Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album

Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album
Studio album by Chicago
Released	August 25, 1998
Recorded	1998
Genre	Rock, Adult Contemporary
Length	50:50
Label	Chicago Records
Producer	Roy Bittan
Chicago chronology
The Heart of Chicago 1967-1998 Volume II (1998) Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album (1998) What's It Gonna Be, Santa? (2003) Chicago XXVI: Live in Concert (1999)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

What's It Gonna Be, Santa?
Studio album by Chicago
Released	October 14, 2003
Recorded	1998 and 2003
Genre	Rock, Adult Contemporary
Length	74:33
Label	Rhino
Producer	Roy Bittan (1998 tracks) and Phil Ramone (2003 tracks)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]

Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album is an album of Christmas songs by American rock band Chicago, released in 1998 on the band's Chicago Records label. The album was re-issued by Rhino Records in 2003 as What's It Gonna Be, Santa? with six additional, newly recorded tracks.

Produced by Roy Bittan, the original album - featuring Chicago's interpretations of well-known Christmas classics plus one original tune (co-penned by Lee Loughnane) - was very well received upon its release in August 1998, peaking at #47 in the US and going gold during a stay of 7 weeks on the charts. After Chicago entered into a long-term partnership with Rhino Records in 2002, that label re-issued Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album that same year. It was further decided to record six additional Christmas songs - with Hot Streets and Chicago 13 producer Phil Ramone - and re-issue the whole package in 2003 under a new design, title and sequencing, entitled What's It Gonna Be, Santa?, deleting its predecessor in the process. It has been reported that the band had initially considered recording an entirely new holiday effort, but didn't due to cost factors.^{[citation needed]} Guitarist Keith Howland sang his first lead vocal on the track, "Jolly Old Saint Nicholas".^{[citation needed]} This later release reached #102 in the US during a stay of 5 weeks on the charts.

Track listing

Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album

1. "The Little Drummer Boy" (Katherine Davis/Henry Onorati/Harry Simeone) – 4:05
2. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (Traditional) – 3:23
3. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (Hugh Martin/Ralph Blane) – 4:02
4. "The Christmas Song" (Mel Tormé/Robert Wells) – 3:39
5. "O Come All Ye Faithful" (Traditional) – 4:46
6. "Child's Prayer" (Lee Loughnane/John Durrill) – 3:24
7. "Feliz Navidad" (Jose Feliciano) – 4:17
8. "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (Haven Gillespie/Fred Coots) – 3:56
9. "Christmas Time Is Here" (Lee Mendelson/Vince Guaraldi) – 3:49
10. "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" (Sammy Cahn/Julie Styne) – 3:29
11. "What Child Is This?" (Traditional) – 4:41
12. "White Christmas" (Irving Berlin) – 2:28
13. "Silent Night" (Traditional) – 3:18
14. "One Little Candle" (Larry Mysels, Joseph Maloy Roach) – 1:26

What's It Gonna Be, Santa?

1. "Winter Wonderland" (Felix Bernard/Dick Smith) – 4:19
2. "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" (Sammy Cahn/Julie Styne) – 3:29
3. "Jolly Old Saint Nicholas" (Traditional) – 3:35
4. "The Little Drummer Boy" (Katherine Davis/Henry Onorati/Harry Simeone) – 4:05
5. "This Christmas" (Donny Hathaway/Nadine McKinnor) – 4:03
6. "Feliz Navidad" (Jose Feliciano) – 4:17
7. "Bethlehem" (Bill Champlin/Tamara Champlin) – 4:07
8. "The Christmas Song" (Mel Tormé/Robert Wells) – 3:39
9. "O Come All Ye Faithful" (Traditional) – 4:46
10. "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" (Johnny Marks) – 3:44
11. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (Hugh Martin/Ralph Blane) – 4:02
12. "Sleigh Ride" (Leroy Anderson/Mitchell Parish) – 3:55
13. "Silent Night" (Traditional) – 3:18
14. "What Child Is This?" (Traditional) – 4:41
15. "Christmas Time Is Here" (Lee Mendelson/Vince Guaraldi) – 3:49
16. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (Traditional) – 3:23
17. "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (Haven Gillespie/Fred Coots) – 3:56
18. "Child's Prayer" (Lee Loughnane/John Durrill) – 3:24
19. "One Little Candle" (Larry Mysels, Joseph Maloy Roach) – 1:24
20. "White Christmas" (Irving Berlin) – 2:28

Personnel

• Bill Champlin - pianos, keyboards, guitars, vocals
• Keith Howland - guitars, vocals
• Tris Imboden - drums, percussion
• Robert Lamm - pianos, keyboards, percussion, vocals, background vocals
• Lee Loughnane - trumpet, flugelhorn, cornet, guitar, percussion, vocals, background vocals
• James Pankow - trombone, percussion, background vocals
• Walter Parazaider - saxophones, flute, clarinet
• Jason Scheff - bass, vocals, background vocals

Additional personnel

• Michael Amezcua - choir
• Roy Bittan - organ, piano, accordion, keyboards, bells
• Ryan Bittan - choir
• Alex Brown - choir
• Tamara Champlin - choir
• Alvin Chea - choir
• Gia Ciambotti - choir
• Luis Conte - percussion
• Johnny Durrill - synthesizer
• Gary Falcone - choir
• Clark Gable - choir
• Ryan Kelly - conductor
• Bobbi Page - choir
• Tim Pierce - acoustic guitar
• Carmen Twillie - background vocals, choir, choir director
• Oren Waters - choir
• Monalisa Young - choir

References

1. ^ Allmusic review
2. ^ Allmusic review

• Chicago Records 3035 (Chicago 25, The Christmas Album)
• Rhino Records 73892 (What's It Gonna Be, Santa?)