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Bobby VeeBobby Vee is often lumped in with post-Elvis, pre-Beatles teen idols like Fabian and Frankie Avalon. And, he was a teen idol, for sure, with his boy-next-door good looks and swoon-friendly hits like "Take Good Care of My Baby" (1961) and "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" (1963). But, that's not a completely fair comparison, either. First and foremost, Bobby Vee could really sing - something Fabian couldn't claim. Moreover, Vee had rock 'n' roll credentials that matinee stars like Frankie Avalon could only dream of. So, he wasn't cool, but he was sort of "cool adjacent"....

Most famously, Bobby Vee was drafted to fill in for Buddy Holly on the ill-fated 1959 Winter Dance Party tour after the plane crash that killed Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper. Just 15 at the time, Vee and his hastily assembled band went over well, and his career was launched virtually overnight. Holly was one of Vee's influences, actually, and he went on to record an album with Holly's band (Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets, 1962) and a tribute to Holly (I Remember Buddy Holly, 1963). He also recorded Bobby Vee Meets The Ventures (1963), which earns him major points on my scorecard.

Most incredibly, a young Bob Dylan played piano in Bobby Vee's band under the stage name Elston Gunnn during the early days after Holly's death. The association was brief, but much later Dylan heaped high praise on Vee - both in his 2004 autobiography, Chronicles, and in person, calling him "the most beautiful person I've ever been on the stage with."

Having said all that said, Merry Christmas From Bobby Vee (Liberty, 1962) is not much to write home about. It's a simple, charming record, and its strongest recommendation is that nearly half the album consists of original Christmas songs - a rare event in any era. Bear in mind, Vee didn't write any of the songs himself. He wasn't a big songwriter, though he penned a handful of songs over the years including his first hit "Suzie Baby" (albeit while leaning heavily on Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue"). Nevertheless, the original songs make Merry Christmas worthwhile, especially "A Christmas Wish," written by Holly associates Sonny Curtis and Glen Hardin, and the mournful "Not So Merry Christmas."

Merry Christmas From Bobby Vee was reissued on CD by Capitol Records in 1992 with one bonus track, "Electric Trains And You," a 1969 single. The CD was soon deleted, but Capitol reissued it for streaming and download in 2009.

Albums Albums

SongsEssential Songs

  • My Christmas Love
  • Christmas Vacation
  • Christmas Wish
  • A Not So Merry Christmas

Further ListeningFurther Listening

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