1. Jingle Bell Rock
2. Here Comes Santa Claus
3. Only Believe
4. Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me
5. Merry Christmas Baby
6. Santa Claus Is Back In Town
7. I'll Never Know
8. Seeing Is Believing
9. Please Come Home For Christmas
10. I'll Be Home For Christmas
11. Blue Christmas
12. How Great Thou Art
13. Happy X-Mas
14. If Every Day Was Like Christmas
15. Happy Holiday
ARTIST SITE
PURCHASE FROM SENSATIONAL
2. Here Comes Santa Claus
3. Only Believe
4. Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me
5. Merry Christmas Baby
6. Santa Claus Is Back In Town
7. I'll Never Know
8. Seeing Is Believing
9. Please Come Home For Christmas
10. I'll Be Home For Christmas
11. Blue Christmas
12. How Great Thou Art
13. Happy X-Mas
14. If Every Day Was Like Christmas
15. Happy Holiday
ARTIST SITE
PURCHASE FROM SENSATIONAL
The good news is there are four bonus tracks--hymns Elvis sang covered by Lee I believe. The bad news is this is a CD-R. Just wanted to get those out of the way right up front.
Darren Lee (not sure that's his birth name) was born in Alberta, Canada and became interested, at a very young age, in rock and roll and, specifically, the music of the King. Even in his teen years, Lee excelled at tribute performances, channeling the likes of Ricky Nelson, Buddy Holly, John Lennon, Roy Orbison, and, of course, Elvis. By 1995, Lee was rated the #3 Elvis impersonator in the world. Two years later, he was #1. A regular in Vegas for more than 11 years, Lee tours the world, these days, helping to keep the King alive.
Here's the thing. I've always wondered about tribute artists recording albums. They are tribute artists after all; their gig is to faithfully recreate the experience of the original. But, for the most part, given the choice, wouldn't you rather own the original? But, looking at it from another angle, you might very well want a recording from the tribute artist if it was the tribute artist you saw live and not the original. I remember, back in New Jersey, there was a Doors tribute band that was really, really supremely awesome. Jim Morrison died years before I attended my first live concert. So there was no way I was ever going to see the real Jim Morrison & The Doors live and in person. And, even though I can't remember the band's name (it might have been Crystal Ship, but I can't say for certain), if they'd had an album, I'd probably have bought it. Okay, alright, so I'll buy into the premise on some level.
That said, I've never seen Darren Lee live and likely never will. And I'm not an Elvis devotee--recognize his talent, dig some of the music, but I'm not into researching his every utterance. And, let's be clear, there was only ever one Elvis. You play five different clips for someone, I'd wager even non-fans could pick out the real King.
So what caused me to buy "I'll Be Away For Christmas"? Because Lee (I think) broke one of the cardinal rules of tribute artists: he recorded a song that Elvis never did (I think). In fact, he recorded a song I don't think Elvis ever would have recorded. So when I saw "Happy X-Mas" on this CD, I said "Oh, I gotta hear that."
I'm not sure Elvis recorded a few of the other tunes here either. "Please Come Home For Christmas" and "Jingle Bell Rock" don't ring any bells, nor does "Happy Holiday". I'm sure some Elvis-ophile will let us know if he did or didn't. Maybe he did those songs in concert or on television or something. Those are all songs, in any case, you could hear Elvis singing. Close your eyes and, yep, the King would've done those. But "Happy X-Mas"? An anti-war song? I don't think Elvis would ever.
And that is the reason I bought this album. To hear "Elvis" sing a song (or songs) Elvis never sang. Was it worth it? For me it was. Lee is pretty good at what he does. And it's definitely cool hearing an almost-Elvis sing songs Elvis never did. He sounds especially fine on "Please Come Home For Christmas". And hearing "Elvis" do an anti-war tune is very nearly top it all awesome. But "Blue Christmas"? Well, I never liked that song in the first place. But using that as a representative of the songs here the real Elvis did sing? Yeah, I'll have to stick with the original. Just sayin'.
Darren Lee (not sure that's his birth name) was born in Alberta, Canada and became interested, at a very young age, in rock and roll and, specifically, the music of the King. Even in his teen years, Lee excelled at tribute performances, channeling the likes of Ricky Nelson, Buddy Holly, John Lennon, Roy Orbison, and, of course, Elvis. By 1995, Lee was rated the #3 Elvis impersonator in the world. Two years later, he was #1. A regular in Vegas for more than 11 years, Lee tours the world, these days, helping to keep the King alive.
Here's the thing. I've always wondered about tribute artists recording albums. They are tribute artists after all; their gig is to faithfully recreate the experience of the original. But, for the most part, given the choice, wouldn't you rather own the original? But, looking at it from another angle, you might very well want a recording from the tribute artist if it was the tribute artist you saw live and not the original. I remember, back in New Jersey, there was a Doors tribute band that was really, really supremely awesome. Jim Morrison died years before I attended my first live concert. So there was no way I was ever going to see the real Jim Morrison & The Doors live and in person. And, even though I can't remember the band's name (it might have been Crystal Ship, but I can't say for certain), if they'd had an album, I'd probably have bought it. Okay, alright, so I'll buy into the premise on some level.
That said, I've never seen Darren Lee live and likely never will. And I'm not an Elvis devotee--recognize his talent, dig some of the music, but I'm not into researching his every utterance. And, let's be clear, there was only ever one Elvis. You play five different clips for someone, I'd wager even non-fans could pick out the real King.
So what caused me to buy "I'll Be Away For Christmas"? Because Lee (I think) broke one of the cardinal rules of tribute artists: he recorded a song that Elvis never did (I think). In fact, he recorded a song I don't think Elvis ever would have recorded. So when I saw "Happy X-Mas" on this CD, I said "Oh, I gotta hear that."
I'm not sure Elvis recorded a few of the other tunes here either. "Please Come Home For Christmas" and "Jingle Bell Rock" don't ring any bells, nor does "Happy Holiday". I'm sure some Elvis-ophile will let us know if he did or didn't. Maybe he did those songs in concert or on television or something. Those are all songs, in any case, you could hear Elvis singing. Close your eyes and, yep, the King would've done those. But "Happy X-Mas"? An anti-war song? I don't think Elvis would ever.
And that is the reason I bought this album. To hear "Elvis" sing a song (or songs) Elvis never sang. Was it worth it? For me it was. Lee is pretty good at what he does. And it's definitely cool hearing an almost-Elvis sing songs Elvis never did. He sounds especially fine on "Please Come Home For Christmas". And hearing "Elvis" do an anti-war tune is very nearly top it all awesome. But "Blue Christmas"? Well, I never liked that song in the first place. But using that as a representative of the songs here the real Elvis did sing? Yeah, I'll have to stick with the original. Just sayin'.
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