Customer Reviews

I Wanna Be Santa Claus

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

We just listened to the new Ringo Christmas album all the way through and had a good time with every track! The production is as Sgt. Peppery as any Beatle solo effort(totally appropriate for a Christmas record!), his vocals better than ever-obviously he's having a great time and he KNOWS he's making a great album. His new tunes are great and the Christmas cornerstones give him a chance to do some boogie and country,plus his drumming is better than ever! The last track sounds uncannily like a George song that George himself should have been writing all these years! The Hudson Brothers are the perfect support for Ringo as well, 3 nutty brothers who sing great harmony(like that "other" group!). Ringo co produced and co wrote(xmas standards excepted) the entire album and the even the cover is phenomanal! GO RINGO!

There's a moment in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer that defines this disc: our favourite drummer flubs the words ("He said `Santa'.... No, he didn't, he said `Rudolph'....") and proceeds to laugh it off. Throw in a version of The Little Drummer Boy that owes as much to Back Off Boogaloo as to the original carol, a rockin' Winter Wonderland that quotes from one of his recent albums and a whole array of infectuously- performed seasonal tunes, both new and standard, and you get exactly what you came for: a good time. This disc evokes the spirit of his 1973 album Ringo and 1993's sadly-underrated Time Takes Time. And, best of all, Starr's trademark precision drumming is recorded with a great sonic crackle. All in all, a perfect anecdote to your Celine Dion-variety Christmas sap.

I am convinced that with this release of "I wanna be Santa Claus" that the Beatles breakup was the biggest hoax EVER. This cd is perhaps, Ringo's most innovative, charming and fun album he has ever produced. It's not just your run of the mill "Bing Crosby" Christmas album. Ringo plays drums with such vitality that maybe he WAS right when he said he was "the greatest drummer on Earth". For example, on "The Little Drummer Boy", Ringo plays drums ala "Back off Boogaloo". Who would if thought that you could get the house rocking to that song? Well, Ringo found a way. The song "I wanna be Santa Claus" starts with a Beach Boys sound, then ends in a "Revolution #9" kind of way. Speaking of the Fab Four, Ringo covered "Christmas Time is here again" with the same fun filled energy of 30-some years ago.

What more can be said except Ringo's vocals are better than ever and this is an album that can be listened to all year 'round. So go and get this cd- don't expect too much- and you'll get a Beatles Christmas album.

Amazon is a sure place to find this elusive CD...and it's worth every cent! Ringo continues in fine form...he has given us 3 strong releases..Vertical Man, Storytellers and now I Wanna Be Santa Clause....the first track is great to play loud...it gets your attention and holds you there with a drum beat like Instant Karma and thick sound like Revolution...Winter Wonderland sounds great with a beatlesque backing...those Beatley backing vocals permeate the whole album and it sounds great! I Wanna Be Santa Clause is a great Ringo original which could be played alongside Mccartney's Wonderful Christmas Time...little Drummer Boy is just perfect, one of the best on the album..Rudolph sound good with some humorous changes to the lyrics...Christmas Eve is the weakest of the tracks for me...The Christmas Dance goes back to skiffle roots...Christmas Time Is here Again takes a mere novelty tune that the Beatles jamed with and adds rich instrumentation including bagpipes...Blue chrisymas is another weak song...Dear Santa could have gone on McCartney's latest album, it has a fifties feel...White Christmas is briiliant with a tropic feel to a wintry ballad...the last track is Harrisonesque al the way, with sitars and all...just wish Ringo could have covered John's Christmas song!

Personally, I hope that Ringo never grows up. He adds so much life and happiness to a world full of problems.

This is truly a very charming album of Christmas favorites that feature Ringo doing rockabilly, crooning, rocking, and just having a grand old time. From the opening track on this CD, you can tell that Ringo is having a wonderful time recording this CD.

Ringo takes on old standards such as Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer, The Little Drummer Boy, and Winter Wonderland. These cuts remind me of the same happy Ringo who recorded the "No No Song" from Good Night Vienna.

But, the highligh of this CD has to be Ringo's "interpretation" of the Beatles "Christmas Time Is Here Again." This little novelty piece was released as a fan club recording in 1967. Well, Ringo makes it so much better with rich instrumentation -- to include bagpipes. I give the last track, Pax Um Biscum an honorable mention because Ringo employs the sitar on this song (shades of his pal, George Harrison).

This is a great CD, and not just for the Christmas season. Ringo turned out a gem with this CD -- and, we definitely appreciate it. Ringo is Santa Claus!

With his new cd, Ringo has chosen to do Christmas material- and it works, unlike McCartney's new and dull '50's nostalgia trip. Ringo and crew (including his recent partner Mark Hudson) do five Xmas classics and six originals plus rework the Beatles' 'Christmas Time Is Here Again'. Of the standards, 'Winter Wonderland' and 'White Christmas' work the best, especially 'Winter Wonderland', where they cleverly sneak in a bit of 'I Was Walkin' from last years awesome "Vertical Man". But "Rudolph', 'Blue Christmas' and 'The Little Drummer Boy' are fine as well (check out Ringo's 'Boogaloo' inspired solo opening that one). Of the originals...well, they're terrific. The title track and the lovely 'Christmas Eve' will go down as Ringo classics. 'Come On Christmas Come On' has a definite Beatlesque bounce and 'The Christmas Dance' is just plain fun. The Beatles remake is great, featuring another guest shot from an Aerosmith member in Joe Perry. The cd ends with the original 'Pax Um Biscum (Peace Be With You)', which is just perfect. The overall sound of this cd is similar to "Vertical Man", and once again Ringo's singing and playing are outstanding. His production with Hudson is clean, crisp, subtle; perfect for a holiday record.

Ringo's sense of humour really infuses this cd with a great joy,it definetly brings a smile to your face and it's so upbeat that if your feet are'nt constantly on the move you had better check your pulse.Mark Hudson must be applauded for bringing out the best in Ringo long may they work together,when so much of todays music is so negative this cd transports you to a place where everything is wonderfull and thats a nice place to be even if it is for only 45 minutes.Ringo don't stop now you are at your peak.

I don't know why, I just held back ordering this album, though I am a huge Beatle fan, and loved Vertical Man, Ringo's last album. There must have been some underlying cynicism about this project. Well, I finally broke down and bought it after Christmas, and it is simply wonderful. It's hard to put your finger on what makes something work, but this is the best Ringo album ever! I honestly won't play this just at Christmas. Why would I deprive myself? Anyway, if you're reading this and held back like I did, please, buy this before it goes away, and you know it will. It came out with very little promotion and had very limited distribution. Ringo, you're great!

A welcome addition to the Christmas season. Elements of the best of Ringo's approach in the Ringo and Goodnight Vienna albums of the 1970's plus the some new creative approachs make one very fine album. Ringo's charm and sense of humour are in full evidence. Some rocking uptempo numbers, some old favorites, plus great sound add up to a great production. One of the better rock Christmas albums in years/ Thanks, Ring ! Great to hear from you again.

This is a real surprise. Old Ringo has turned out a real charmer, with help from producer and friend Mark Hudson. They've pulled off a minor miracle here---a Christmas album that isn't a dull, trite rehash. This is playful, funny, upbeat stuff. It's infectious good fun that makes some of the old standards, like "Little Drummer Boy" and "Rudolph," delightful again. I'm the biggest humbug around, and this album makes me chuckle. Maybe Ringo is Santa Claus. . .