Merry Christmas Have a Nice Life [Original recording remastered]

Cyndi Lauper | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 24, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0002S94NE
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #348,413 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece - pure magic, September 16, 2005

By 

Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Merry Christmas Have a Nice Life (Audio CD)

Some people seem to be inspired when recording Christmas albums, rising above their previous performances to record the best album of their career. I knew Cyndi was good at what she did, but had never bought any of her music until I bought this after reading some reviews. I sensed, even without hearing any tracks, that this might be one of the best Christmas albums in the history of recorded music, and I was right.
Cyndi clearly enjoys Christmas - it shows in these songs. Who could resist Cyndi's invitation to Do the Christmas conga? I also enjoyed the amusing Minnie and Santa, but all the new songs are brilliant, including Early Christmas morning, which comes complete with children's choir, used effectively and well.

Cyndi has also covered a few old chestnuts - her version of Rockin' around the Christmas tree and other classics breathes new life into them, while paying respect to the originals. Although I could have done without yet another version of Silent night, Cyndi proves here that she has the skill to do the serious stuff just as well as the fun songs. Among the other serious songs, it is particularly pleasing to see that she covered In the bleak midwinter. This is a Christmas standard in Britain, but it's rare to hear it sung by an American. Her version of this song is pure magic - as good as any version I've come across.

This album is truly one of the finest Christmas albums I have ever come across in any genre of music, and you can enjoy it either as background music, or in peace and quiet giving it undivided attention. I have since bought (and enjoyed) some of Cyndi's other music, but this is something special.

You do not need to be a Cyndi fan to enjoy this, but you might become a Cyndi fan after hearing it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Have a Celtic, Cajun, Creole and Coptic Christmas!, November 21, 2005

By 

Gregor von Kallahann - See all my reviews

This review is from: Merry Christmas Have a Nice Life (Audio CD)

When Cyndi Lauper's MERRY CHRISTMAS...HAVE A NICE LIFE was first released back in '98, I remember reading some capsule review in some popular magazine or other (maybe PEOPLE?) to the effect that it was surprisingly good, better than it "had a right to be," in fact. Huh? Is that a compliment?

I imagine the reviewer thought he was being pretty darn generous to a performer, whom he no doubt recalled as being basically a novelty act from the early MTV days. What's frustrating about reviews like this is that they seldom reference any previous recording other than SHE'S SO UNUSUAL (or, if you're lucky, TRUE COLORS). Cyndi's 90s work(HAT FULL OF STARS and SISTERS OF AVALON) had demonstrated a maturing talent (not that the "immature" stuff was bad--far from it). It's just that, had anybody been bothering to listen, they would have known that she was an artist to be taken seriously and a force to be reckoned with.

Unfortunately, too many had written her off prematurely. And by 1998, her record company was pretty much ready to show her the door. She had one record left on her contract with SONY (who hadn't been offering much in the way of support anyway). Cyndi had gone out touring in '97, opening for Tina Turner, and giving it her all while visibly pregnant...and the record company could scarcely be bothered to promote her excellent SISTERS OF AVALON. A Christmas album seemed like a handy way to meet the terms of the contract and for artist and record company to bid each other adieu.

Christmas CDs are usually lower budget affairs (I'm told) and as it happened, Cyndi already had a couple of Christmas themed tracks in the can anyway. Actually, "Feels Like Christmas" from HAT FULL OF STARS is really more of a love song than a true holiday song, but it had the Noel thing going on in the title and a nice bounce (one of the more upbeat tracks on what was otherwise Cyndi's most serious record to date). "Early Christmas Morning" had appeared on the Japanese version of SISTERS OF AVALON, so that only meant eight or nine new tracks at the most.

It could have been a knock-off, folks, but Cyndi Lauper's sense of artistry and adventure knows few if any bounds, and musically, HAVE A NICE LIFE (the title obviously being something of a kiss-off to SONY) continues to explore the same musical terrain as the previous two records. Queens born Cyndi comes by her multi-culturalism naturally, You've got a little Zydeco here, a little Island music and her version of "Silent Night" starts off with some Mid-Eastern strains, which only begs the question, why hasn't anybody done anything like this before. But that's the closer, let's go back to the beginning.

