Customer Reviews

Christmas Wish

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There are so many Christmas CD's that come out each year. Eventually, they all start to run together, rehashing most of the same familiar tunes with only a change in the vocals. A few years ago, Olivia released a Christmas CD that was somewhat disappointing, containing a few noteworthy tracks.
This CD, however, is a complete change from her previous Christmas CD. "Christmas Wish" follows the stylings of last year's acclaimed "Grace and Gratitude" CD. It contains several top-notch original songs with short, lush, familiar musical interludes that allow flow and contiuity for the entire 60+ minutes of listening. There are a few traditional numbers-- O Come All Ye Faithful, Silent Night, We Three Kings. But the true highlights on this CD are the 8 original songs. They qualify both as Christmas tunes AND new pop favorites!

"Every Time It Snows" with Jon Secada is amazing! My eyes well up with tears every time I listen to it. "Christmas On My Radio" is be-bop fun! I hope everyone gets to hear this one sometime during the Christmas season. "Instrument of Peace, "A Mother's Christmas Wish," "Underneath the Same Sky," and "Angels in the Snow" are each equally as pleasing. A duet with Barry Manilow and another with Michael McDonald are additional inclusions that highlight this special recording.
The availability of Olivia's recent recordings has been unfortunate, exclusives to be found at Hallmark Gold Crown, Walgreen's, and now Target stores (for Christmas Wish). If you can't find this CD there, then by all means purchase it here. It is certain to be one CD that will endure for many, many years.
I really hope the two standouts here-- Everytime it Snows, and Christmas on my Radio-- receive radio notice. They deserve to become holiday classics in the same category as "Merry Christmas, Darling" by the Carpenters.

I've been a fan of Olivia throughout the years...and she has entertained us from her country music beginnings to her quirky, pop culture contributions.

She has offered here a solid collection of Christmas songs, both traditional and new pop classics she sings solo, and a couple of duets, all worth a listen. She is doing what she does so angellically, sing a simple song so BEAUTIFULLY. The instrumental, well-orchestrated interludes are also a plus on this CD. It's a must have for your Xmas collection this year and years to come, you will not be disappointed. It's quite different from the usual offerings, and for this reason...it will stand the test of time.

No one sings a ballad like Olivia does, and in this collection, she returns to us by evoking the true spirituality and quiet joys of the season. This CD is less about loud holiday jingles, but more prayerful and HYMNAL in nature. It's mostly sold at Target Stores, so get your copy while supplies last for this season.

Absolutely Heavenly!

This is the CD I've waited years for. Olivia Newton-John just gets better with age. Her vocals on this CD are breathtaking and her songwriting is so touching and heartfelt. It's wonderful to hear old chestnuts like O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL, WE THREE KINGS, and SILENT NIGHT (sung in three languages to boot), but LITTLE STAR OF BETHLEHEM, written with producer Amy Sky, is destined to be another Christmas classic. The old and new songs are strung together with musical interludes of Christmas standards beautifully executed. Of the new songs, EVERY TIME IT SNOWS (duet with Jon Secada) is heartbreaking, A MOTHER'S CHRISTMAS WISH (with Jim Brickman) is tender and loving, ANGELS IN THE SNOW is magical, ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT (duet with Michael McDonald) is, to put it simply, gorgeous, UNDERNEATH THE SAME SKY offers hope for a peaceful world and CHRISTMAS ON MY RADIO will bring a smile to GREASE fans with it's Doo Wop flavor. And the new orchestration of INSTRUMENT OF PEACE from last year's GRACE AND GRATITUDE will give you goosebumps. Bravo to producer AMY SKY. She and Oliva are a Dynamic Duo.

I've seen reviews of this album complaining about the lack of any up-tempos songs, but I don't mind that. I've listened to plenty of Christmas music in a variety of different sounds, styles and moods. While I generally prefer a variety of tempos, some of the best Christmas albums have been mellow, including my all-time favorite Christmas album, Stacy Sullivan's Cold enough to snow.

