Nat King Cole - The Christmas Song [FLAC+MP3](Big Papi) 1946 torrent

By Gregor von Kallahann
There are more extensive (and expensive) Cole Christmas compilations out there, but for many listeners this one will fill the bill--or the stocking--handily.

I've never been one to say that a given singer "OWNS" a certain song, but I have to admit that when I read one reviewer's comment that Tony Bennett's version of "The Christmas Song" (included on SNOWFALL) surpassed Cole's, my jaw almost dropped. Well, opinions are like elbows--everybody should have at least two and should lean on them interchangeably. I thought Tony Bennett's version was a fine reading, intelligently done and full of the warmth that Bennett is famous for.

But it's hard to imagine anyone actually surpassing Nat Cole's rendition of this Christmas classic. His version, of course, also had that necessary warmth and a certain richness of timbre that is hard to match. And the arrangement, actually somewhat atypical of the era, is understated and unobtrusive.

That's not the case with every track on this release. The strings and (especially) the back up singers on several tracks can get to be a little much. That may be quibbling. Cole's voice was so gorgeous, it would take more than a crew of escapees from the Mitch Miller Show to put a complete damper on things.

Perhaps the only argument that one could make against Nat Cole's own performance is one that is as reflective of his strengths as well as his weaknesses. Cole was a quintessentially AMERICAN singer, and his interpretation of idiomatically American tunes is unsurpassed. Where he seems a bit less certain is on the foreign language material he bravely included. Attempting "O Tannenbaum" in the original German proved that Cole was braver than many of his contemporaties. But he does sound a bit uncertain in spots. Same with the Latin passages on "Adeste Fideles."

But Pavarotti and Domingo sound a bit uncomfortable and mannered when they assay a conversational English language tune as well. So I guess I am quibbling. This budget release will serve as a pretty good introduction to one of the 20th centuries master pop singers. Heck, it may even inspire some listeners to check out his earlier jazz sides. But even if it only reinforces Nat King Cole as one of the premiere voices of Christmas Past, it will have done well by its progenitor. And will have done a service to all.