How "Christmas Memories" Became Frank Sinatra's

On this episode of Christmas Merry and Bright, Raymond Arroyo, an award-winning broadcaster, New York Times best-selling author and acclaimed vocalist, unveils the hidden backstory of "Christmas Memories" by Frank Sinatra. This song would not have been possible without the help of composer, Don Costa, and Lyricists, Alan and Marilyn Bergman.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm Raymond Arroyo, and this is Christmas Mary and Bright
Play Backstories Special presentation. We're revealing the origins, the backstories
of some of the most beloved Christmas songs of all time. Now,
this next song is from my new album, Christmas, Mary
and Bright. It is what I like to call the
forgotten Sinatra Christmas song, and it's one of my absolute favorites.

(00:23):
Now I consider this really one of the most beautiful
songs of the modern canon of Christmas music. The melody
was written in nineteen seventy five by Don Costa. Do
you know that name? He arranged and produced a number
of Sinatra's albums and songs My Way at New York,
New York, Strangers in the Night, you know those. Don

(00:44):
Costa was hired by Sinatra to arrange albums for his
Reprise label, but Costa only wrote eleven songs in his
entire career. He was a guitarist. He discovered Paul Anka
By the Way Anyway. Costa brought this song to Marilyn
and Alan Bergmann. The Bergmanns wrote lyrics to Nice and
Easy The Way We Were You know those songs. They

(01:06):
eventually pend the lyrics You're about to hear anyway. Sinatra
recorded this song in nineteen seventy five and it is
only rarely performed or record it. I included it on
my album and had my daughter Mariella join me on
the bridge. It's called Christmas Memories. It is tender and sweet,
and with each passing year it captures how those of

(01:28):
us over thirty feel about Christmas. And I think you'll
agree the Bergmann who wrote those lyrics. They penned the
lyrics to Yentel and the way we were. It took
me several attempts to finish that song because I kept
tearing up every time I got to that line. I
close my eyes and see shiny faces of all the
children who now have children of their own, I just

(01:53):
lose it. It's a brilliant and an authentic lyric, and it's
totally true. I saw Sinatra by the Way thirty times
in concert. Loved the way he phrased lyrics. Like an actor.
I studied with a woman named Stella Adler, who was
one of the giants of acting in the United States.
She was the acting coach at MGM. And if you

(02:15):
listen and watch closely, I think you can see Stella's
imprint on not only Sinatra but Judy Garland's approach to lyrics.
They felt and lived those lyrics, They didn't just sing them.