It was a packed house at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco when Vic Damone performed 'Christmas in San Francisco'. On a particularly lovely night, the whole show was recorded and this song became part of an album called 'Vic Damone Live'. It comes a little late for this Christmas, I know. Still it is a lovely tribute to a lovely city. Towards the end of Tony Romano's career he had outlived most of his songwriting collaborators (with notable exceptions, one of them being me). He started to write lyrics as well as melodies and his songs took on a uniquely different quality. The close friends he had made during his long career were disappearing too, also with notable exceptions. Vic Damone (born Vito Farinelli) was a fellow Italian (half French) a lifelong friend and a man who my father called a singer's singer. 'Best pipes in the business.' Sinatra said it, and my father, who was close to both singers, always said it too. Vic had subtleties in his voice that no one else could hope to touch. It was an obvious choice, then, for my father to take his song to Damone to record. Dad was living in San Francisco then and Vic came down to see him. The met, they worked this out. A beautiful talent and a beautiful human being. I always called him 'Uncle' that's how close we were. ~ Lisahttp://www.sfheart.com/Songs/index.htmlChristmas In San FranciscoWritten by: Tony RomanoArtist: Vic DamoneFrom the album: The Best of Vic Damone Live (Ranwood)Originally released: April 1988Notes: Recorded live in San Francisco.Christmas in San Francisco What a lovely place to be Seeing the hills being all lit up Like a diamond Christmas tree Hearing children singing carols People come from everywhere To sing along with the children Standing all around Union Square Christmas in San Francisco Looking like some fairy land People with gifts in the crispy air Giving old Saint Nick a hand Let's take a peek in Chinatown Eating lychee nuts and barbecued boar What can you say about the Golden Gate That hasn't been said before Christmas in San Francisco There is no place quite so dear It's the closest thing to heaven How I wish that you were here. What can you say about the Golden Gate That hasn't been said before Christmas in San Francisco There is no place quite so dear It's the closest thing to heaven How I wish that you were here.