Maps of Music

In the Swing of Christmas (2007)

Where the lyrics of In the Swing of Christmas take you, and where it was really made.

This Christmas album was first sold only at Hallmark Gold Crown stores, not in ordinary record shops.

Key places

Recorded at Studio At The Palms (2007)

Recording site Studio at the Palms — The sources list Studio At The Palms in Las Vegas among the recording locations for this album. The studio is named alongside Pepper Tree Studios. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at Capitol Studios (2007)

Recording site Capitol Studios — The sources name Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California, as one of the recording locations for this album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at Pepper Tree Studios, Palm Springs (2007)

Recording site Madison Club — The sources list Pepper Tree Studios in Palm Springs, California, as a recording location for this album. The point uses the city centre, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at Firehouse Studios, Pasadena (2007)

Recording site Firehouse Studios — The sources name Firehouse Studios in Pasadena, California, as one of the recording locations for this album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at SongLee Studios, La Cañada (2007)

Recording site SongLee Studios — The sources list SongLee Studios in La Cañada, California, as a recording location for this album. The point uses the city centre, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• In the Swing of Christmas: third Christmas-themed album by Barry Manilow
• Released 1 November 2007, available exclusively at Hallmark Gold Crown stores
• Re-released 13 October 2009 on Arista Records with two bonus tracks
• Swing jazz style, more pronounced than his earlier Christmas releases
• Produced and arranged by Manilow, co-produced by Scott Erickson
• Hallmark release included instructions for downloading one bonus track

Background

• Hallmark exclusivity meant the album was sold through the company's own stores rather than general retail
• It followed two earlier Christmas albums by Manilow, making it his third in the theme
• Jazz ensemble MaD Fusion accompanied Manilow on four tracks
• The Randy Kerber Trio was featured on five tracks, alongside various other musicians

Recording

• 'Silver Bells' was performed a capella, with Manilow overdubbing all of the vocals himself
• Recording credits list Don Murray for tracks 1 to 10 and Bill Schnee for track 11
• Mixing credited to Scott Erickson; mastering done at The Mastering Lab in Hollywood, California
• Recording locations named in the sources include studios in Las Vegas, Hollywood, Palm Springs, Pasadena and La Cañada

Cover

• Cover photography credited to Jeff Katz
• Design and liner notes credited to Hallmark Marketing Studio

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• Born Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943, in Brooklyn, New York City.
• Began as a commercial jingle writer and singer in the 1960s, writing and singing TV jingles for brands such as Band-Aid and State Farm.
• Signed by Columbia/CBS Music vice-president Tony Orlando, and recorded as Featherbed on Bell Records.
• Bette Midler chose him as her pianist and producer in the early 1970s.
• Breakthrough hit "Mandy" (1974), the start of a long string of hit singles and albums.
• Hits include "Could It Be Magic", "I Write the Songs", "Copacabana (At the Copa)", and "Can't Smile Without You".
• Has released 51 Top 40 singles on the Adult Contemporary chart, including 13 number ones.
• Has sold more than 85 million records as a solo artist worldwide.
• Nominated for a Grammy Award 15 times from 1973 to 2015, winning once.
• Performed a long Las Vegas residency at the Las Vegas Hilton and the Paris Hotel.

Members

• Solo artist; Featherbed was a studio group name used in the early 1970s.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Sold exclusively at Hallmark Gold Crown stores from its launch on 1 November 2007
• The album was positioned as a seasonal product sold through the Hallmark retail channel
• Its only downloadable extra was a bonus track offered through instructions in the Hallmark release

Records

• The album was certified Gold in the United States by the RIAA in 2008
• It was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards
• The 2009 Arista re-release, with two added tracks, appeared on the Billboard 200 for four non-consecutive weeks in late 2009
• That re-release peaked at number 127 during the week ending 19 December 2009
• The downloadable bonus track from the Hallmark release was not included in the re-release
• The record is credited as a jazz-leaning reworking of Christmas standards, as stated in the album description

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Tracks 1 to 10 were released in 2007 on Hallmark catalogue number XPR4172.
• 'Silver Bells' was recorded a capella, with Manilow overdubbing every vocal part himself.
• The Hallmark release gave instructions for downloading the bonus track 'It Came Upon the Midnight Clear'.
• The 2009 re-release added 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer' and 'Christmas Is Just Around the Corner'.
• 'Christmas Is Just Around the Corner' is an original song from the 2008 animated television special Cranberry Christmas.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

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