Maps of Music

Harry for the Holidays (2003)

Where the lyrics of Harry for the Holidays take you, and where it was really made.

Harry for the Holidays sold 687,000 copies in the United States in 2003, making it the best-selling holiday album there that year.

Key places

Recorded at Capitol Studios (2003)

Recording site Capitol Studios — Capitol Studios in Hollywood is the recording location listed for this album in the source text. Google Maps · Apple Maps

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Album story

Overview

• Harry for the Holidays: second Christmas album by American artist Harry Connick Jr., released in 2003
• Features Connick with his 16-piece Big Band and a full section of chordophones
• Best-selling holiday album in the United States in 2003, with 687,000 copies sold that year
• Also released as a DualDisc, with a DVD side containing surround and LPCM mixes of the 16 tracks
• Certified Platinum by the RIAA on November 4, 2004, for one million shipments in the U.S.

Background

• TV special A Harry For The Holidays aired on NBC on December 23, 2003, and was released on DVD on October 19, 2004
• The TV special features Whoopi Goldberg, Nathan Lane, Marc Anthony and Kim Burrell
• Animated Christmas special The Happy Elf aired on NBC on December 2, 2005, based on Connick's original song The Happy Elf

Recording

• Recording location listed as Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California
• Album credits include a 70-piece orchestra alongside the Big Band

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Early life

• Born September 11, 1967 in New Orleans; raised in the Lakeview neighborhood.
• Began learning keyboards at age three, performed publicly at five, and recorded with a local jazz band at ten.
• At nine performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra.
• Developed his talent at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts under Ellis Marsalis Jr. and James Booker.
• Moved to New York, studied at Hunter College and the Manhattan School of Music, and signed with Columbia Records.

Career

• Score for When Harry Met Sally... (1989) brought his first Grammy for Best Jazz Male Vocal Performance; a second followed for We Are in Love (1990).
• Acted in Memphis Belle (1990), Copycat (1995), Independence Day (1996), Hope Floats (1998), and The Iron Giant (1999, voice).
• Starred as Leo Markus on NBC's Will & Grace from 2002 to 2006.
• Only You (2004) reached No. 5 in the U.S. and No. 6 in Britain.
• Hosted the daytime talk show Harry from 2016 to 2018.
• Recorded Cole Porter reinterpretations in 2019 and Alone with My Faith in 2021, earning his 16th Grammy nomination.
• Sold over 30 million albums worldwide as of 2019; won three Grammys and two Emmys.

Reception

At release

• Released in 2003 as Connick's second Christmas album
• Best-selling holiday album in the United States in 2003, according to Nielsen/SoundScan sales figures
• 687,000 copies sold in the U.S. during 2003
• Connick performed with his 16-piece Big Band and a full section of chordophones
• A DualDisc edition was released, with a DVD side holding both Dolby Digital 5.1 surround mixes and LPCM versions of the 16 tracks

Records

• 2004 Top Jazz Albums: peak position number 1
• 2004 The Billboard 200: peak position number 12
• 2004 Top Internet Albums: peak position number 27
• Certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on November 4, 2004
• The Platinum certification was for shipments of one million copies in the U.S.
• 2003 U.S. sales of 687,000 copies, as listed by Nielsen/SoundScan

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The duet with country singer George Jones on Nothing New for New Year was one of the album's highlights for Connick, who said he was surprised and honored that Jones agreed.
• The DualDisc's DVD side includes excerpts from the network special, with six songs performed, including Connick's own It Must Have Been Ol' Santa Claus.
• The DualDisc also includes a version of Blue Christmas, a song Connick said Elvis Presley made famous in his 1968 comeback special.
• Connick described The Happy Elf as a kids' song that came from thinking about how cool it would be to work in Santa's workshop.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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