It's been said that the best Christmas music is tinged with melancholy, and Cyndi's opener "Home for Christmas Day," replete with ringing Byrds-like guitar, is something of a rock rewrite of "I'll Be Home For Christmas." (Ever notice how many holiday albums BEGIN with the latter song: Cyndi honors the tradition in her unique way by starting off with her own updated, similary themed carol.) Then it's off to Cajun-inflected "Early Christmas Morning" and Cajun-Caribbean mix on "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree (a wink and a nod to Brenda Lee--a singer she was often compared to back in the day). The fun continues with "Christmas Conga" and the winning, slightly ribald novelty "Minnie and Santa." Gradually, though, the all the spirited fun begins to give way to a more serious, solemn and (dare we say it?) spiritual mood.

Two songs in row celebrating Cyndi's recent motherhood? Why not? It might be a little much for some artists, but for one as open hearted and honest as Cyndi Lauper, it works. I've had a few "Well, I dunno about this moments" with Cyndi's ballads before (including classics like "Time After Time" and "True Colors"), but they always win me over eventually. "New Year's Baby (First Lullabye)" and "December Child" are no different, delicate songs that avoid slipping into the precious by dint of Cyndi's sheer conviction.

After starting out on such a sunny, tropical note, the album ends on an appropriately winterlike note with the Celtic flavored "In the Bleak Midwinter" and a relatively stark reading of "Silent Night." From the festive to the hauntingly fragile...Cyndi Lauper sums up the season. Definitely, not a knock-off.

Fast forward to 2003-2004, Cyndi's back with SONY (at least for now), doing the standards thing (but definitely doing them her way), and now the record company has now come out with a remastered version of this album. I haven't heard the new version yet, but it did actually seem as though this yuletide offering, delightful as it is, could have used some brightening (of sound and spirit). Looks like everyone may just be having a nice life after all.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great For Decorating A Christmas Tree, December 4, 2005

By 

Robby (ASTORIA, NEW YORK USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Merry Christmas Have a Nice Life (Audio CD)

This is a great CD to POP in while you decorate the tree. It has the classic songs, her rock songs, her funny songs.
1.) Home on Christmas Day - A slow rock song that has the typical guitar the is a trademark of her music.
2.) Early Christmas Morning - Starts off with kids singing like if it was a Chrismas Caroll, then she comes in and adds her punk style to the album to get you in the mood.
3.) Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - I think we all know this song, she does it with like a funky beat and he high pitched voice.
4.) Christmas Conga - Definately the best song on the cd, with her funky beats and her funny lyrics. Really should be a Christmas single. I think if radio played it, we would have a hit. Bonga Bonga Bonga do the Christmas Conga.......
5.) Minnie and Santa - Another funny song with her humor. A slow song but funny.
6.) Feels Like Christmas - Sounds like it starts off with bad quality, like she is singing live, but then starts to be another soft rock song.
7.) Three Ships - A slow song with a flute at the beginning, must be her playing. Typical Christmas but why three ships? Was the Columbus Day lol.....
8.) New Years Baby ( First Lulliby) - I have a feeling she wrote this for her song who is in the album cover. Also on the cover is santa ( or is it her husband). Anyway another good ballad.
9.) December Child - Very slow ballad, almost acoustic.
10.) In The Bleak Midwinter - Again a slow song, by this time you want more of the beginning and that is why this cd gets a 4 rating. I feel she could have more faster songs around this part of the cd.
11.) Silent Night - And finally the typical Christmas Anthem with a touch of Cyndi.
Overall a great Christmas Album. If you like Cyndi you will love the beginning of the album. Play the end when you are tired and want to take a nap. If you have any questions ask me. I love Cyndi and this is my review. I hope it was helpful, vote for me :)