Chicago "Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album"

Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album is the nineteenth studio album by the American band Chicago, their twenty-fifth album overall, released in 1998 on the band's Chicago Records label. It is an album of Christmas songs. 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. Guitarist Keith Howland sang his first lead vocal on the track, "Jolly Old Saint Nicholas". This later release reached #102 in the US during a stay of 5 weeks on the charts.

Track listings

Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album

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

What's It Gonna Be, Santa?

1. "Winter Wonderland" Felix Bernard, Dick Smith Lamm 4:19
2. "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" Cahn, Styne Loughnane 3:29
3. "Jolly Old Saint Nicholas" Benjamin Hanby Keith Howland 3:35
4. "The Little Drummer Boy" Davis, Onorati, Simeone Champlin and Scheff 3:29
5. "This Christmas" Donny Hathaway, Nadine McKinnor Scheff 4:03
6. "Feliz Navidad" Feliciano Lamm 4:17
7. "Bethlehem" Bill Champlin, Tamara Champlin Loughnane, Scheff, with Champlin 4:07
8. "The Christmas Song" Tormé, Wells Lamm 3:39
9. "O Come All Ye Faithful" Traditional Scheff 4:46
10. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" Johnny Marks Champlin 3:44
11. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" Martin, Blane Champlin 4:02
12. "Sleigh Ride" Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish Loughnane with Scheff 3:55
13. "Silent Night" Gruber, Mohr Scheff 3:18
14. "What Child Is This?" Traditional, Chatterton Dix Champlin 4:41
15. "Christmas Time Is Here" Mendelson, Guaraldi Lamm 3:49
16. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" Traditional Scheff 3:23
17. "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" Coots, Gillespie Champlin 3:56
18. "Child's Prayer" Loughnane, Durrill Children's choir, with Scheff 3:24
19. "One Little Candle" Mysels, Roach Children's choir 1:26
20. "White Christmas" Berlin Lamm 2:28

Chicago XXV

Produced by Roy Bittan

Engineered and Mixed by Ed Thacker

Assisted by Posie Muliadi and Eric Ferguson

Recorded at A&M Studios (Hollywood, CA); Rumbo Recorders (Canoga Park, CA); Gold Mine Studio (Woodland Hills, CA).

Mixed at A&M Studios

Production Coordinator – Valerie Pack

Art Direction and Design – John Kosh

"What's It Gonna Be, Santa?"

Produced by Phil Ramone

Engineered and Mixed by Ed Thacker at Glenwood Place Recording Studios (Burbank, CA).

Additional Production – Chicago and David McLees

Sound Supervision – Lee Loughnane and Jeff Magid

Remastered by David Donnelly at DNA Mastering (Studio City, CA).

Product Manager – Mike Engstrom

Discographical Annotation – Gary Peterson

Editorial Supervision – Cory Fry

Project Assistants – Jimmy Edwards and Tim Scanlin

Art Direction – Hugh Brown and Linda Cobb

Front Cover Photo – Corbis Images

Additional Photography – Getty Images