A Christmas Album or Christmas Mem'ries?

I don't count either album as out and out faves, but there is no question that
1967's "A Christmas Album" (flawed though it may be) outshines the cheesy
"Christmas Memories."

In the first album, Streisand clearly has a cold (as mentioned in the liner
notes in 2001's "Memories"), on many tracks (but not all). Her rendition of
"Silent Night" is, to me, the greatest I've ever heard. It's simple and
pure in arrangement and reading. There's a few nice tracks on "Memories", too,
but its mood is so uneven.

Yes, "Christmas Mem'ries" (as I said earlier) was to down and depressing for me (except for a few songs). It's ironic that she would finish recording this album less than a month before the tragedy of 9-11 (I believe she finished the tracks in late August), as this really became a reflection on the Christmas mood for many that year.

"Splodey heads keep splodin' " - Sarah Palin, 7-1-16 

Yes, and I believe 9/11 is mentioned in the liner notes of "Memories."
Terrible time.

Even though I tend to prefer Streisand's vocal work in the 60s, I actually think "Christmas Memories" is a better CD. She's talked about having a cold during the recording of "Christmas Album," and I've always felt her voice sounded cloudy throughout it. I loved her recording of "The Best Gift," but I thought the song sounded even better when she performed this live version not long after the album was released -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIqDkMxjdtU

On the other hand, the arrangement of "My Favorite Things" on "A Christmas Album" is a dirge; I've always had a "What were they thinking?" response to that one.

Overall, I've always felt "Christmas Memories" was a warmer, more intimate package. It has a few ho-hum cuts (even with the specially written verse, "I Remember" doesn't belong on ANY Christmas collection), but I still tend to listen to this one more than "A Christmas Album." There are 3 songs from "Christmas Album" on my holiday music loop, but 7 from "Christmas Memories" - I'm particularly fond of the title song, which is one of my all-time favorite seasonal recordings.

In the spirit of the holiday season, I ask: which do you prefer?

A Christmas Album from 1967 or Christmas Mem'ries from 2001?

The title "Christmas Mem'ries" alone makes me want to throw a plate at a wall.





Room for one more, honey.

And the saccharine lyrics: "Cookies baking...IN the kitchen...

Where ELSE would they be baking???

To be fair, though, one could also bake one's cookies in one's underground shopping mall.




Room for one more, honey.

I think I Remember Sky is one of the best recordings she has ever made.