Music Review: Mannheim Steamroller – Christmas Song

Mannheim Steamroller has been synonymous with Christmas music since Davis released Manheim Steamroller Christmas in 1984. The album sold over five million copies and scored a top 40 hit on the Adult Contemporary Charts with a rendition of “Deck the Halls.” Since then, Steamroller has released over half a dozen Christmas themed albums to an eager public.

With Steamroller’s latest release Christmas Song, Davis sticks to the holiday classics, with a few of his own songs mixed in. the sound of “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow,” written by Sammy Cahn and Julie Styne, is dominated by recorders with an overlay of drums and saxophone. Johnny Mathis lends his soft, dulcet tones to “The Christmas Song.” It is on songs like “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” where Manheim Steamroller really shines. Their rendering of this Christmas classic has a very jazzy feel to it; heavy on the percussion, saxophone and guitar. Things slow down considerably; with the quiet almost sequin arrangement of “It Came upon a Midnight Clear.” I was taken back to a time as a child, when I used to look up at the dark sky, anxiously awaiting Santa’s arrival. “Feliz Navidad” written by José Feliciano, returns listeners to the more jazzy upbeat sound found in earlier songs on the album. “Catching Snowflakes on Your Tongue” is an original song written by Chip Davis for his son Evan. The rhythm of the song starts of slow but picks up as the music continues. “Masters in the Hall” is an old carol from the 19th century. Frankly, I don’t think I had heard it before listening to Christmas Song. It sounds like something you might hear at one of those huge cathedrals. “Above the Northern Lights” is another original song written by Chip Davis with lyrics by Ed Wilson. A story about the Northern Lights and imagining what Santa sees when everything is dark, this cut is the most imaginative on the album. Mannheim Steamroller goes back to the Christmas classics with a rather funky arrangement of “Frosty the Snowman.” I truly thought I’d entered another dimension when I heard this one--synthesizer gone crazy, just bad techno. “Traditions of Christmas” is another original song by Chip Davis. Davis wrote the words and the music to celebrate everything that signifies Christmas—Mistletoe, stories, cookies etc.—the various musical styles within the song, also help to illustrate how many things symbolize Christmas. Olivia Newton-John lends vocals to another Chip Davis original, “Christmas Lullaby.” Written for his daughter Kelly, I imagine parents everywhere will think of their own children when they listen to the song. Christmas Song ends with an enthusiastic arrangement of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

It seems like Christmas just wouldn’t be quite the same without a new release from Manheim Steamroller. Since Chip Davis released their first Christmas album almost twenty-five years ago, Mannheim Steamroller has become the best-selling Christmas music artists of all time. Christmas Song will not disappoint; the album is filled with Christmas classics and some new gems, guaranteed to fill your home with sounds of the holiday season.