Customer Reviews

Christmas Spirit

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I am not ashamed to say I was- and still am- a huge Donna Summer fan in the '70's. Her music was all about relaxing, having fun, and appreciating your friends and times around you, and getting away from everyday life stresses. However, I have always thought her critics never really stood back to give this wonderful talent the true recognition she deserves. Donna Summer remains a popular talent because she has an incredible voice, which I always expouse to people that try to belittle her.

Of course, I bought this Christmas CD because it was Donna Summer, but even she blew me away and humbled me with this collection of Christmas songs. This is a first rate, blue ribbon production! The orchestrations are rich and full, a complement to her incredible voice, and what you would expect to hear in Christmas music to put you in a "Christmas mood." The album has a nice mixture of classic and religious Christmas songs. My favorite tune on the CD is the title track, "Christmas Spirit." The song will bring shivers to the spine of anyone who is a true Christmas believer. The Christmas medley is good too! (Thank you, Donna, for including my favorite Christmas song, "Joy To The World.")

There are a lot of favorite pop/rock/country artists who have released Christmas albums. Most of the albums have turned out to be very disappointing productions to me and receive little to no playtime with me during the holiday. That is not true with this collection of songs. This is the one Christmas CD I have that I listen to during other times of the year too. It really is that good. I have played this CD during my holiday entertaining and it has received many compliments and queries as to its quality and who the artist was (those unfortunates who have been unfamiliar with her voice.) There are those rare singers, like Karen Carpenter and Ella Fitzgerald, who's voices are instantly recognized and appreciated for the "one-of-a-kind" that they are. Donna Summer has always had one of those voices to me. I guarantee this will turn into one Christmas CD that you will play over all others in your Christmas collection.

This CD is perhaps Donna's finest work, and one of the strongest Christmas Albums ever. This is for that matter a CHRISTMAS Album, as opposed to a Holiday Album. Despite her deep rooted faith, Donna has never recorded a Gospel Album, and although this review is being written by an Athiest, I love to hear Donna sing about her faith, as it is some of her most stunning work.

The secular side of Christmas is not lost here either, and the readings of "The Christmas Song", "I'll Be Home For Christmas, and her own "Chritmas Is Here", celebrate the common "feel good" side of Chrsitmas that unites us all. The lush full orchestral sounds backing up "Oh Come All Ye Faithfulll", A Medley of "What Child Is This", "Do You Hear What I Hear" and "Joy To The World" and her own composition "Lamb of God", add a sensation to these songs that canb truly make you feel an emotional high.

The most interesting track is her own song "Christmas Spirit", while this track is about the faith based meaning of Christmas, it also calls upon the yearning of someone looking for that "Christmas Spirit", and perhaps still not finding it.

This is a fine, fine CD, that SHOULD be a Christmas Essential.

Don't expect Donna's Disco Christmas. She proves to be another pop diva who is not afraid to keep the Christ in Christmas in this well crafted, classic, and highly recommended additon to any Christmas music collection.

While this CD covers some solemn and religious Christmas standards (a far cry from the orgasmic moaning of her disco anthem "Love to Love you Baby" ), it does so with the power and passion expected of a true diva. She puts the spirit of the season in your heart on some standard spiritual Christmas classics such as "O Come All Ye Faithful, "O Holy NIght" and a medley of "What Child is This, "Do You Hear What I Hear" and "Joy to the World". Her orginal tracks, "Christmas Spirit" and "Lamb of God" capture the essence of the season with the most heart warming lyrics and her passionate vocals as does her version of Amy Grant's "Mary, Breath of Heaven" (These are the ones that will give you the chills).

Another less religious original "Christmas is Here" and some other secular standards such as "I'll Be Home for Christmas", "The Christmas Song", and "White Christmas" also add to this highly recommended collection Summer Christmas cheer.

Why oh why did this album not receive wider distribution and coverage. It is one of Donna's finest works. She pours her heart and soul into her interpretations of Seasonal favourites including; White Christmas, The Christmas Song and an awe inspiring version of Oh Holy Night where Ms Summers vocals send tingles down the spine. Produced by Michael Omartion (who also produced She Works Hard For The Money and Cats Without Claws) this cd is one of the finest Christmas CD's around. It should have been properly promoted - as it is whenever I play it it draws gasps and solicits questions such as " who is singing and what an incredible voice".
A minor gripe is the rather cheap looking cover - surely Polygram and Donna could have come up with something better at the time.
Thankfully it is now getting a wider distribution under the 'Universal Master Series'
Do not hesitate buy it now, a timeless masterpiece.

