To Wish You a Merry Christmas is an album by Harry Belafonte

Harry Belafonte

Harold George "Harry" Belafonte, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, actor and social activist. He was dubbed the "King of Calypso" for popularizing the Caribbean musical style with an international audience in the 1950s...

 Recorded May 27, 31, June 1, 3 and 8 of 1958 in Hollywood.
Conducted by Bob Corman. Millard Thomas and Laurindo Almeida

Laurindo Almeida

Laurindo Almeida was a Brazilian virtuoso guitaristand composer who made many recordings of enduring impact in classical, jazz and Latin genres...

, guitarists. Produced and directed by Ed Welker.

Track listing

1. "A Star In The East" - 4:15
2. "The Gifts They Gave" - 3:58
3. "The Son of Mary" - 3:21
4. "The Twelve Days of Christmas" - 3:49
5. "Where The Little Jesus Sleeps" - 2:05
6. "Medley: The Joys of Christmas; Oh Little Town of Bethlehem; Deck the Halls; The First Noël
   The First Noël
   The First Nowell is a traditional classical English carol, most likely from the 18th century, although possibly earlier...
   
   " - 5:25
7. "Mary, Mary" - 3:21
8. "Jehova The Lord Will Provide" - 2:57
9. "Silent Night
   Silent Night
   "Silent Night" is a popular Christmas carol. The original lyrics of the song "Stille Nacht" were written in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria, by the priest Father Joseph Mohr and the melody was composed by the Austrian headmaster Franz Xaver Gruber...
   
   " - 3:35
10. "Christmas Is Coming
    Christmas is Coming
    "Christmas Is Coming" is a nursery rhyme and Christmas carol with lyrics as follows:The musical version of the rhyme was popularized by The Kingston Trio as "A Round About Christmas", on their album The Last Month of the Year. It was also featured on a Christmas album John Denver and the Muppets:...
    
    " - 1:38
11. "Medley: We Wish You A Merry Christmas
    We 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...
    
    ; God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen; O Come All Ye Faithful; Joy to the World
    Joy to the World
    "Joy to the World" is a Christian Christmas carol.The words are by English hymn writer Isaac Watts, based on Psalm 98 in the Bible. The song was first published in 1719 in Watts' collection; The Psalms of David: Imitated in the language of the New Testament, and applied to the Christian state and...
    
    " - 4:29
12. "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
    I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
    "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" is a Christmas carol based on the 1864 poem "Christmas Bells" by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.- Origin :...
    
    " - 3:03

Re-release 1

To Wish You a Merry Christmas was repackaged in 1962 as RCA Victor catalog number LPM/LSP-2626 with a different cover (with Belafonte's picture this time) and a different Side 2. The credits are slightly different, listing the conductor as Robert DeCormier.

Side 1: identical to the 1958 release.

Side 2:

1. "Mary's Boy Child
   Mary's Boy Child
   "Mary's Boy Child" is a 1956 Christmas song, written by Jester Hairston. With its religious content, it is also widely performed as a Christmas carol....
   
   " - 4:20
2. "Silent Night
   Silent Night
   "Silent Night" is a popular Christmas carol. The original lyrics of the song "Stille Nacht" were written in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria, by the priest Father Joseph Mohr and the melody was composed by the Austrian headmaster Franz Xaver Gruber...
   
   " - 3:35
3. "Christmas Is Coming
   Christmas is Coming
   "Christmas Is Coming" is a nursery rhyme and Christmas carol with lyrics as follows:The musical version of the rhyme was popularized by The Kingston Trio as "A Round About Christmas", on their album The Last Month of the Year. It was also featured on a Christmas album John Denver and the Muppets:...
   
   " - 2:56
4. "Mary, Mary" - 3:34
5. "Jehova The Lord Will Provide" - 2:57
6. "Medley: We Wish You A Merry Christmas
   We 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...
   
   ; God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen; O Come All Ye Faithful; Joy to the World
   Joy to the World
   "Joy to the World" is a Christian Christmas carol.The words are by English hymn writer Isaac Watts, based on Psalm 98 in the Bible. The song was first published in 1719 in Watts' collection; The Psalms of David: Imitated in the language of the New Testament, and applied to the Christian state and...
   
   " - 4:26
7. "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
   I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
   "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" is a Christmas carol based on the 1864 poem "Christmas Bells" by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.- Origin :...
   
   " - 3:01

Re-release 2

In 1976, the songs were repackaged again, under the title "Belafonte's Christmas" In the RCA Pure Gold Series catalog number KNLI-0166 http://www.bonanza.com/listings/Harry-Belafonte-Belafontes-Christmas-1976-Vinyl-LP-Record-Still-Sealed/41474118
The tracks are identical to the 1962 release, except that sides 1 and 2 have been switched (i.e. the first song of the album is now Mary's Boy Child). A completely different picture of Belafonte is used on the cover.

Re-release 3

In 2001, the album was rereleased as "Harry Belafonte Christmas", with some of the songs remastered, and five new songs added:

1. "Goin' Down Jordan"
2. "Amen"
3. "Glory Manger"
4. "The Baby Boy"
5. "Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair)
   Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair)
   "Scarlet Ribbons " is a popular song. The music was written by Evelyn Danzig and the lyrics by Jack Segal."Scarlet Ribbons" was written in only 15 minutes in 1949 at Danzig's home in Port Washington New York after she invited lyricist Segal to hear her music...
   
   "