The Time-Life Treasury of Christmas

~ Release by Various Artists (see all versions of this release, 5 available)

Tracklist

1CD
2CD
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1Holly Jolly Christmas
lead vocals:
Burl Ives
chorus master:
Owen Bradley
instruments arranger:
Owen Bradley
part of:
Billboard Hot 100: 2026-01-03 (number: 12), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-20 (number: 15), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-13 (number: 16), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-27 (number: 16), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-06 (number: 24), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-11-29 (number: 40), Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2023 (number: 71), Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2022 (number: 89) and Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2024 (number: 94)
recording of:
A Holly Jolly Christmas
lyricist and composer:
Johnny Marks (American songwriter)
publisher:
Audiam Publishing, Warner Chappell (Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.) and St. Nicholas Music Inc. (in 1964)
Burl Ives42:17
2Sleigh Ride
vocals:
Johnny Mathis (US pop/soul singer)
orchestra:
Percy Faith and His Orchestra (Faith’s orchestra before his death in 1976)
conductor:
Percy Faith
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Columbia Records (EMI‐owned 1931–1990, worldwide except US, CA, MX, ES, & JP; largely defunct since Jan 1973) (in 1958)
recording of:
Sleigh Ride
lyricist:
Mitchell Parish (in 1950)
composer:
Leroy Anderson (until 1948-02-10)
publisher:
EMI Harmonies Limited, EMI Mills Music Inc. (ASCAP-affiliated), EMI Music Publishing Australia Pty Ltd (not for release label use!) and Woodbury Music (aka Woodbury Music Company)
version of:
Sleigh Ride (original instrumental version)
Johnny Mathis4.52:59
3Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
recording engineer:
Bob Simpson (US jazz engineer/producer) (from 1959-07-13 until 1959-07-15)
producer:
Charles Grean and Lee Schapiro
choir vocals:
The Ray Charles Singers (from 1959-07-13 until 1959-07-15)
vocals:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001) (from 1959-07-13 until 1959-07-15)
orchestra:
Mitchell Ayres and His Orchestra (from 1959-07-13 until 1959-07-15)
recorded at:
Webster Hall in East Village, New York, New York, United States (from 1959-07-13 until 1959-07-15)
recording of:
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (from 1959-07-13 until 1959-07-15)
lyricist:
Haven Gillespie (in 1932)
composer:
J. Fred Coots (in 1932)
publisher:
EMI Allans Music Australia Pty Ltd, EMI Feist Catalog Inc., EMI Music Publishing Australia Pty Ltd (not for release label use!), EMI Music Publishing Ltd. (PRS‐affiliated), EMI United Partnership Ltd., Francis, Day & Hunter Ltd., Haven Gillespie Music Publishing, Jobete Music Co., Inc., Leo Feist Ltd, Leo Feist, Inc., SBK United Partnership and The Songwriters Guild
sub-publisher:
フジパシフィックミュージック SBK事業部 (Fujipacific Music SBK Department) and ヤマハミュージックエンタテインメントホールディングス (Yamaha Music Entertainment Holdings, Inc., holding company – do not use as release label)
Perry Como2:45
4Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
producer:
Jimmy Bowen (producer, rockabilly musician and songwriter) and Lee Gillette
lead vocals:
Dean Martin (American singer/actor) (in 1959)
conductor:
Gus Levene (in 1959)
arranger:
Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
The Dean Martin Family Trust and Capitol Records, Inc. (not for release label use; US company behind the “Capitol Records” imprint) (in 1959)
