Julie London’s Holiday Album: Videos

Each year on Christmas Day, I feature the Julie London holiday album that never was. As readers know, London is one of my favorite female vocalists.

She had a captivating, cool singing style that never felt forced. Her satiny delivery, superb taste and sophisticated delivery was nocturnal and relaxed, and she routinely took on tough songs and aced them with an understated, whispery strength.

I’ve long wondered why London resisted recording a classic holiday album. She released only one holiday side—I’d Like You for Christmas (1957), written by husband Bobby Troup. Did London keep the Yule at arm’s length because she thought recording a holiday album would be too square? Or did Liberty Records decide to have her steer clear of holiday fare to guard her hip image? Or perhaps she did indeed record a full holiday album but the tape reel is sitting in a temperature-controlled vault someplace mislabeled or misplaced and forgotten.

In a post several years ago, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I created a London holiday album by corralling all of her winter-themed recordings. I playfully named it Julie London Wishes You a Merry Christmas. This year, it’s only fitting once again to revisit the London Christmas classic that never was using the seven seasonal songs she recorded: