rhino also appends "Original" to this title in an attempt to avoid confusion with 1991's Soul Christmas. That disc, another Atlantic/Atco compilation, expands the scope of the original LP featuring 20 tracks spanning more than 20 years, including several songs from the out-of-print Cotillion Records LP, Funky Christmas (1976).[14] Also included is Carla Thomas' 1966 version of the aforementioned "All I Want For Christmas Is You."[15]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "White Christmas" | Irving Berlin | Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters | 2:38 |
| 2. | "This Christmas" |
| Donny Hathaway | 3:31 |
| 3. | "Gee Whiz, It's Christmas" |
| Carla Thomas | 2:41 |
| 4. | "Back Door Santa" |
| Clarence Carter | 2:07 |
| 5. | "Merry Christmas Baby" |
| Booker T. & The MG's | 3:13 |
| 6. | "Silent Night" | The Impressions | 3:57 | |
| 7. | "May Christmas Bring You Happiness" |
| Luther | 4:26 |
| 8. | "White Christmas" | Irving Berlin | Otis Redding | 3:06 |
| 9. | "I'll Make Every Day Christmas (For My Woman)" | Buddy Killen | Joe Tex | 3:29 |
| 10. | "Silver Bells" |
| Booker T. & The MG's | 2:29 |
| 11. | "All I Want For Christmas Is You" |
| Carla Thomas | 2:51 |
| 12. | "The Christmas Song" | The Drifters | 2:28 | |
| 13. | "Merry Christmas Baby" |
| Otis Redding | 2:32 |
| 14. | "Soul Santa" |
| Brook Benton | 3:22 |
| 15. | "Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday" |
| The Sweet Inspirations | 2:28 |
| 16. | "Christmas Gift" | Margie Joseph | 3:26 | |
| 17. | "Presents For Christmas" |
| Solomon Burke | 3:11 |
| 18. | "New Year's Resolution" | Otis & Carla | 3:20 | |
| 19. | "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" |
| King Curtis | 3:39 |
| 20. | "May Christmas Bring You Happiness 1991 Remix" |
| Luther | 5:15 |
| Total length: | 64:09 | |||
Some international releases contain Aretha Franklin's "Amazing Grace" as a bonus track.[16]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Back Door Santa" (Clarence Carter) | Clarence Carter, Marcus Daniel | 2:10 | |
| 2. | "The Christmas Song" (King Curtis) | 3:11 | ||
| 3. | "White Christmas" (Otis Redding) | Irving Berlin | Stax Staff | 3:09 |
| 4. | "I'll Make Every Day Christmas (For My Woman)" (Joe Tex) | Buddy Killen | Joe Tex | 3:32 |
| 5. | "Silver Bells" (Booker T. & The MG's) |
| 2:33 | |
| 6. | "Gee Whiz, It's Christmas" (Carla Thomas) |
| Carla Thomas | 2:47 |
| 7. | "Merry Christmas Baby" (Otis Redding) |
|
| 2:34 |
| 8. | "Presents For Christmas" (Solomon Burke) |
| 3:13 | |
| 9. | "Jingle Bells" (Booker T. & The MG's) |
| 2:38 | |
| 10. | "Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday" (William Bell) |
|
| 2:40 |
| 11. | "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" (King Curtis) |
| 3:45 | |
| 12. | "All I Want For Christmas Is You" (Carla Thomas) |
|
| 1:45 |
| 13. | "Christmas Time" (Ray Charles) |
|
| 4:31 |
| 14. | "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" (Booker T. & The MG's) |
| 2:35 | |
| Total length: | 41:03 | |||
Some international releases contain Aretha Franklin's "Amazing Grace" and "Wholy Holy" as bonus tracks.[17]
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