part of:
Billboard Hot 100: 2026-01-03 (number: 7), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-27 (number: 8), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-20 (number: 11), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-13 (number: 13), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-06 (number: 22), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-11-29 (number: 34) and Offizielle deutsche Charts – Single-Jahrescharts 2025 (number: 93)
cover recording of:
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (in 1959)
lyricist:
Sammy Cahn (in 1945-07)
composer:
Jule Styne (in 1945-07)
publisher:
Cahn Music Company, Chappell & Co., Chappell/Morris Ltd., Cherry Lane Music Ltd., Imagen Music, J. Albert & Son Pty. Ltd., Producers Music Publishing Co., Warner Chappell Music Ltd. (no slash; used 1988–1996), Warner Chappell North America and WB Music Corp. (1929–2019)
Dean Martin4.251:58
5Jingle Bells
cover recording of:
Jingle Bells
lyricist and composer:
James Lord Pierpont (in 1850)
publisher:
Warner Chappell Music Ltd. (no slash; used 1988–1996)
composed at and lyrics written at:
Simpson Tavern in Medford, Massachusetts, United States (in 1850)
Jim Reeves41:52
6If Every Day Was Like Christmas
engineer:
Jim Malloy
drums (drum set):
D.J. Fontana (on 1966-06-10) and Buddy Harman (Session drummer and songwriter) (on 1966-06-10)
guitar:
Harold Bradley (on 1966-06-10), Scotty Moore (American guitarist and recording engineer) (on 1966-06-10) and Chip Young (American session guitarist, bassist, producer in the genre of country) (on 1966-06-10)
organ:
Henry Slaughter (on 1966-06-10)
piano:
David Briggs (English organist and composer) (on 1966-06-10)
saxophone:
Rufus Long (on 1966-06-10)
steel guitar:
Pete Drake (steel guitar player) (on 1966-06-10)
timpani:
Buddy Harman (Session drummer and songwriter) (on 1966-06-10)
background vocals:
Dolores Edgin (from 1966-06-10 until 1966-06-12), The Jordanaires (southern gospel group) (from 1966-06-10 until 1966-06-12), Millie Kirkham (from 1966-06-10 until 1966-06-12), June Page (from 1966-06-10 until 1966-06-12) and The Imperials Quartet (gospel/CCM group) (from 1966-06-10 until 1966-06-12)
lead vocals:
Elvis Presley (“The King of Rock and Roll”)
vocals:
Dolores Edgin (on 1966-06-10), The Imperials (gospel/CCM group) (on 1966-06-10), The Jordanaires (southern gospel group) (on 1966-06-10), Millie Kirkham (on 1966-06-10), June Page (on 1966-06-10) and Elvis Presley (“The King of Rock and Roll”) (on 1966-06-12)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
BMG Music (in 1966)
recorded at:
RCA Studio B (Nashville, TN) in Nashville, Tennessee, United States (on 1966-06-10, from 1966-06-10 until 1966-06-12, on 1966-06-12)
cover recording of:
If Every Day Was Like Christmas (from 1966-06-10 until 1966-06-12)
lyricist and composer:
Red West
publisher:
Atlantic Music Corp. (BMI)
Elvis Presley2.652:57
7I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
recording of:
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
lyricist and composer:
Tommie Connor (English songwriter)
publisher:
Blue Ribbon Music Ltd., Campbell Connelly, E. H. Morris & Co. Ltd., Herman Music, Inc., Jewel Music Publishing Co., Inc. (publisher; do NOT use as release label) and Regent Music (BMI)
Jimmy Boyd2:32
8Rockin' Around the Christmas TreeBrenda Lee42:06
9What Child Is This
engineer:
Mickey Crofford (in 1975-08)
assistant producer:
Kris O'Connor
producer:
Milton Okun
guitar:
Chuck Collazzi (in 1975-08)
harpsichord and piano:
Pearl Kaufman (in 1975-08)
arranger:
Lee Holdridge
cover recording of:
What Child Is This?
