🎄 Holidays! THE OFFICIAL REVIEW: "CHRISTMAS WITH THE CARPENTERS" (TIME-LIFE R105-19)

[Chris May]

“CHRISTMAS WITH THE CARPENTERS”​

Catalogue Number: Time-Life R105-19
Year of Release: 1992
Medium: Cassette/CD ​

Track Listing, Disc 1:

1.) O Come, O Come Emmanuel:28 (P.D. Arrg. & Adapted by Richard Carpenter) (1992 Remix)
2.) Overture: 4:38 (1992 Remix)
a. Deck The Halls (With Boughs Of Holly) / (P.D. Trad French Carol)
b. I Saw Three Ships (P.D. Trad Welsh Carol)
c. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Martin/Blane)
d. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (P.D. Trad English Carol)
e. Away In A Manger (Luther’s Cradle Hymn) / (P.D. Luther/Mueller/Spilman)
f. What Child Is This? (Greensleeves) / (P.D. Will C. Dix)
g. Carol Of The Bells (P.D. Trad Ukranian Carol)
h. O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles) / (P.D. English version: Oakeley/Wade/Reai)

3.) The Christmas Waltz 2:14 (Cahn/Styne) (1992 Remix)
4.) Sleigh Ride 2:39 (Parish/Anderson) (1992 Remix)
5.) It’s Christmas Time/Sleep Well, Little Children 2:54 (Young/Stilman/Bergman/Klatzkin) (1992 Remix)
6.) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 3:57 (Martin/Blane) (1992 Remix)
7.) Silent Night 3:20 (P.D. Orig. Music by Franz Gruber, Arrg. & Adapted by Peter Knight) (1992 Remix)
8.) What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? 2:50 (Loesser)
9.) An Old-Fashioned Christmas 2:15 (Carpenter/Bettis)
10.) O Holy Night 3:10 (P.D. Adolphe Adam/Adapted by Richard Carpenter)
11.) (There’s No Place Like) Home For The Holidays 2:36 (Allen/Stillman)
12.) Medley 3:44
a. Here Comes Santa Claus (Autry/Haldeman) Gene Autry's Western Music Publishing (ASCAP)
b. Frosty The Snowman (Nelson/Rollins) Chappell & Co. (ASCAP)
c. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (Marks) St. Nicholas Music Inc. (ASCAP)
d. Good King Wenceslas (P.D. John Mason Neale, Adapted by Richard Carpenter) Almo Music Corp./Hammer and Nails Music, adm. by
Almo Music Corp. (ASCAP)

13.) The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) 3:41 (Torme/Wells) (1992 Remix)

Track Listing, Disc 2:

1.) The First Snowfall/Let It Snow (Medley) 3:37 (Webster/Burke) & (Cahn/Styne) (1992 Remix)
2.) He Came Here For Me 2:14 (Nelson)
3.) Santa Claus Is Coming To Town 4:08 (Gillespie/Coots) (1984 Remix)
4.) I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day 2:22 (Marks/Longfellow, Adapted by Johnny Marks)
5.) Merry Christmas Darling 3:05 (Pooler/Carpenter) (1992 Remix)
6.) Little Altar Boy 3:44 (Smith)
7.) I’ll Be Home For Christmas 3:50 (Gannon/Kent/Ram) (1992 Remix)
8.) Christ Is Born 3:13 (Charles/Bartolucci) (1990 Remix)
9.) White Christmas: 2:41 (1990 Remix)
10.) Ave Maria 2:38 (P.D. Original Music: Johann Sebastian Bach, Adapted by Charles Gounod, This arrg & adaptation by Peter Knight) (1990 Remix)

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Notes by Harry Neyhart, A&M Corner Staffer:

After the new owner of A&M Records, PolyGram, acquired the label’s catalog, they decided to license out some of their recordings to the likes of outfits like Time-Life and Reader’s Digest. These companies were eager to market big name acts like Carpenters in order to potentially boost sales of their other concerns. This action was not unprecedented; even in the Alpert-Moss era they licensed out recordings all the time to Longines Symphonette, Reader’s Digest, etc.

