Candles, Snow & Mistletoe
Encyclopedia
Sharon, Lois & Bram
Sharon, Lois & Bram is the name of a Canadian children's musical trio composed of Sharon Hampson , Lois Ada Lilienstein , and Bramwell "Bram" Morrison .-Group formation:Sharon Hampson, Lois Lillenstein, and Bram Morrison began their singing...
, originally released in 1993. This holiday album is one of Sharon, Lois & Bram's biggest productions and recordings they worked on during their career. The album is produced by Glen Roven
Glen Roven
Glen Roven is an Emmy Award-winning composer, lyricist, and conductor. One of his notable compositions include a violin concerto based on the children's book The Runaway Bunny. Another notable composition is "Goodnight Moon, An Aria for Singer and Orchestra" which Lauren Flanigan performed in...
, an Emmy-Award winning producer who has worked with Liza Minnelli. Lyrics were written by Mark Saltzman
Mark Saltzman
Mark Saltzman began his career in New York City as a script writer and songwriter for Sesame Street, where he earned seven Emmy awards.-Early career:...
who also worked with Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
. This album, unlike previous Sharon, Lois & Bram albums, has a Broadway sound to the album. It featured a complete orchestra and was recorded using the same microphones as The Manhattan Transfer
The Manhattan Transfer
The Manhattan Transfer is an American vocal music group. There have been two manifestations of the group, with Tim Hauser being the only person to be part of both...
.
Not only was Candles, Snow & Mistletoe a musical recording, but it was also a CBC Television Special, later released onto video, as well as a Broadway Show. This was Sharon, Lois & Bram's first holiday-themed album that was recorded for the, then newly founded, Drive Entertainment label. The album featured all the lyrics to the songs as well a recipe from each member of the trio. The album became the fastsest selling album in their career with initial shipments in excess of 100,000 units.
Releases
The original release was in 1993 under Elephant Records in Canada, and in 1995 under Drive Entertainment in the United States. The cover features cartoonized versions of the trio and their mascot, elephant out in the snow. In 2000, Casablanca Kids Inc. picked up the publishing rights and it was available under their label, but with the same artwork as the 1993 release. In May 2009, Casablanca Kids Inc. redesigned the cover and renamed the album to 'Family Christmas' because of cataloging issues in libraries and the old name caused confusion when customers asked for the particular album. The 2009 release includes the same songs as the earlier release.- 1993 (Elephant Records) Cassette/CD
- 1995 (Drive Entertainment) Cassette/CD
- 2000/2001/2008/2009 (Casablanca Kids Inc.) CD
Home Video/Television Special
The album was then televised on CBC as a Christmas Special in 1993 and was later released on video under the same name in 1994. This 50-minute home video, directed by Michael McNamara, features "an original musical fantasy that combines familiar warmth, wit, and vocal magic of stars Sharon, Lois & Bram with the hijinks of their adorable pal, Elephant. [The film] is chock-full of unforgettable new songs and familiar Christmas classics produced by Emmy Award-Winning composer, Glen Roven. By turns heartwarming and hilarious, the story unfolds as Sharon, Lois & Bram take a most unusual train trip home for the holidays. Joined by an eccentric assortment of fellow passengers, the trio take the ride of their lives and rediscover the true meaning of the holiday season." The video was released on Lorne Michaels' Broadway VideoBroadway Video
Broadway Video is a media production and distribution company located within the Brill Building on Broadway, New York, United States. Founded in 1979 as a production house tasked with post-production work on Saturday Night Live, Broadway Video has since become one of the largest independent...
. The television special on CBC rated 1.2 million Canadian households in December 1993 (800,000 was considered a hit success).
Broadway Show
All the Holiday Fun You Can Sing! Tour
After Candles, Snow & Mistletoe finished its stint on Broadway; Sharon, Lois & Bram continued to offer it as a concert show titled "All the Holiday Fun You Can Sing!" that ran for several years. In 1994, the show sold over 19,000 tickets spread out over 8 concerts at the O'Keefe Center in Toronto. The hour-long concert featured an orchestra and somewhat of a storyline about finding the true spirit of the holidays. Each concert also featured some of the Sharon, Lois & Bram classics.Sweatshirts featuring the same image as the musical album were available for purchase at the holiday concerts and online through their, then, online store.
Nominations & Awards
Best Children's Album (1993)
Our Choice Award, Canadian Children's Book Centre(1993)
Juno Nomination, Best Children's Album (1993)
Gemini Nomination, Best Children's Program or Series (1995)
Gold
Album Track listing
- "We Need a Little ChristmasWe Need a Little Christmas"We Need a Little Christmas" is a popular Christmas song originating from Jerry Herman's Broadway musical, Mame, and first performed by Angela Lansbury in that 1966 production....
" - "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"
- "The Twelve Days of Christmas"
- "Candles Long Ago"
- "Mrs. Fogarty's Christmas Cake"
- "Have Yourself a Merry Little ChristmasHave Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is a song introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis. Frank Sinatra later recorded a version with modified lyrics, which has become more common than the original. The song was written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane...
" - "Don't Bring An Elephant (To A Family Meal)"
- "Bells Medley: Silver Bells, Jingle Bells, Ring them Bells"
- "A Winter Sweet"
- ""Merry Hula/Christmas Island"
- "With Bells On"
- "Christmas Is A-Comin'"
- "There Was A Pig Went Out to Dig"
- "I'm A Little Latke"
- "Dreydl, Dreydl"
- "Oy Chanukah"
- "Cool Yule"
- "We Wish You A Merry ChristmasWe Wish You a Merry Christmas"We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is a popular secular sixteenth-century English carol from the West Country of England. The origin of this Christmas carol lies in the English tradition where wealthy people of the community gave Christmas treats to the carolers on Christmas Eve such as 'figgy...
"
Broadway Program
- "We Need a Little ChristmasWe Need a Little Christmas"We Need a Little Christmas" is a popular Christmas song originating from Jerry Herman's Broadway musical, Mame, and first performed by Angela Lansbury in that 1966 production....
" - "Christmas Is A-Comin'"
- "Bells Medley: Silver Bells, Jingle Bells, Ring Them Bells"
- "Mrs. Fogarty's Christmas Cake"
- "I'm A Little Latke"
- "Dreydl, Dreydl"
- "Oy Chanukah"
- "Merry Hula/Christmas Island"
- "A Winter Sweet"
- "With Bells On"
- "Cool Yule"
- "Have Yourself a Merry Little ChristmasHave Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is a song introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis. Frank Sinatra later recorded a version with modified lyrics, which has become more common than the original. The song was written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane...
" - "Great Big Hits Medley"
- "Candles Long Ago"
- "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"
- "We Wish You A Merry ChristmasWe Wish You a Merry Christmas"We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is a popular secular sixteenth-century English carol from the West Country of England. The origin of this Christmas carol lies in the English tradition where wealthy people of the community gave Christmas treats to the carolers on Christmas Eve such as 'figgy...
" - "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"
- "Deck the Halls"
- "Skinnamarink"