Christmas with the Rat Pack

Move over Bublé, the real swingers are here! I mean Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr., those exceptionally talented and charismatic artists of the past who gave a new meaning to the word ‘swing’ are back with a new Christmas CD. So get the small fry out of the way for the moment because make no mistake about it, Christmas time 2003 just acquired a ring-a-ding-ding spin with the arrival of Christmas with the Rat Pack.

Sinatra, Martin and Davis were part of an unofficially-formed group that called themselves the Rat Pack in the ‘60s. They were the top entertainers of the time, the lords of Las Vegas and famous all over the world. They were gifted actors. Sinatra in From Here to Eternity and Pal Joey, Dean Martin in Rio Bravo and the Matt Helm series of secret agent comedies. Davis in musicals like Porgy and Bess and Sweet Charity. They also had lots of songs in the charts. Strangers in the Night and Theme from New York, New York for Sinatra. That’s Amore and Memories are Made of These by Dean Martin. What Kind of Fool am I and Candy Man by Davis.

But because they were friends and truly enjoyed each other’s company, there were times when these consummate entertainers got together to appear in films, Ocean’s Eleven, Sergeants Three and Robin and the Seven Hoods. They would also make guest appearances in one another’s TV show and on their night outs or while one of them is performing, they have been known to take over a Vegas stage, singing, dancing, and cracking jokes, just for the pleasure of it. As a rare serious quote from Martin that says, "You know, the three of us, we love each other. The satisfaction I get out of working with these two bums is that we have more laughs than the audience has." All these happened so long ago and Sinatra, Martin and Davis are now swinging together in the great beyond. But thankfully, their songs have remained.

Christmas with the Rat Pack is the first album that bills the trio as such. Showbiz lore says they called themselves the Rat Pack only in private. But they are not here anymore to object to the title and their heirs obviously allowed its use. Besides, the term has already lost whatever notoriety it once evinced with the passage of time. The Rat Pack has, in fact become an affectionate reference to the swingers of a bygone era. There were other members of the group like Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop and occasionally Shirley Maclaine as the only female member. But they were not recording artists like this trio and are therefore not in the album.

Christmas with the Rat Pack is a mix of classic recordings and previously unreleased tracks. Sinatra solos in Mistletoe and Holly, The First Noel, I Believe, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, The Christmas Waltz, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear and I’ll Be Home for Christmas. Martin swings more and has I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm, Baby, It’s Cold Outside, Silver Bells, Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, Peace on Earth/Silent Night, White Christmas and Winter Wonderland.

Davis has his tribute to Nat King Cole, The Christmas Song, a jazzy Jingle Bells and the previously unreleased Christmas Time All Over the World. The collection ends with two rare duets by Martin and Sinatra which is released on CD for the first time. These are A Marshmallow World and Auld Lang Syne, which they performed live in Dean’s TV Show. It is unfortunate that there is no cut by the trio in the album. Next year perhaps, some producer might take it upon himself to put some of their vocal tracks together. Then we might be able to get some idea of what those Rat Pack moments were like.

Now as writer James Ritz says in his liner notes: "So kick back, relax and have a cool Yule with the Rat Pack. Ring-A-Ding Ding indeed!"