Singles: Little Saint Nick

We continue to look at Beach Boy singles that were originally released as stand-alone records before they were eventually included on an album.

LITTLE SAINT NICK

This holiday staple by Brian and Mike was recorded in October of 1963 and first released that December. It made it to #3 that year on the Billboard Christmas charts and has seen heavy airplay every holiday season since.

The following June, Brian and the Boys were back in the studio recording more holiday songs. Four more Brian Wilson originals and seven covers to traditional songs filled out the classic The Beach Boys' Christmas Album. It was released in early November of 1964 and the first track on it was the already-proven hit from the year before: "Little Saint Nick". The album version, however, lacked the overdubbed sleigh bell sound effects that were included on the single version.

Brian's song "The Man With All the Toys" was released as a single in conjunction with the album and made it to #6 on the holiday charts that year. Another original, "Christmas Day" marked the first time that Al Jardine performed the lead vocal.

The seven traditional songs on the album feature some stunning orchestral arrangements. Discovering this album as I did from a post-Pet Sounds perspective, I assumed for years that Brian was responsible for the arrangements. I have recently discovered that was not the case at all.

It must have been a thrill for Brian to have Dick Reynolds handle those duties. Reynolds was an arranger for The Four Freshmen, famously one of Brian's favorite groups. I am left to wonder how much of an influence seeing Reynolds work on this album had on Brian as he began his path towards Pet Sounds.

And for what it's worth, Brian's vocal on "Blue Christmas" has to be among the most beautiful he ever recorded.