lyricist:
William Chatterton Dix (in 1865)
composer:
[traditional] (special purpose artist)
part of:
Roud Folk Song Index (number: 25608)
version of:
Greensleeves (generic entry for traditional and unknown arrangements)
John Denver42:37
10Christmas in Dixie
engineer:
Gene Rice
recorded at and mixed at:
Music Mill in Nashville, Tennessee, United States
recording of:
Christmas in Dixie (in 1982-07)
writer:
Jeff Cook (US country vocalist/guitarist/fiddler, member of Alabama), Teddy Gentry, Mark Herndon and Randy Owen
publisher:
Maypop Music (in 1982)
Alabama33:41
11God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
recording of:
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (traditional, no arrangement credits here)
lyricist and composer:
[traditional] (special purpose artist)
part of:
Roud Folk Song Index (number: 394)
Julie Andrews3:12
12Adeste Fideles
recording engineer:
John Dunkerley (engineer) and James Lock (James Locke, engineer)
producer:
Ray Minshull (record producer)
choir vocals:
London Voices (in 1976-01)
tenor vocals:
Luciano Pavarotti (tenor) (in 1976-01)
orchestra:
National Philharmonic Orchestra (fka the London Promenade Orchestra until 1971, mostly film music and opera) (in 1976-01)
conductor:
Kurt Herbert Adler (conductor) (in 1976-01)
chorus master:
Terry Edwards (British choir director) (in 1976-01)
arranger:
Douglas Gamley (film composer)
recorded at:
All Saints’ Church (Petersham) in Richmond upon Thames, London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (in 1976-01)
recording of:
Adeste fideles (original latin version) (in 1976-01)
lyricist and composer:
John Francis Wade (from 1740 until 1743)
Luciano Pavarotti3:32
13I'll Be Home for Christmas
vocals:
Perry Como (US pop singer & TV personality, 1912–2001) (on 1946-08-06)
recording of:
I’ll Be Home for Christmas (on 1946-08-06)
lyricist:
James Kimball Gannon
additional writer:
Buck Ram
composer:
Walter Kent
publisher:
Chappell Music Ltd., Edward B. Marks Music Co. (founded originally as J. Stern & Co. in 1894, renamed in 1919), Gannon and Kent Music Co., Piedmont Music Company, Warner Chappell and Warner Chappell Music (holding behind all publishing activities of Warner Music Group, 2019–)
sub-publisher:
ヤマハミュージックエンタテインメントホールディングス (Yamaha Music Entertainment Holdings, Inc., holding company – do not use as release label) and ワーナー・チャペル音楽出版 Synch事業部 (Warner/Chappell Music Japan K.K., Synch Division)
Perry Como2:56
14Blue Christmas
engineer:
Thorne Nogar
acoustic guitar and lead vocals:
Elvis Presley (“The King of Rock and Roll”) (on 1957-09-05)
double bass:
Bill Black (US bassist/leader for Elvis/Bill Black's Combo) (on 1957-09-05)
drums (drum set):
D.J. Fontana (on 1957-09-05)
electric guitar:
Scotty Moore (American guitarist and recording engineer) (on 1957-09-05)
piano:
Dudley Brooks (on 1957-09-05)
background vocals:
The Jordanaires (southern gospel group) (on 1957-09-05) and Millie Kirkham (on 1957-09-05)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
RCA Victor (in 1957), Sony Music Entertainment (NOT FOR RELEASE LABEL USE! company owned by Sony Corporation of America since Oct 1, 2008; operates worldwide except in JP) (in 1957) and Sony BMG Music Entertainment (Aug 5, 2004 – Oct 1, 2008) (in 1968)
recorded at:
Radio Recorders Studios (Santa Monica Blvd. location since 1949) in West Hollywood, California, United States (on 1957-09-05)
part of:
Billboard Hot 100: 2026-01-03 (number: 21), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-27 (number: 27), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-20 (number: 29), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-13 (number: 31) and Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-06 (number: 50)
cover recording of:
Blue Christmas (on 1957-09-05)
writer:
Bill Hayes (songwriter) and Jay Johnson (songwriter of “Blue Christmas”)
publisher:
Anglo-Pic Music Co. Ltd., Bibo Music Publishing, Inc., J. Albert & Son Pty. Ltd., PolyGram International Publishing, Inc. (renamed Universal PolyGram International Publishing, Inc. circa 1998), Universal PolyGram International Publishing, Inc. (existed only since ca. 1998) and Universal Polygram International, Inc.
Elvis Presley3.52:09
15Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
recorded in:
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States (on 1943-12-04)
producer:
Arthur Freed
vocals:
Judy Garland (on 1943-12-04)
orchestra:
M‐G‐M Studio Orchestra (on 1943-12-04)
conductor:
Georgie Stoll (on 1943-12-04)
recording of:
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (on 1943-12-04)
lyricist:
Ralph Blane (in 1943)
composer:
Hugh Martin (in 1943)
publisher:
EMI April Music Inc., EMI Feist Catalog Inc., EMI Music Publishing (do not use as a release label!), EMI Publishing, EMI United Partnership Ltd., J. Albert & Son, J. Albert & Son Pty. Ltd., Loew’s Incorporated (in 1943, in 1944) and Leo Feist, Inc. (in 1971, in 1972)
sub-publisher:
ヤマハミュージックエンタテインメントホールディングス (Yamaha Music Entertainment Holdings, Inc., holding company – do not use as release label), フジパシフィック音楽出版 SBK事業部 (Fujipacific Music Inc. SBK Division) (until 2014-12-31) and フジパシフィックミュージック SBK事業部 (Fujipacific Music SBK Department) (from 2015-01-01 to present)
part of:
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944 musical film soundtrack)
Judy Garland4.52:40
16Mary's Boy Child
vocals:
Harry Belafonte
recording of:
Mary’s Boy Child (on 1956-07-20)
lyricist and composer:
Jester Hairston
publisher:
Bourne Music Ltd. and J. Albert & Son Pty. Ltd.