Time-Life put out this Christmas effort in 1992. While Richard was undertaking his massive remix project, he included the CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT recordings, with some of them appearing for the first time on the FROM THE TOP box set. These are the ones with the “1990 remix” label. Others appeared here for the first time, and get a “1992 remix” label.

Fans were eager to straighten out the CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT anomaly – the fact that that CD had been altered to include selections from the second album. This disc helped, but still didn’t cover all of the recordings on CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT. It DID however include a remix of “Merry Christmas Darling” that’s never appeared anywhere else. It has the typical stereo piano re-record along with heavier reverb on Karen’s vocal.

 

[Chris May]

This set from 1992 featured many remixes not yet heard (at the time) from the Christmas Portrait album, following the release of Christmas Portrait: Special Edition in 1984. Since this release also features the sparse Merry Christmas Darling remix, I thought this set might be a nice edition to the OFFICIAL REVIEW threads we already have going. If you don't own a copy and have not heard this mix of MCD, it can be found online. All of the rest of the songs remixed here are available on the Christmas Collection 2-CD set which features both Christmas albums in their entirety.

 

[tomswift2002]

Obviously this album has been out-of-print for years now. But it is one of only 3 Carpenters compilation albums, and only 1 of 2 where Richard combined tracks from both "Christmas Portrait" and "An Old-Fashioned Christmas".

I've only had this album for about 3 years now, and it is interesting in that the total length across both discs is less than the single-disc "Christmas Portrait: Special Edition". It makes you wonder why Richard didn't add more songs to the album, or even record a few new songs.

Also another thing I find odd with this album is how many stops and starts it has. I've been listening to CPSE since the early-90's, and it's really nice how Richard managed to make that album sound very smooth, and if there is a dead space between tracks, it sounds natural. But with "Christmas With" it almost sounds like after the opening overture, then it just goes off the rails. I recall Richard being quoted somewhere that he never wanted to do the average 10-track Christmas album, and yet this album seems to be just that. It's to bad that Richard hadn't recorded any new bridging material, like he would in 2000. I find on disc 1 that "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" kind of sounds like an anomaly on the disc, as it seems to be the only track with that beat and rhythm on the disc, while the other tracks are more or less at a consistent rhythm. Disc 2, it's funny how it's only got 10 tracks, as it sounds like your average 10-track CD. It's surprising that CD a wasn't culled as an independent release when Universal was doing its 20th Century Masters Christmas CD's.

Of course this album has the only appearance of a very different remix of "Merry Christmas Darling". The electric piano really updates the song, and it's to bad Richard hasn't reused the electric piano part in the newer remixes. The extra reverb wasn't the best, but the electric piano was nice.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I really like this set because it's nothing but Karen after Karen after Karen, it's like non stop Karen singing, it's a pleasant listen to hear so much of her one song after the other when one is so use to all the interludes from CP and AOFC. However I really dislike what he did with the mix of Merry Christmas Darling, I can't bear to listen to that version and usually skip it when it approaches. Why he chose to mess with that track of all tracks is beyond me....nothing can surpass the original 1970 version in my opinion.

 

[Harry]

I've mentioned it elsewhere, but with the three versions of "Merry Christmas Darling" available, it's nice to vary them through the Christmas season. Once I start listening to Christmas music, I like to hear the original 1970 "Merry Christmas Darling". It was the hit record and the one that introduced us all to the song.

Since it gets a lot of plays, it's nice at some point to freshen it up and go to the 1978 album re-recorded version. Karen's vocal take is more polished here, and it gives the song a coat of fresh paint.

As the season is winding down, I'll dig out the Time-Life remix of the song for one more variance to again present the song in a new light before putting away the Christmas music for another year.