The particular appeal of this album is that it contains eight original songs (Every time it snows, A mother's Christmas wish, Angels in the snow, Underneath the same sky, Little star of Bethlehem, Instrument of peace, Christmas on my radio, A gift of love), all of them well worth hearing. Actually, one of these tracks (Instrument of peace) is a different version of a song that appeared on another of Olivia's albums, Grace and gratitude, but even if I had that album, I'd still think the other seven originals were worth buying the album for. With the exception of A gift of love (a Barry Manilow co-write on which Barry guests), producer Amy Sky co-wrote all the original songs, some of them with Olivia.

Most people want Christmas albums that contain at least some traditional songs and they are catered for with full length versions of O come all ye faithful, We three kings, Silent night and the slightly less familiar All through the night, together with instrumental pieces of several other traditional classics.

There is plenty to like about this Christmas album, which may not work as party music but there are plenty of other occasions during the festive season when you can listen to it.

very nice Xmas cd. except for one upbeat song, Xmas on the Radio, all are mellow & lush. a very soothing cd, if u want to feel warm & cozy like under a throw on blanket. i like it for its consistency. i can find snappy, pop Xmas tunes elsewhere. thanks, Olivia for a fine album.

This Christmas CD is quite unique and one of the very best I have ever heard. it is not the same Christmas songs over and over. There are many original songs and the instrumental interludes alone are worth the money. There is not a bad piece in the whole album. It is perfect for background if you are entertaining for Christmas as well as soft, romantic music to cuddle up with your loved ones.

I am running out and buying more to give to my family.

Ann

The skies parted and a heavenly choir of angels begin to sing!

From start to finish this is pure ear candy. Olivia has mastered the art of songwriting over the years and delivers some beautifully written holiday treasures here incased by Amy Skys absolutely georgeous production.

The woman gets better with age......yet at nearly 60, she still looks like that 30 year old we fell in love with in the hit musical GREASE!

A lot of people complained about Livvy's previous Christmas Collection but, after hearing this, I have to say I like it better than this one. It has newly recorded tracks in the vein of her Grace and Gratitude disc with instrumentals between most of the tracks. Somebody here made the comment that it was a nice break from hearing one vocalist sing on every track. My question is why would you want a break if you love the singer's voice? In essence, what you are getting is twelve out of 22 vocal tracks, and they all run together too much. There are no true standouts here except for "All Through the Night" with Michael McDonald, and slightly more uptempo--if that's what you want to call them, because I really can't--"Underneath the Same Sky" and "Christmas On My Radio." It's nice enough background music if you're entertaining and her voice is always wonderful to hear, but I just wish the album were livelier. Sad to say, but this is not one I would put in very often unless I have a case of insomnia. Mellow is fine, but this is just a little bit too mellow. For my own personal preference, I will always choose to hear Making a Good Thing Better, which I feel is the best album she's ever put out. Besides, I can play that all year 'round.

Wonderful album, from 2007, containing 22 tracks of Olivia N-J and her beautiful sweet voice, singing many of our Christmas favorites. Some very special guests are included on several tracks. It is a little over one hour long.

Olivia sings these songs as very beautiful arrangements. She maintains the integrity of our favorites when she sings them.

Tracks are:
1) Oh Come All Ye Faithful
2) Angels We Have Heard on High
3) Everytime it Snows (with Jon Secada)
4) Away in a Manger
5) We Three Kings
6) The First Noel
7) A Mother's Christmas Wish (with Jim Brickman)
8) Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
9) Angels in the Snow
10) What Child is This?
11) Silent Night (with Jann Arden)
12) O Come, O Come Emmanuel
13) All Through the Night (with Michael McDonald)
14) Little Drummer Boy
15) Underneath the Same Sky
16) O Christmas Tree
17) Little Star of Bethlehem
18) Deck the Halls
19) Instrument of Peace (with Mark Jordan)
20) We Wish You a Merry Christmas
21) Christmas on My Radio
22) A Gift of Love (with Barry Manilow)

This CD would make a nice stocking-stuffer for your friends or loved ones. It is also great background music for a Christmas party.

This CD is not only a marvelous collection of vocals, but they are combined with beautiful instrumental interludes. They result is a soothing Christmas musical treat I enjoyed over and over again this year, and will continue to enjoy for many seasons to come.