Five Rock Classics from ‘The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album’

Christmas is less than 11 months away! So…

In November 1964, the Beach Boys released their seventh studio album. Their status as a recording act was then barely past its two-year mark, but the Hawthorne, California group had already established itself as one of America’s premier groups, offering Americans a home-grown alternative to the then-raging British Invasion.

Album number seven for the group was also a departure: a holiday-themed release. The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album was both a critical success and a hit, eventually selling more than 500,000 copies. For the album, visionary musical genius Brian Wilson led the group through seven holiday classics with orchestral backing, but he also composed five original songs for the album’s first side. Most of those tunes were recorded with the group during sessions in Hollywood on June ‘64, but even in the midst of a Southern California summer, the Beach Boys nonetheless managed to conjure the Christmas spirit. (The album received a remix in 1991.)

“Little Saint Nick”
The best-known track from the album, “Little saint Nick” features lead vocals by Mike Love (who sued Brian Wilson three decades after the album’s release to gain co-writing credits) and breezy harmonies from the Wilson brothers (Brian, Carl, Dennis) and Al Jardine. Elements of the arrangement subtly echo earlier Beach boys songs.

“The Man with All the Toys”
With a great a cappella intro, “The Man With All the Toys” has a chugging melody and a catchy melody. The insistent “oh” vocalizations are a bit distracting, but it’s a worthy tune nonetheless. The tune was expertly covered decades later by Husky Team, an inventive studio project headed by Dennis Diken (The Smithereens) and Dave Amels (Reigning Sound); it’s a highlight of their essential holiday album Christmas in Memphis.

“Santa’s Beard”
Another tune that applies the Beach Boys’ trademark sound to Christmas themes, “Santa’s Beard” is a jaunty tune, the tale of a boy who isn’t convinced that the department store he’s encountered is the real deal. The Brian Wilson-penned song shouldn’t be confused by another holiday tune with an identical title by whimsical art rockers They Might Be Giants.

“Merry Christmas, Baby”
Among the most intricately-arranged of the tracks on Side One of The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album, “Merry Christmas Baby” is notable as the only rock track on the LP that breaks the two-minute mark. Like most all early Beach Boys recordings, it features instrumentation by studio players; drummer Jack Sperling’s work on this track is a highlight.

“Christmas Day”
The sole rock track on the LP to feature a lead vocal not voiced by Mike Love, “Christmas Day” finds Al Jardine in fine form as he sings this lovely tune. A peppy (uncredited) Hammond organ solo brightens the subtle arrangement.