The Christmas Sessions (2005)

The Christmas Sessions is the fourth studio and first Christmas album by the Christian rock band MercyMe, released on September 27, 2005 by INO Records/

Sony Music.

The band, who greatly enjoy Christmas, had previously recorded Christmas songs and enjoyed the process so much that they wanted to produce a full-length album. After releasing their previous album Undone in 2004, they decided to take time off; they realized they could record a Christmas album over that period and began work in December 2004. The band, aiming to produce a rock-oriented album, recruited noted producer Brown Bannister to produce it. In addition to one original song, "Joseph's Lullaby," the album consists of covers of both modern and traditional Christmas songs that the band members had listened to when growing up. Bannister produced all but one track, with "O Holy Night" being produced by Pete Kipley and the track has previously appeared in a 2003 2-CD various artists Christmas project Integrity's iWorship: A Total Christmas Worship Experience. "Silent Night" features Amy Grant singing on backing vocals.

The Christmas Sessions charted and peaked on the following Billboard album charts:

-#3 Top Christian Albums

-#10 Top Holiday Albums

-#64 Billboard 200 Albums

NOTE: Even though Wikipedia wrote that The Christmas Sessions was Gold certified on their article, but according to the Recording Industry Association of America's website, there is no record of this album being certified at all. You can click here to see MercyMe's RIAA certifications of their albums and singles.

Track listings

1. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (Edmond Sears, Richard Storrs Willis) -4:40

2. Gloria (Edward S. Barnes; arranged by MercyMe and Brown Bannister) -4:14

3. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (traditional; arranged by MercyMe and Brown

Bannister) -3:32

4. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree (Johnny Marks) -2:32

5. Winter Wonderland/White Christmas (Felix Bernard, Dick Smith/Irving Berlin)

-3:47

6. Christmas Time is Here (Vince Guaraldi, Lee Mendelson) -3:43

7. Silent Night (Franz Xaver Gruber, Joseph Mohr) -4:17

8. Away (instrumental arrangement of "Away in a Manger") (James Ramsey

Murray; arranged by Barry Graul and Mike Scheuchzer) -2:09

9. Drummer Boy (Harry Simeone, Katherine Kennicott Davis, Henry Onorati) -3:19

10. I Heard the Bells (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Johnny Marks) -5:08

11. O Holy Night (Adolphe Adam, John Sullivan Dwight; arranged by Bart Millard

and Pete Kipley) -3:54

12. Joseph's Lullaby (Bart Millard, Brown Bannister) -3:45

Personnel

MercyMe:

Bart Millard -lead vocals, backing vocals on tracks 1 -6, 8 -10, 12

Jim Bryson -keyboards (tracks 1 -10, 12), acoustic piano, synthesizer, and

Hammond B3 organ on track 11

Barry Graul -guitars, backing vocals on tracks 1 -6, 8 -10, 12

Mike Scheuchzer -guitars

Nathan Cochran -bass guitar

Robby Shaffer -drums

additional musicians:

Amy Grant -backing vocals on track 7

Blair Masters -acoustic piano, keyboard programming (track 12)

Paul Franklin -steel guitar (tracks 1 -10 and 12)

Eric Darken -percussion (tracks 1 -10 and 12)

Barry Green -trombone (tracks 1 -10 and 12)

Mike Haynes -trumpet (tracks 1 -10 and 12)

Carl Marsh -string arrangements (tracks 1 -10 and 12), choir arrangements

(1 -6, 8 -10 and 12)

The London Session Orchestra -strings (tracks 1–10 and 12)

Philadelphia Boys Choir and Chorale -choir (tracks 1 -6, 8 -10 and 12)

Drew Cline, Travis Cottrell, Michael Mellett and Mark Nicholas -backing

vocalists (tracks 1 -6, 8 -10 and 12)

Production credits

Brown Bannister -producer (tracks 1 -10 and 12)

Pete Kipley -producer (track 11)

Radio singles

2004 -2005 "O Holy Night" -#24 Billboard Hot Christian Songs, -#24 Billboard 

Christian Airplay, -#22 Billboard Christian AC Airplay, -#28 R&R AC

2005 -2006 "Joseph's Lullaby" -#1 Billboard Hot Christian Songs for 3 weeks, -#1

Billboard Christian Airplay for 3 weeks, -#1 Billboard Christian AC Airplay for 4

weeks, -#33 Billboard AC

2005 -2006 "Silent Night" -#30 Billboard Hot Christian Songs, -#30 Billboard 

Christian Airplay, -#26 Billboard Christian AC Airplay, -#6 Billboard AC

2005 -2006 "Drummer Boy" -#10 Billboard Hot Christian Songs, -#10 Billboard

Christian Airplay, -#10 Billboard Christian AC Airplay

2005 -2006 "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" -#22 Billboard Hot Christian Songs,

-#22 Billboard Christian Airplay, -#21 Billboard Christian AC Airplay

2005 -2006 "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" -#9 Billboard Hot Christian Songs,

-#9 Billboard Christian Airplay, -#9 Billboard Christian AC Airplay, -#34 Billboard

AC

2006 "Gloria" -#26 Billboard Hot Christian Songs, -#26 Billboard Christian

Airplay, -#27 Billboard Christian AC Airplay

2006 "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" -#37 Billboard Hot Christian Songs,

-#37 Billboard Christian Airplay, -#35 Billboard Christian AC Airplay, -#25

Billboard AC

Previous release: Undone (2004) 

Next release: Coming Up to Breathe (2006)