An Old-Fashioned Christmas
1984 studio album by the Carpenters
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An Old-Fashioned Christmas is the second Christmas album and twelfth studio album by the American music duo the Carpenters, released on October 26, 1984. It is also the second posthumous release after the 1983 death of singer and drummer Karen Carpenter.
| An Old-Fashioned Christmas | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 26, 1984 | |||
| Recorded | 1974, 1978, 1984[1] | |||
| Genre | Christmas | |||
| Length | 48:48 | |||
| Label | A&M | |||
| Producer | Richard Carpenter, Karen Carpenter, Jack Daugherty | |||
| The Carpenters chronology | ||||
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Background
The album project had its genesis in six unused tracks featuring Karen's vocals from the Carpenters' previous Christmas album, 1978's Christmas Portrait. Richard Carpenter took these tracks and recorded new material of instrumental and choral music to make it into a full-length album.[3] The album includes the slower version of "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town", a different version of which was previously released on Christmas Portrait.
Reissues
A 1984 expanded CD reissue of Christmas Portrait included eight tracks from An Old-Fashioned Christmas. In 1996 a two-CD set, Christmas Collection, was issued containing both albums in their original running order. The album has been repeatedly re-issued; it was issued in Japan in 2022.[4]
Reception
Billboard noted "the duo's second Christmas album, following their gold Christmas Portrait, consists of previously unreleased tracks, save for a shimmering version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town." Although less consistent than the earlier set, this collection features several indispensable tracks with the late Karen Carpenter singing lead, most notably a heartbreaking "Little Altar Boy."[5]
Allmusic rated it four and a half stars out of five, noting that "their second Christmas album, with more of the soft sounds of the season, is made for mistletoe and someone you love."[6]
Track listing
All lead vocals by Karen Carpenter, except where noted; all tracks produced by Richard Carpenter except "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" by Jack Daugherty, Richard Carpenter, and Karen Carpenter.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" (lead vocals: R. Carpenter) | 0:43 | |
| 2. | "Overture: Happy Holiday / The First Noel / March of the Toys / Little Jesus/ I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus / O Little Town of Bethlehem / In Dulce Jubilo / Gesu Bambino (The Infant Jesus) / Angels We Have Heard on High" |
| 8:13 |
| 3. | "An Old-Fashioned Christmas" (lead vocals: R. Carpenter) |
| 2:14 |
| 4. | "O Holy Night" (instrumental) |
| 3:31 |
| 5. | "(There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays" | 2:13 | |
| 6. | "Medley: Here Comes Santa Claus / Frosty the Snowman / Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer / Good King Wenceslas" (instrumental) |
| 3:43 |
| 7. | "Little Altar Boy" | Howlett Peter Smith | 3:43 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8. | "Do You Hear What I Hear?" (lead vocals: K. and R. Carpenter) | 2:53 | |
| 9. | "My Favorite Things" (instrumental) | 3:53 | |
| 10. | "He Came Here for Me" | Ron Nelson | 2:12 |
| 11. | "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (lead vocals: K. and R. Carpenter) | 4:04 | |
| 12. | "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" | Frank Loesser | 2:51 |
| 13. | "Selections from The Nutcracker: Overture Miniature / Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy / Trepak / Valse des fleurs" (instrumental) |
| 6:14 |
| 14. | "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" |
| 2:21 |
Notes
- ^a signifies adapted by
Singles
- "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (A&M SP-1648): US 7-inch single (1974)
- "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"
- "Merry Christmas Darling"
- "Little Altar Boy" (A&M SP-2700): US 7-inch single (1984)
- "Little Altar Boy"
- "Do You Hear What I Hear?"
Personnel
- Bass: Joe Osborn
- Keyboards: Richard Carpenter, Pete Jolly
- Drums: Barry Morgan, Ron Tutt
- Saxophone: John Francis Phillips
- Double Bass: Pete Morgan
- Harp: Skaila Kanga, Gayle Levant
- Backing Vocals: The English Chorale, conductors Dick Bolks and Robert Howes[7][8][9]
Charts
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Pop Albums[10] | 190 |
| US Cash Box Top 200 Albums[11] | 178 |
| Chart (1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Top Holiday Albums[12] | 25 |
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Top Pop Catalog Albums[13] | 46 |