Christmas (Kenny Rogers album)

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Christmas
Studio album by
Released1981
Recorded1981
GenreSeasonal
Length33:37
LabelLiberty
ProducerKenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers chronology
Share Your Love
(1981)
Christmas
(1981)
Love Will Turn You Around
(1982)
Rogers' Christmas chronology
Christmas
(1981)
Once Upon a Christmas
(1984)
Alternative cover
1995 re-release cover
titled "Christmas Wishes"

Christmas is the twelfth studio album and the first Christmas album by Kenny Rogers released in 1981.

Overview[edit]

The album features several songs that were already well known at the time including "White Christmas," "When A Child is Born," "Carol of the Bells" and "My Favorite Things." Several original Christmas songs are also included, which have also now become well-known via this album.

Christmas was also the origin of Kenny's first holiday single, "Kentucky Home Made Christmas."

The album peaked at #10 on the U.S. Country charts and #34 on the overall U.S. charts.[1]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Christmas Everyday"Peter McCann3:44
2."Kentucky Homemade Christmas"Bill Caswell, Kin Vassy4:16
3."Carol of the Bells"Mykola Leontovych, Peter Wilhousky2:44
4."Kids"Mac Davis2:44
5."Sweet Little Jesus Boy"Bob MacGimsey3:04
6."Christmas Is My Favorite Time of Year"Peter McCann2:44
7."White Christmas"Irving Berlin2:50
8."My Favorite Things"Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers3:02
9."O Holy Night"Adolphe Adam, John Sullivan Dwight4:39
10."When a Child Is Born"Fred Jay, Zacar3:50

Personnel[edit]

Production[edit]

  • Producer – Kenny Rogers
  • Assistant Producer – Brenda Harvey-Richie
  • Engineers – Reginald Dozier (Tracks 1, 3–6, 8 & 9); Al Schmitt (Tracks 2 & 7); John Arrias (Track 10).
  • Second Engineer (Track 10) – Stephen Schmitt
  • Mixed by Reggie Dozier
  • Art Direction and Design – Bill Burks
  • Photography – Tom Gibson and Reid Miles

Re-releases[edit]

Christmas Wishes[edit]

In some quarters (including the UK and United States) the title has changed to "Christmas Wishes" and the album reissued in 1985 with an alternate track list. In other countries though, "Christmas" is still the title.

Alternate track list[edit]

  1. "White Christmas" [2:47]
  2. "Carol of the Bells" [2:43]
  3. "O Holy Night" [4:38]
  4. "Christmas Everyday" [3:42]
  5. "Kids" (CD Only) [2:42]
  6. "Kentucky Homemade Christmas" [4:14]
  7. "Christmas Is My Favorite Time of Year" [2:43]
  8. "Sweet Little Jesus Boy" [3:03]
  9. "When a Child Is Born" [3:49]
  10. "My Favorite Things" (CD Only) [2:59]

Chart performance[edit]

Chart (1981) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums 10
U.S. Billboard 200 34
U.S. Billboard Top Holiday Albums 27

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Kenny Rogers charted albums". Allmusic. Retrieved 10 September 2010.