Harry Belafonte54:25
17The First Noel
Sergio Franchi3:17
18Silver Bells
recording of:
Silver Bells (Christmas song)
lyricist and composer:
Ray Evans (American songwriter) and Jay Livingston
publisher:
Famous Music Corporation (renamed since 2007‐05 as Sony/ATV Harmony/Melody), Famous Music Publishing Limited (renamed into BMG FM Music Ltd. on 2013-05-13), Jay Livingston Music Inc., Paramount Music Corporation, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Australia Pty Ltd. and Sony/ATV Harmony (in 1950)
sub-publisher:
Sony/ATV Harmony Canada and ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング A事業部 (Sony Music Publishing (Japan) Inc., A Division)
Kate Smith2:39
19It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Capitol Records, Inc. (not for release label use; US company behind the “Capitol Records” imprint) (in 1963)
part of:
Billboard Hot 100: 2026-01-03 (number: 18), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-20 (number: 22), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-27 (number: 23), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-13 (number: 24) and Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-06 (number: 38)
recording of:
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (on 1951-09-10)
lyricist and composer:
Meredith Willson (in 1951)
publisher:
Frank Music Corp., Kobalt Music Publishing Australia Pty Ltd, Meredith Willson Music LLC, MPL Communications Australia and MPL Music Publishing
Perry Como32:37
20We Wish You a Merry Christmas
choir vocals:
The Philadelphia Singers (from 1971 until 1972)
orchestra:
The Philadelphia Orchestra (from 1971 until 1972)
conductor:
Eugene Ormandy (conductor) (from 1971 until 1972)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
BMG Entertainment (in 1972)
recording of:
We Wish You a Merry Christmas (from 1971 until 1972)
lyricist and composer:
[traditional] (special purpose artist)
part of:
Roud Folk Song Index (number: 230)
The Philadelphia Orchestra and Chorus2:03
21It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
lead vocals:
Andy Williams (US pop/jazz vocalist) (in 1972)
vocals:
Andy Williams (US pop/jazz vocalist) (in 1972)
arranger:
Johnny Mandel (American composer and arranger)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Sony BMG Music Entertainment (Aug 5, 2004 – Oct 1, 2008) (in 1963) and Sony Music Entertainment Inc. (company owned by Sony Corporation of America from 1991–2004, operated worldwide except in JP; normally not a release label) (in 1963)
part of:
Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-27 (number: 9), Billboard Hot 100: 2026-01-03 (number: 9), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-13 (number: 10), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-20 (number: 10), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-12-06 (number: 17), Billboard Hot 100: 2025-11-29 (number: 30) and BILLIONS CLUB
recording of:
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (in 1972)
writer:
Eddie Pola and George Wyle
publisher:
Barnaby Music Corp., EMI Music Publishing (do not use as a release label!), EMI Music Publishing Ltd. (PRS‐affiliated), EMI Songs Ltd., IQ Music Ltd. and ピアーミュージック (Peer Music Japan, Japan, subsidiary of Nichion)
Andy Williams42:32
22Joy to the World
vocals:
Anthony Kearns, John McDermott (Scottish-Canadian tenor) and Ronan Tynan
conductor:
Frank McNamara
arranger:
Frank McNamara
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Point Entertainment (in 1999)
The Irish Tenors1:40

Credits

Release group

included in:The Time‐Life Treasury of Christmas (4 CD set from 1987)
part of:The Time‐Life Treasury of Christmas (Time Life Music) (order: 2)
Discogs:https://www.discogs.com/master/231660 [info]
Wikidata:Q7769417 [info]