Studio Album · No. 9
The Magic of Christmas Songwriting Credits by Nat King Cole
Produced by Lee Gillette
Holds writing credit on 0 of 14 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 0 / 14 documented
Scored across the 14 tracks with documented writers, by whether Nat King Cole carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 14 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Nat King Cole is the interpreter on this record, not the author, so the writing credits belong to the carol writers and standards composers he sang. The lone modern standard is 'The Christmas Song,' written by Mel Tormé and Robert Wells, which was added when Capitol reissued the album as The Christmas Song in 1962. Everything else is either a public-domain carol or a mid-century holiday song by other writers: 'Deck the Hall,' 'I Saw Three Ships,' and 'Away in a Manger' are traditional; 'O Holy Night' pairs Adolphe Adam's music with John Sullivan Dwight's English words; 'Hark, the Herald Angels Sing' sets Charles Wesley's text to Felix Mendelssohn's melody; and 'Caroling, Caroling' comes from Alfred Burt and Wihla Hutson. Ralph Carmichael arranged and conducted the orchestra throughout, and Lee Gillette produced.
The Magic of Christmas is the Christmas album by Nat King Cole, first released by Capitol Records on October 3, 1960 and arranged and conducted by Ralph Carmichael. Recorded at the Capitol Tower in Hollywood in July 1960 and produced by Lee Gillette, the original record set Cole's warm baritone against a full orchestra on a program of traditional carols. In 1962 Capitol reissued the album under a new title, The Christmas Song, adding Cole's newly recorded reading of 'The Christmas Song' as the opening track in place of 'God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen' and giving the record fresh cover art. That reissued sequence became the definitive version and one of the most enduring holiday records ever made. Certified six-times platinum by the RIAA for six million U.S. shipments, it is the best-selling Christmas album of the 1960s. Cole is the singer here, not the writer; the songs are traditional carols and standards penned by others.
Track Listing & Credits 14 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Christmas Song
#9
|
Robert Wells | Melvin Howard Tormé | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Ralph Carmichael (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 2 |
Deck the Hall
|
Traditional | Traditional | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Ralph Carmichael (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 3 |
Adeste Fideles
|
John Francis Wade | John Francis Wade | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Ralph Carmichael (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 4 |
O Tannenbaum
|
Ernst Anschütz | Ernst Anschütz | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Ralph Carmichael (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 5 |
O, Little Town of Bethlehem
|
Phillips Brooks | Lewis Redner | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Ralph Carmichael (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 6 |
I Saw Three Ships
|
Traditional | Traditional | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Ralph Carmichael (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 7 |
O Holy Night
|
John Sullivan Dwight | Adolphe Adam | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Ralph Carmichael (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 8 |
Hark, the Herald Angels Sing
|
Charles Wesley | Felix Mendelssohn | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Ralph Carmichael (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 9 |
A Cradle in Bethlehem
|
Alfred Bryan | Larry Stock | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Ralph Carmichael (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 10 |
Away in a Manger
|
Traditional | Traditional | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Ralph Carmichael (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 11 |
Joy to the World
|
Isaac Watts | Lowell Mason | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Ralph Carmichael (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 12 |
The First Noel
|
Traditional | Traditional | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Ralph Carmichael (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 13 |
Caroling, Caroling
|
Wihla Hutson | Alfred Burt | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Ralph Carmichael (Arranger, Conductor) |
| 14 |
Silent Night
|
Josef Mohr | Franz Xaver Gruber | Lee Gillette | Nat King Cole (Vocals)Ralph Carmichael (Arranger, Conductor) |