Nat ‘King’ Cole’s ‘The Christmas Song’ Among First Vinylphyle Releases
The Christmas classic, featuring hits like ‘Deck The Halls,’ will help kick off UMe’s Vinylphyle series.
A timeless holiday classic is helping UMe kick off a special new series. Nat ‘King’ Cole’s The Christmas Song will be among the first albums released on UMe’s new hi-fidelity vinyl series, Vinylphyle. Like the rest of the series, Cole’s Christmas classic will be pressed on 180g black vinyl at RTI with the vinyl mastering handled by Joe Nino-Hernes at Sterling Sound. The album is available for pre-order now.
Originally released in 1960, The Christmas Song has gone on to become one of the most beloved holiday records of all time. That history will be highlighted on the album’s Vinylphyle edition; the packaging of The Christmas Song will include a four-panel insert complete with liner notes, photos, and art from the original packaging, along with a new essay by James Ritz. “It connects the listener to the music on a deeper level,” says Don McInnis, President of RTI. “It’s something to hold, to read, to study while the record spins. That’s part of the magic of vinyl.”
The Christmas Song features some of the most famous recordings not just in Cole’s catalogue but within the whole holiday canon. Aside from the titular “Christmas Song,” also known as “Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire,” the album features Cole’s recordings of “O Tannenbaum,” “Deck The Halls,” and “Silent Night.” The album is often considered one of the greatest Christmas albums of all time, with Rolling Stone featuring the album in its 2019 list.
Over 60 years after his death, Cole’s music remains adored year-round. This past year alone, the musician was the subject of the International L-O-V-E EP, which celebrated his classic long “L-O-V-E” with recordings in French, Japanese, Italian, and more languages. In September, his track “Orange Colored Sky” was the subject of a new visualizer, giving fans a new way to discover his music on YouTube. Cole’s music also regularly charts each holiday season; since 2020, “The Christmas Song,” “Caroling, Caroling,” “Deck The Halls,” “Joy To The World,” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” and “O Holy Night” have all charted within Billboard’s Holiday 100.
