Hard to Hear Bobby Sherman Over the Feedback in Love's What You're Getting for Christmas

Every once in a while, my mom brings up the show Here Come the Brides and tells me that I really need to see it so that I can swoon over Bobby Sherman. I always giggle a little at Mom’s admission of her schoolgirl crush on this teen idol, and when I spotted his Christmas album in the bargain bin at Big Lots a few years back, I scooped it up for her immediately. I think I paid two dollars for it, so I guess I can’t be too disappointed in the quality. Nonetheless, while it’s a kick to get to listen to this dreamboat for myself, I can’t say I’m getting the full experience. In and off itself, Love’s What You’re Getting for Christmas is a cute, albeit occasionally corny, album. But the sound quality is so abysmal on several of the tracks that it doesn’t sound like a studio album at all, more like an old homemade cassette fished out of some corner of the basement.

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - Fun but generic, my favorite part of this one is Bobby’s shouted “Ho, ho, ho!” at the end.

Christmas Wish - A sweet, melancholy song along the lines of Blue Christmas. Bobby’s voice sounds a little off on this one to me, but it could just be the recording quality skewering things.

Song Of Joy - Ode to Joy is the basis for this very enjoyable track that could be a hymn all year long. “That day will dawn just as sure as hearts that are pure are hearts set free.” The instrumentation is a little abruptly over-the-top toward the end, but it’s still one of my favorite tracks.

Jingle Bell Rock - A peppy, brassy version of the cheerful sock hop ditty.

Love's What You're Getting For Christmas - A fast-paced, cheerful song that asserts that love is the best gift of all. The verses are clever and amusing, and I again wish the sound quality was better. It’s a very catchy song, and I’ve had it running through my head all week. “How do you go about tyin’ a bow about love?”

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - Always a fun song. But it’s Bobby Helms, not Bobby Sherman, singing, so it doesn’t make any sense for it to be on this album. Somebody was asleep at the switchboard for this reissue...

Blue Christmas - Double dose of Christmas depression! This one is more polished-sounding than Christmas Wish, but it’s also pretty similar to other covers of this Elvis lament that are out there.

Christmas Is (Make It Sweet) - A cute song that he shares with two children by the names of Shawn and David who list what they love about Christmas. Reminiscent of the Peanuts book Happiness Is a Warm Puppy. Shawn has the first verse and shakier David the second, then the three sing together for a verse about the Nativity. One of my favorite tracks. “If we remember that all gifts we give are given in love, we’ll have a very merry Christmas.”

Yesterday's Christmas - Bobby doesn’t sing this one. Rather, he recites a poem with instrumental backing. It has a nostalgic flavor to it, but like the Beatles’ In My Life, it concludes on the thought that he wouldn’t go back to those days because his current love makes him happiest.

Christmas On Her Mind - This banjo-driven ditty about a woman who’s always thinking about Christmas would be a contender for my favorite song on the album if the sound quality wasn’t so dreadful. It’s muffled and hard to make out the words, and Bobby’s voice wobbles in and out. Disappointing.

Amen - A nice Gospel-flavored track that puts Christmassy lyrics with the traditional chorus. From the Nativity, he moves on to the rest of Christ‘s life. Boisterous piano and brass and a lively choir helps make this one of the album‘s best tracks, so it‘s a shame that some reissues of this album, under another name, leave it off entirely. “See him at the seaside / Talkin’ to the fishermen / Makin’ them disciples...”

I just discovered that Here Come the Brides is available on DVD, so I’m looking forward to Netflix giving me a proper introduction to Bobby Sherman. Unfortunately, this album doesn’t really cut it. I’m not sure if there ever were decent versions of these recordings or if Bobby just dashed this one off super-quick and didn’t care that half of the tracks are inaudible. It’s a shame, because several of the songs are quite enjoyable, and if you’re a serious fan, I’d still advise you to check it out, especially if you can find it in the bargain bin for two bucks. Just be advised, with this album, shoddy production values are what you’re getting for Christmas.