It Must Be Getting Close to Christmas by John Farnham

Long before John Farnham was ‘The Voice’ he was known as Johnny Farnham, Australia’s teen pop idol and honoured with the King of Pop crown from 1967 to 1979. ‘It Must Be Getting Close to Christmas’ is the perfect vehicle for Farnham’s clear and powerful tenor voice. This early release in his career shows his talent and showcases what is now regarded as one of the best male voices in the country.

Written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen, ‘It Must Be Getting Close to Christmas’ follows their style of lush orchestration with a vocal melody which, while appearing simple, requires a singer of stature to execute. The lyric covers a topic many parents will relate to at this time of year - children becoming better behaved as Christmas draws closer. Indeed all family members, including the dog, are on their best behaviour with the promise of presents on Christmas morning.

The track is beautifully recorded with a subtle orchestration around Farnham’s young clear voice; a real highlight on the track is the grand piano played in the best wine-bar style and tinkling away in the corner. It is a great example of an early recording from the 1970s and the beginning of multitrack recording in Australia.

Initially released as Christmas Is… Johnny Farnham, the album Memories of Christmas was Farnham's only Christmas album for 46 years. In 2016 he released Friends for Christmas, a duet album with Olivia Newton-John.