Consumer Guide Album

Elvis Presley: Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas [RCA Victor, 1971]
I prefer the open-throated version of his awesomely pious sentimentality--"It's Now or Never," "If I Can Dream," etc.--to his more constricted attack, used here to signify high seriousness. But when he's serious about classic catchy pop like "Silver Bells" and "O Come, All Ye Faithful" it doesn't much matter, especially when you also get a transition from "I'll Be Home on Christmas Day" to "If I Get Home by Christmas Day." And here's what everyone was really waiting for--"Merry Christmas Baby," 5:45 of awesomely offhand dirt. B+