Originally released as LOC-1035 Elvis’ Christmas Album in 1957 presented in a gatefold cover with photos from the Jailhouse Rock Photo session…

Re-released due to cost reissuing in the LOC-1035 format, as LPM-1251 in October 1959, with the same artwork as the EPA-4340 Christmas With Elvis…

LPM-1951 was originally to be released as LPM-2003. See RCA’s Recording Information Session Notes September 7, 1959, from Keith Flynn Website in Recording Sessions.

Link to Keith’s website, please go to LINKS page.

Elvis’ treatment of “White Christmas” drew the most criticism from Elvis History Blog – Alan Hanson

“Elvis’ version of “White Christmas” closely followed an earlier recording of the song by The Drifters. Irving Berlin was said to have been so upset by this arrangement of his song that he tried to have it banned from being played on radio stations.

Some stations went along with his request. One was KEX in Portland, Oregon. On December 10, 1957, the station’s all-night disk jockey, Al Priddy, was fired for intentionally playing Elvis’s recording of “White Christmas” on the air in violation of station policy. Variety reported that station program manager Mel Bailey “had forbidden all KEX jockeys to play the RCA Victor platter because he felt that this treatment of the song is in ‘extremely bad taste.’”

It was from radio stations north of the border, however, that “Elvis’ Christmas Album” received the most criticism and banishment from the airwaves. This was despite Presley having played to huge crowds earlier in the year during concerts in Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver. In the latter city, all six of the town’s radio stations agreed to a proposed ban on Elvis’ holiday recordings.

Radio station CKXL in Calgary also banned Elvis’ album. “Presley’s latest release has, we feel, no place on our station,” said a CKXL spokesman. “We have the album for audition—it speaks for itself. Presley sings the Christmas songs exactly as we expected he would. It is one of the most degrading things we have heard in some time.” He described Presley as “panting” through the hymns “Silent Night” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Another Calgary station, CFCN, denied an official ban, but stated Elvis’ album “would not be played because it happens to be in lousy taste.”

In Toronto, station CFRB banned the album, declaring, “there are better interpretations of Xmas hymns.” Gordon Sinclair, columnist for the Toronto Star, condemned Presley’s rock ’n’ roll treatment of Christmas carols. “Only Mahalia Jackson could jazz the hymns,” he said. Sinclair added that he disliked censorship, but found Elvis’ treatment of Christmas songs to be “wildly inappropriate.”

Some Canadian stations played Elvis’ Christmas songs

“The Canadian Press, a newsgathering organization, surveyed disk jockeys across Canada and found, while many refused to spin any cut on Elvis’ album, other stations planned to play the non-religious songs, like “Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me,” while shying away from the Christmas standards like “Silent Night.” Other stations stated they were waiting for their listeners’ views before making a decision on whether or not to play the album.

The nationwide Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, however, took a progressive stand on “Elvis’ Christmas Album.” A spokesman stated, “We have no objection if listeners want to hear the Presley albums and CBC disk jockeys want to play the numbers.”

Of course, back in the U.S. “Elvis’ Christmas Album” racked up big sales. On October 7, Billboard reported that advance orders for the LP far exceeded RCA’s planned production of 200,000 copies. An RCA exec called it, “the greatest advance album order in the history of the company.”

On set of Kissin’ Cousins, RCA’s Steve Sholes presents Elvis with in-house Gold Award for “Elvis’ Christmas Album”…

For “Elvis’ Christmas Album” tapes, please go to 8-Track and Cassette pages.