Baby's First Christmas

"Baby's First Christmas"
Black vinyl of "Baby's First Christmas" with text
Single by Connie Francis
from the album Christmas in My Heart
A-side"When the Girl in Your Arms (Is the Girl in Your Hear)" (US, Honk Kong)
B-side"I'm Falling In Love With You Tonight" (UK, India, Netherlands)
ReleasedNovember 1961 (1961-11)
RecordedNovember 2, 1961, New York City
GenrePop
Length2:20
LabelMGM
K13051
Songwriters
ProducerArnold Maxin
Connie Francis singles chronology
"Hollywood"
(1961)		 "Baby's First Christmas"
(1961)		 "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You"
(1962)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
CashboxPositive (Pick of the Week)

"Baby's First Christmas" is a song written by Benny Davis and Murray Mencher (using the pseudonym Ted Murry) and most notably performed by Connie Francis, who released it as a single under MGM Records in late 1961, with a positive reception and a moderate chart presence. The song was included in Francis' reissues of her 1959 Christmas album, as well as the 2005 Gold compilation.

Connie Francis version

Release and reception

Following the success of "Hollywood" Francis would release "Baby's First Christma" as a seven inch single in September 1961 under MGM Records. It was backed by a Christmas ballad, "Baby's First Christmas" on the B-side, which was included in her reissue of Christmas in My Heart. Don Costa conducted the orchestra for both songs, which were recorded on November 2, 1961. The producer was Arnold Maxin, MGM's president at the time.

The single was met with a positive critical reception upon its release. Cashbox reviewed the single in mid November and believed that "The charming lilter, 'Baby’s First Christmas,' also has what it takes for chartdom—as soon as the season rolls around."

Chart performance

"Baby's First Christmas" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on December 11, 1961, reaching No. 26 during a five-week run. Simiraly, on the Music Vendor 100 Top Pop singles chart, where it reached No. 22. The single was ranked much lower on the Cashbox Top 100 Singles, where it only reached No. 52. The single debuted on the Billboard Easy Listening in the issue dated December 11, 1961, peaking at No. 7 in January 1962 during a four-week run on the chart. Internationally, the song became a hit as well. "Baby's First Christmas" reached No. 30 in the UK. It peaked at No. 10 on the Canadian CHUM Chart at this time. In December 1962, the single reappeared on the charts at No. 113 in the US. In December 1965, it reached the Billboard Christmas Singles chart at No. 13.

The single's A-side, When the Girl in Your Arms (Is the Girl in Your Heart)", outperformed "Baby's First Christmas". It reached No. 10 on Billboard, No. 8 on Cashbox, No. 7 on Record World, and No. 2 on the Easy Listening chart. Due to Cliff Richard's success with the same song in the UK, "Baby's First Christmas" was chosen as the A-side there, as well as in the Netherlands and India with the same reason, with "I'm Falling In Love With You Tonight" as the flip side.

Track listing

7" single (UK) (MGM K1145, 1961)
No.TitleWriter(s)Performance rights handled byLength
1."Baby's First Christmas"
ASCAP2:20
2."I'm Falling In Love With You Tonight"
ASCAP2:57

Charts

Chart performance for "Baby's First Christmas"
Chart (1961-1962) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 26
US Cashbox Top 100 Singles 52
US Music Vendor 100 Top Pops 22
US Billboard Easy Listening 7
UK Singles Chart 30
Canada CHUM Chart 10
Chart (1965) Peak
position
US Billboard Christmas Singles 13

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Record Reviews: The Cashbox Pick of the Week" (PDF). Cashbox. Vol. XXIII, no. 10. November 18, 1961. p. 6. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 20, 2024. Retrieved October 31, 2026 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  2. 1 2 3 Francis, Connie (November 1961). ""When the Girl in Your Arms (Is the Girl in Your Hear)"/"Baby's First Christmas" (7" vinyl single)". MGM Records. K13051.
  3. 1 2 Ron Roberts: Connie Francis Discography 1955 – 1975. Volume I.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Whitburn, Joel (2002). Joel Whitburn's top pop singles 1955-2002. Menomonee Falls, Wisc.: Record Research. p. 262. ISBN 0898201551.
  5. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2012). Hit Records 1954–1982. Record Research. ISBN 978-0-89820-200-7.
  6. 1 2 Downey, Pat; Albert, George; Hoffman, Frank (1994). Cash Box Pop Singles Charts, 1950–1993. Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, Inc. pp. 129–130. ISBN 1563083167.
  7. 1 2 3 "Connie Francis – Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Retrieved October 31, 2026.
  8. 1 2 "CONNIE FRANCIS". Official Charts Company. April 10, 1958. Retrieved October 31, 2026.
  9. 1 2 Hall, Ron (2007). The CHUM Chart Book 1957–1986. pp. 76–77.
  10. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1982). Joel Whitburn's Bubbling under the hot 100, 1959-1981. Menomonee Falls, Wis: Record Research. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-8982-0047-8.
  11. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2012). Hit Records 101–150 1959–1982. Record Research. ISBN 978-0-89820-201-4.
  12. 1 2 Francis, Connie (November 1961). ""Baby's First Christmas]"/"I'm Falling In Love With You Tonight" (7" vinyl single)". MGM Records. MGM 1145.