Venus: Christmas Today

[Bilbobaggins]

Since Christmas is well on it's way, I went through my collection for Christmas CD's and stumbled upon this one... I sort of forgotten all about it, but it is a nice release from the good ol' Venus label: Christmas today. A (little bit strange) combination of 1971 Christmas recordings and 1975 Today recordings. At the time, it had quite some unreleased takes. By now everything has been released by RCA/Sony, save for a few short false starts and some dialogue. Listening to it now... it still makes a good listen!

CD-1: Christmas songs 1971

I'll Be Home On Christmas Day (6*)
Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees (3*)
On A Snowy Christmas Night (undubbed master) [#]
The Wonderful World Of Christmas (undubbed master) [#]
Silver Bells (1)
I'll Be Home On Christmas Day (1*, 2*)
The Lord's Prayer
Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees (1*, 2*)
The First Noel (undubbed master) [#]
Winter Wonderland (7*)
I'll Be Home On Christmas Day Takes (5*, 7*, 3)
Merry Christmas Baby (fs*, undubbed master) [#]
If I Get Home On Christmas Day (undubbed master) [#]
Silver Bells (undubbed master) [#]
Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees (5*, 6*, 7*, 4)
Winter Wonderland (undubbed master) [#]
It Won't Seem Like Christmas Without You (undubbed master) [#]
I'll Be Home On Christmas Day (undubbed master) [#]
Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees (undubbed master) [#]
O Come, All Ye Faithful (undubbed master) [#]
I'll Be Home On Christmas Day (4)
Silver Bells (fs*, 2 (original session recording), 3* (fs)

[*] Officially unreleased at the time of this release.
[#] from acetate


CD-2: Elvis Today session

T-R-O-U-B-L-E (4) [undubbed master]
Green Green Grass Of Home (fs*, 1)
Fairytale (3) [undubbed master]
Bringing It Back (2, 3)
Susan When She Tried (6) [undubbed master]
I Can Help (fs*, 2) [undubbed master]
And I Love You So (5) [undubbed master]
Green Green Grass Of Home (2, 3)
Woman Without Love (1) [undubbed master]
Tiger Man (session jam)
Bringing It Back (4) [undubbed master]
And I Love You So (1)
Shake A Hand (3) [undubbed master]
Green Green Grass Of Home (4*, 5)
Pieces Of My Life (4) [undubbed master]
Bringing It Back (1)


[*] Officially unreleased at the time of this release.


The info above is from: https://www.elvisinnorway.no/christmastoday.html , a fine site by Oven Egeland. I can recommend reading his review on this CD and have a further look around on his website.

[NinaFromCanadaEh]

odd pairing of seasonal and secular

I am surprised there is yet to be a gospel/xmas box set

[Sweet-Angeline]

odd pairing of seasonal and secular

I am surprised there is yet to be a gospel/xmas box set

I agree...in a very small way (and I do mean small ) we had ELVIS BACK IN NASHVILLE 2021 (He Touched me / Wonderful World...) but nowhere near what you are suggesting obviously. I did like CHRISTMAS PEACE from back in 2003!!

[NinaFromCanadaEh]

BMG did release a gospel set

it would not have been too much to have the xmas songs as well

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51H ... 0_ML2_.jpg

they are christian songs, after all

[KingElvis]

Christmas/Today was a nice release when I got it in 2010, and I played it a lot back then....especially the
Today disc, as Xmas Elvis has never been a favorite of mine.