To Wish You a Merry Christmas

To Wish You a Merry Christmas
The 1962 reissue LP cover.
Studio album by Harry Belafonte
Released	1958
Recorded	1958
Genre	Vocal, Christmas
Length	45:56
Label	RCA Victor
Producer	Ed Welker
Harry Belafonte chronology
Belafonte Sings of the Caribbean (1957) To Wish You a Merry Christmas (1958) Belafonte Sings the Blues (1958)

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Allmusic	[1]

To Wish You a Merry Christmas is an album by Harry Belafonte Recorded May 27, 31, June 1, 3 and 8 of 1958 in Hollywood. Conducted by Bob Corman. Millard Thomas and Laurindo Almeida, guitarists. Produced and directed by Ed Welker.

Track listing

Original LP

To Wish You a Merry Christmas was originally released in 1958 as RCA Victor catalog number LPM/LSP-1887. The original LP cover featured an illustration of the Three Wise Men and a listing of the songs in front.
Side 1:

1. "A Star in the East" - 4:15
2. "The Gifts They Gave" - 3:58
3. "The Son of Mary" - 3:21
4. "The Twelve Days of Christmas" - 3:49
5. "Where the Little Jesus Sleeps" - 2:05
6. "Medley: The Joys of Christmas; Oh Little Town of Bethlehem; Deck the Halls; The First Noël" - 5:25
   

Side 2:

1. "Mary, Mary" - 3:21
2. "Jehova the Lord Will Provide" - 2:57
3. "Silent Night" - 3:35
4. "Christmas Is Coming" - 1:38
5. "Medley: We Wish You a Merry Christmas; God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen; O Come All Ye Faithful; Joy to the World" - 4:29
6. "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" - 3:03

Re-release 1

The album was repackaged in 1962 as RCA Victor catalog number LPM/LSP-2626 with a different cover (with Belafonte's picture this time) and a different Side 2. The credits are also slightly different, listing the conductor as Robert De Cormier.
Side 1: identical to the 1958 release.
Side 2:

1. "Mary's Boy Child" - 4:20
2. "Silent Night" - 3:35
3. "Christmas Is Coming" - 2:56
4. "Mary, Mary" - 3:34
5. "Jehova the Lord Will Provide" - 2:57
6. "Medley: We Wish You a Merry Christmas; God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen; O Come All Ye Faithful; Joy to the World" - 4:26
7. "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" - 3:01

Re-release 2

In 1976, the songs were repackaged again, under the title Belafonte's Christmas, from RCA Canada, catalog number KNLI-0166 . The tracks are identical to the 1962 release, except that sides 1 and 2 have been switched (i.e. the first song of the album is now "Mary's Boy Child"). A completely different picture of Belafonte is used on the cover.

Re-release 3

In 2001, the album was rereleased on CD as Harry Belafonte Christmas, with five bonus tracks added:

1. "Goin' Down Jordan" - 3:53
2. "Amen" - 3:06
3. "Glory Manger" - 4:39
4. "The Baby Boy" - 3:25
5. "Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair)" - 2:45

Personnel

• Laurindo Almeida Guitar
• Dick Baxter Digital Engineer, Engineer
• Harry Belafonte Primary Artist, Vocals
• Anita Carter Composer
• Johnny Cash Composer
• Frantz Casseus Guitar
• Corman Adaptation
• Gene Corman Composer
• Chick Crumpacker Digital Producer
• Robert DeCormier Adaptation, Choir Director, Composer, Conductor
• Dennis Farnon Producer
• Franz Gruber Composer
• Jester Hairston Composer
• Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Composer
• Johnny Marks Adaptation, Composer
• Milton Okun Composer
• The Orchestra Unknown Contributor Role
• Henri René Producer
• Millard Thomas Guitar
• Traditional Composer
• Don Wardell Digital Series Coordination
• E.O. Welker Producer
• Watson Wylie Liner Notes^[2]

References