Donna Summer's Christmas Spirit shows how she can sing circles around Whitney and Mariah. They should take lessons as Donna belts out O Come All Ye Faithful and O Holy Night. Consider this to be an album filled with spirit no matter what your faith. After listening to this, you'll wonder why she isn't more popular today. Her voice is full and rich encompassing the meaning of Christmas. Two of her own Christmas songs, Christmas Spirit and Christmas Is Here are just as touching as the classic songs White Christmas and The Christmas Song. Plus the vocal arrangements on Christmas Medley, which include - What Child Is This, Do You Hear What I Hear, and Joy To The World, are outstanding. Christmas will never be the same!

The image of Donna Summer as the disco diva (which she was, undoubtedly, and the greatest, too, but only from 1975 to 1979 !) has too often overshadowed her tremendous abilities as a singer and a long-spanning career that has had more than its share of first-class material. To me, Donna is simply one of the two or three greatest voices in popular music these past 30 years, and I hope this will finally be acknowledged one day. This girl deserves better than being a gay club icon, heck!

If you want both the best Donna vocals AND a Christmas album that will play tirelessly on your stereo, then this is the one record you want. 'Christmas Spirit' is the only yuletide album I can listen to at any time of the year. Whatever the occasion, it has that rare capacity of conveying a sense of purity and holiness without ever being churchy and loud (which most gospel recordings tend to be, unfortunately, see Kirk Frankin for instance).

In fact, those who thought Donna's singing was too upfront for that kind of project would be well advised to give this album a try : of course there will be times when the voice reaches the high notes, but always when appropriate; most of the time, the voice is sweet and warm, incredibly appeasing. It often feels like you actually rediscover some classics you thought had long been emptied of their substance and appeal.

So make this a "Donna winter", for a change, and treat yourself and yours to this fantastic album!

Back in 1994 when I heard that Donna Summer was releasing a Christmas CD, I rushed to the store to buy it immediately. Not really knowing what to expect, I put it in my CD player and was hooked. I have a very large collection of Christmas music, but this selection is always at the top of my playing list. As a previous reviewer noted, it is truly sad that a CD of this quality did not get the promotion or attention that it truly deserved. Like so many of the divas in this day and time, Donna, too, continues to be overlooked for screeching, conceited "diva-wannabes" like Mariah Carey, et. al. All I can say is, if you love Christmas music and you missed out on this CD, you should be ashamed of yourself.

When I first heard that Donna Summer had recorded a Christmas album, I have to admit my first reaction was, "you've got to be kidding...." Well, if you're looking for "disco Christmas", (which was what I was fully expecting), you'd best look elsewhere. Gone are the thumping backbeats and re-mixed dance tracks. Instead, this is an amazingly stirring album, tastefully arranged, and wonderfully performed with full orchestras and choirs. Donna has never sounded better or more joyful, and proves that you don't have to use an endless array of "vocal gymnastics" to sell a song. (Hint: Mariah? Whitney?) Donna also contributes three original songs to the mix of familiar favorites, with great results. ("Christmas is Here", "Lamb of God", (which is especially powerful), and the title track.) The only downside to this record is the apparent lack of promotion it received, a terrible oversight on the part of Polygram. It's certainly worth seeking out. Everyone who I have introduced to this record, is sold on it.

I am a fan of Donna Summer's, but I think even non-fans will enjoy this excellent Christmas collection. What I love about this collection is that she mixes holiay favorites ("White Christmas", "O Holy Night") with originals (the title track, "Christmas is Here") and some stunning spiritual tracks ("Breath of Heaven" and "Lamb of God"). Throughout Donna's voice is superb and the production is top-notch.

Surprisingly, Donna did not release a lot of original music in the 90s so I must say that this is actually the best work she did in the 90s in my opinion and it holds up well even ten years later.

This is a classic, sure to stand the test of time. No dance beats or wailing synthesizers anywhere in sight, just lush strings, angelic choirs, and the powerful voice of Summer.

'O holy night' has never sounded better. Donna gives it a gospel treatment and makes it all hers. It starts out with gentle with just a piano and her vocals, and builds up to an awesome chorale finale with Donna belting out ferociously. Awesome!

Other standouts include 'White christmas' (with strings that will make your hairs stand on end), 'The Christmas song', 'O come all ye faithful' (with a hymnal reading, like she's singing it in church), the stunning 'Christmas medley' (comprising `What child is this', `Do you hear what I hear' and `Joy to the world'), the jolly sounding 'Christmas is here' replete with bells (written by Summer but already sounds like a classic Christmas song), the forlorn sounding 'I'll be home for Christmas', 'Breath of heaven', the anthemic 'Lamb of God' (penned by Summer) and the title track (penned by Summer).

Her singing is in top form, matchless, crisp and clear, and you do feel the 'Christmas spirit'.

If there is only one Christmas CD you should own, look no further.