Harry

 

[GaryAlan]

I listen especially for the Disc "B" in this set, which includes a few of my all-time favorites:
He Came Here For Me, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day,
Little Altar Boy, Ave Maria.

That being said, fool that I am, I listen to Christmas music throughout the year !

 

[newvillefan]

I find on disc 1 that "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" kind of sounds like an anomaly on the disc, as it seems to be the only track with that beat and rhythm on the disc, while the other tracks are more or less at a consistent rhythm.

This is one of my favourite KC leads on their Christmas material. The slow shuffle beat, orchestration and Karen's playful, flirtatious vocals are just gorgeous. A real gem of a vocal take as well as a song.

 

[tomswift2002]

"What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" Is a very nice song, however on An -Old-Fashioned Christmas the other tracks around the song make it fit right into the flow of the album, whereas on Christmas With... the song just seemed to be placed right there, with no thought as to how it fits.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

It sounds like we are all starting to get into the festive mood...now if only our weather here would do the same.

who can't pull out his Christmas CD's just yet....

 

[tomswift2002]

It sounds like we are all starting to get into the festive mood...now if only our weather here would do the same.

who can't pull out his Christmas CD's just yet....

I pulled out my Christmas Cd's, LP's and tapes last Sunday. And, just in general I noticed how much more interesting the Christmas covers were back in the LP days, up to about the mid-90's. More thought and effort seemed to go into the covers, whereas nowadays most covers are shots of winter wonderlands and out-of-focus Christmas lights, or the artist just holding a present against a gray photo background. The older LP's have some really crazy and spectacular covers, such as one by Dennis Day that has him and his family opening gifts on Christmas morning, with Jack Benny dressed up as Santa Claus playing the violin. Or the Carpenters painted Christmas covers come to mind, or the original cover for the Beach Boys Christmas album, with the boys decorating a Christmas tree.

 

[theninjarabbit]

Told my family I wouldn't pull my Christmas music out until after Thanksgiving -- this coming from the individual caught playing "Merry Christmas Darling" in July.

 

[Chris May]

However I really dislike what he did with the mix of Merry Christmas Darling, I can't bear to listen to that version and usually skip it when it approaches. Why he chose to mess with that track of all tracks is beyond me....nothing can surpass the original 1970 version in my opinion.

Couldn't agree with you more Rick! Not to mention there's occasional distortion and it's "swimmy" on the time. I *almost* put this in the same category as the '91 remix of Top of the World. Ugggh...

 

[Charlie D]

This is one of my favourite KC leads on their Christmas material. The slow shuffle beat, orchestration and Karen's playful, flirtatious vocals are just gorgeous. A real gem of a vocal take as well as a song.

I adore this song as well. It's so romantic and Karen's vocals are simply charming and, yes, flirtatious. That really is the perfect way to describe it. Was this arranged by Peter Knight, like the rest of the Christmas sessions?

 

[newvillefan]

Couldn't agree with you more Rick! Not to mention there's occasional distortion and it's "swimmy" on the time. I *almost* put this in the same category as the '91 remix of Top of the World. Ugggh...

Both tracks suffer from 'out of step' instrumentation - the piano on Merry Christmas Darling and the kick drum on Top Of The World (played by Richard through his keyboard). That kick drum is an abomination. It's so out of time that it actually makes me skip forward to the next track. I just can't listen to it.

 

[Charlie D]

Both tracks suffer from 'out of step' instrumentation - the piano on Merry Christmas Darling and the kick drum on Top Of The World (played by Richard through his keyboard). That kick drum is an abomination. It's so out of time that it actually makes me skip forward to the next track. I just can't listen to it.

When I first started hearing there music I would always hear the 1991 remix totally unaware it was different. But I still like it even though it's technically out of time - it gives the 1973 mix a punchier feel.

 

[theninjarabbit]

Was the out-of-time kick drum corrected at some point?

 

[Chris May]

Was the out-of-time kick drum corrected at some point?

