Christmas is all about tradition: the same ornaments on the tree that you’ve had since childhood; the same cookies and desserts that grandma made; and, most of all, the same seasonal songs that you’ve heard all your life. With the exception of the traditional carols, which are centuries old, most of the popular Christmas songs come from 1934-1954, a two-decade span that roughly coincides with the era known as the Great American Songbook. There are very few songs of more recent vintage that have found a permanent place in the Christmas repertoire.
From Irving Berlin’s poignant and wistful “White Christmas” to the light-hearted novelty “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” these timeless songs are masterfully crafted both lyrically and musically and can withstand a myriad of interpretations, changing tastes and styles. They’re so deeply embedded in the American cultural experience that it’s nearly impossible for other songs to find some space and take root.
Dozens of Christmas albums are released every year and most of them feature performances of the same old handful of songs. Ella Fitzgerald’s Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas is no exception, but while most other Christmas albums recorded through the years have faded from memory, this album remains a classic, sixty years after its release in 1960.
When Ella recorded this Christmas album she was at the peak of her powers. With her clear, pure, bright tone, she possessed one of the most beautiful voices in all of jazz and popular music. She had an easy sense of swing that’s second-to-none. There’s also an unmatched playfulness and joy in her singing that’s infectious. Listeners can’t help but smile and tap their feet while listening to Ella.
Christmas is a season of joy, and it’s Ella’s ebullience that makes Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas a perennial favorite. She rescues tiresome chestnuts like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” and makes them fun and enjoyable again. She doesn’t reinvent the songs so much as removes the layers of schmaltz these songs have accumulated through the years.
Ella ranks among the most beloved singers in jazz and American popular music and she continues to inspire younger performers, twenty-six years after her death. A few of them join vocalist Vanessa Williams and the American Pops for a PBS celebration of Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas. The television performance is a fitting tribute to the legacy of the great Ella Fitzgerald and one of the most enduring Christmas albums of all time.
Enjoy an evening celebrating Fitzgerald’s entire iconic album presented by the American Pops Orchestra. Features appearances by Dee Dee Bridgewater, Norm Lewis, Carmen Ruby Floyd, Nova Payton, Dave Detwiler and Morgan James.
Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas, with Vanessa Williams premieres on SDPB1 Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 7pm (6 MT).