In the 65 years since Ella Fitzgerald released Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas, the record has become a holiday classic.
Recorded and released in the summer of 1960 over the course of just a few months, Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas was the first of two Christmas albums that the iconic jazz singer released in her lifetime.
Fitzgerald, known by many as “The First Lady of Song,” was one of the most popular female jazz singers in the United States for over half a century. In her 60-year-long career, Fitzgerald recorded more than 200 albums and roughly 2,000 songs, making her the most recorded female performer of all time. During her lifetime, Fitzgerald sold more than 40 million albums. Her impressive body of work earned her 13 Grammy awards, the Kennedy Center Honour (1979), the National Medal of Arts (1987), France’s Commander of Arts and Letters (1990) and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1992).
Throughout the years, Fitzgerald’s distinct style has been a massive influence on many generations of singers. Her impressive vocal range, along with her gift for pitch, rhythm and diction led her to be immensely versatile. Beyond being beautiful, Fitzgerald’s voice was wide-ranging and ageless.
While there is no recorded total of sales for Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas, there is no doubt that it is well-loved. Ranking tenth on Rolling Stones’ “25 Greatest Christmas Albums of All Time” and second on The Guardian’s “20 Greatest Christmas Albums,” this record has taken on a life of its own in the 65 years since its release.
Made up of 12 secular Christmas songs, Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas has a brief run time of just 34 minutes — yet, these 34 minutes are packed with jazzy goodness.
The album opens with “Jingle Bells,” a bright, brash and massively enjoyable take on American composer James Lord Pierpont’s song. Fitzgerald is closely mic’d with her voice front and centre, making it feel like she is in the room with you. Using her impressive vocal range, Fitzgerald quickly jumps from hearty alto to vivid soprano, creating the feeling of bouncing around in a jumping, jiving one-horse open sleigh.
The record continues forward with “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town,” “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” and her renowned covers of “Sleigh Ride” and “The Christmas Song.”
My favourite track, “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” is warm and intimate. Crackling like a warm Yule fire, this song displays the beautiful tone and diction Fitzgerald possessed, highlighting her immense level of skill.
Classics such as “Winter Wonderland,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman,” and, of course, “White Christmas” populate the bottom half of the record. Each track beautifully flows into the next, creating the sense that the album never takes a break.
There is no doubt that Ella Fitzgerald’s Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas is a holiday classic. As the Christmas season approaches and Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé take the centre stage, this writer urges you not to forget the beauty of Fitzgerald and her impressive work.