Richard just reverted back to the original '73 mix from then on.

 

[tomswift2002]

I was just listening to Disc 2 and I noticed that Richard, aside from removing the track from the medley and making Karen's intro sound funny, also re-recorded the piano on "White Christmas", especially right at the end when it segues in "Ave Maria". And it doesn't sound like the same piano as was used on the Christmas Collection segue, as that one sounded more like a grand- or even just a house-size piano, while on Christmas With it sounds like an electric keyboard was used, and mixed louder than the original segue.

 

[Harry]

"White Christmas" was remixed in 1990 for the FROM THE TOP box set. It was separated from its medley at that point. The version that appears on the TIME-LIFE set is that same recording, but the piano part at the end was appended to segue to "Ave Maria"

 

[Chris May]

I was just listening to Disc 2 and I noticed that Richard, aside from removing the track from the medley and making Karen's intro sound funny, also re-recorded the piano on "White Christmas", especially right at the end when it segues in "Ave Maria". And it doesn't sound like the same piano as was used on the Christmas Collection segue, as that one sounded more like a grand- or even just a house-size piano, while on Christmas With it sounds like an electric keyboard was used, and mixed louder than the original segue.

He recorded two additional alternate interludes for that transition - one using the Yamaha DX-7-like synth, and another with the acoustic piano. The original was recorded on the Rhodes electric piano in stereo with heavy tremolo.

 

[tomswift2002]

I never noticed a piano being used for the interlude on Christmas Portrait Special Edition or even the original LP or West German CD. It sounded mostly like strings and bells for that interlude and possible a guitar. I guess if there was a piano in the 1978 mix, it was mixed extremely low.

 

[newvillefan]

I never noticed a piano being used for the interlude on Christmas Portrait Special Edition or even the original LP or West German CD. It sounded mostly like strings and bells for that interlude and possible a guitar. I guess if there was a piano in the 1978 mix, it was mixed extremely low.

The 'bell' sound you mention is the tremelo effect on the piano being played

 

[Chris May]

Well just to clarify, at the very last chord of White Christmas, you hear a diatonic scale walk-down being played on tubular bells while the strings are holding out. At the third from the last bell chime, the keyboard comes in (on the original mix, the Rhodes electric piano which employs the 'tremolo' effect - panning left to right stereo, back and forth repeatedly) as Richard plays out the interlude, transitioning into the key of Ab major, which sets up Ave Maria. This original segue can be heard on the '78 mix as well as the Special Edition from '84. Any subsequent releases that feature this segue have the interlude replaced by a synth and later on the acoustic piano, both basically the same arrangement as the original. Hope this makes sense.

 

[tomswift2002]

Okay. No wonder I didn't recognize the piano. That tremolo effect always made my eardrums hurt, with just how fast it switched from one channel to the other, and I was glad when the 1996 mix came out and that effect was toned down in the mix. That was the one dark spot on an otherwise beautiful album.

 

[michiganguy]

I've mentioned it elsewhere, but with the three versions of "Merry Christmas Darling" available, it's nice to vary them through the Christmas season. Once I start listening to Christmas music, I like to hear the original 1970 "Merry Christmas Darling". It was the hit record and the one that introduced us all to the song.

Since it gets a lot of plays, it's nice at some point to freshen it up and go to the 1978 album re-recorded version. Karen's vocal take is more polished here, and it gives the song a coat of fresh paint.

As the season is winding down, I'll dig out the Time-Life remix of the song for one more variance to again present the song in a new light before putting away the Christmas music for another year.

Harry

I have heard the rare remix. I like them all, but 1978 & 1970 are my favorites by far.

Maybe its just here in Detroit, but both Christmas stations play the 1970 version of Merry Christmas, Darling. I dont know if its that the original has made a comeback, but I remember when I didnt even know the 1970 version existed (always heard 1978 on the radio)...now I never hear 1978 on the radio, its always 1970! Of course...I listen to them all on my cds