Customer Reviews

Merry Christmas

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Merry Christmas" is by far one of the most compelling Christmas releases ever made. Combining old-fashioned holiday standards ("Silver Bells", ""The Little Drummer Boy", "White Christmas") with fun holiday favorites ("Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", "Santa Clause Is Coming To Town", "Joy To The World"), this record is a beautiful representation of the holiday spirit. The instrumentation is pure Christmas-esqu and the ladies' vocals evoke the joy of the holiday season. In addition to the nostalgic sounds, the record includes some incredible Motown originals: "My Christmas Tree", a tearful, heartfelt ballad filled with longing; "Little Bright Star", an excellent song in the classic Motown tradition, and the albums sole single "Twinkle Twinkle Little Me", whose 45RPM single is creatively displayed in the CD's inlay. In addition, 4 previously unavailable tracks are featured, including the unreleased "Noel" and Flo Ballard's gospel-esque "Silent Night", featuring her upfront on a rare occassion. This long-overdue re-release is an absolute MUST for anyone who wants a holiday collection.

This a wonderful, must-have album for Supremes fans. All the songs are wonderful with great harmonizing from Mary and Flo. Little Bright Star is a nice, catchy Motown tune. Diana's lead vocals are great, but FLO BALLARD's performance on Silent Night is absolutely ASTOUNDING. Such vocal force and clarity. This song showcases Flo's gospel background. Great liner notes from Andrew Skurow and superb mastering (etc.) by Harry Weinger. I highly recommend this album.

Yes indeed! It just isn't Christmas without hearing this compilation of Supreme gems. "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Me", "Little Bright Star" and "My Christmas Tree" truly make the season bright. This extended version is wonderful - but that has all be covered nicely in previous reviews. I do wonder why Motown chose to omit "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem" from this collection, since they released it on a previous Motown Christmas compilation. The girls do a terrific job on that song (as they do on the rest of the Christmas songs). It certainly would be a gift to have all the Supreme christmas songs on one CD.

The Supremes' "Merry Christmas" is that rarity among 60's seasonal pop albums: it is neither gushingly overwrought, nor is it crammed with painful novelties. Striking a classy balance between traditional solemnity and the exuberant Motown groove, Diana, Mary and Florence created a holiday album that still sounds vibrant. Diana's budding theatricality is given full vent on such standards as "White Christmas" and "The Christmas Song" (a bonus track not included on the original release). These numbers are carefully and lavishly arranged in Hollywood style. "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" is treated in a bouncy style that escapes being too cloying, while "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" is given a rip-roaring arrangement rivaled only by the Crystals' Phil Spector-produced version. The Motown originals, "Twinkle Twinkle Little Me," "Little Bright Star" and "Children's Christmas Song," are delightful and charming, while "My Favorite Things" is probably the best example of the Supremes' dynamite combination of terrific vocals and sophisticated production values. The remaining bonus tracks are excellent; Diana's dramatic "Noel" is enchanting, and Florence's full-bodied "Silent Night" is a wonderful showcase for her rich sound. There are only a handful of seasonal albums that are truly worth owning; this is one of them.

Contrary to what two previous reviewers reported, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard do sing on all songs on their Christmas album, except "The Christmas Song" and "Noel". Any "true Supremes fan" definitely will recognize their voices and not attribute the singing to "substitutes". In reading the booklet notes, it quotes Mary as saying how ecstatic they all were about recording the album. It also explains how the background music tracks were recorded in L.A. in August, 1965 and the vocals were mixed "a month later". Nowhere in Mary Wilson's book "Dreamgirl" does she state that she took a vacation and did not sing on "Merry Christmas The Supremes". This being said, the album remains a classic, with the impeccable harmonies of Florence and Mary very evident. My favorites are "White Christmas", "Silver Bells", "My Christmas Tree" "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Me" because of the excellent background vocals enhancing Diana Ross' leads. It is refreshing to hear Florence Ballard's excellent rendition of "Silent Night" in it's complete version. I've had the LP version of the original 12 songs since it came out in 1965 and I can only say that the newest CD version is a welcome update. However, on the original monaural version, the sound has a different quality to it, more like a slight echo, which I found more preferable. All in all, it remains a Christmas album everyone should have, Supremes fans and non-fans alike. Mine will get lots of play this Christmas season.

THIS REALLY IS A GREAT SUPREME CD.THE SELECTION OF SONGS IS JUST GREAT.THE HARMONIES ARE JUST PERFECT,AND FLORENCE'S LEAD ON SILENT NIGHT REALLY STILLS THE SHOW.THIS IS A MUST HAVE CHRISTMAS CD

I LOVE THIS VERSION OF THE SUPREMES CHRISTMAS ALBUM WITH THE BONUS TRACKS.DIANA SOUNDS SO INNOCENT SINGING NOEL,BUT FLORENCE BALLARD IS FEATURED ON SILENT NIGHT AND HER VOCALS ARE SO STRONG AND CLEAR AND SOOO SOULFUL YOU CAN DEFINETLY HER GOSPEL ROOTS IN HER VOICE.THE C.D IS A MUST HAVE FOR EVERYONE,ESPECIALLY SUPREMES FANS.

This was supposed to have been a 24-song two-L.P. set of 12 traditional Christmas favorites and 12 Motown originals. The 12 traditionals got recorded but they only got five originals down before time ran out. So a 12-track single L.P. resulted. Three-and-a-half decades later all the tracks but one appear on C.D. (why did Motown leave off ONE track?--absolutely brainless) and we can enjoy it all. Florence Ballard's lead on "Silent Night" is brilliant; she was SO frustrated by almost never getting to display her talent up front and this cut shows she was an extraordinary lead singer. Diana Ross complained all during the recording of this album because she had to work while Ballard and Mary Wilson got time off, but Ross should be very, very proud of her work. She had to work with musical tracks recorded in Los Angeles, then shipped to Detroit for vocal overdubs. Presented with some very difficult arrangements, she shone. The arrangement of "White Christmas" was paced much, much too slow to even sing to, but Ross pulls it off by making the song a dreamy reverie. The album's highlight is "Little Bright Star," pure Motown which later turned up as Tammi Terrell's "I Can't Go On Without You" using the very same orchestral track.

As far as Christmas music goes, this CD is tops. The harmonizing of Flo and Mary, which is again unsurpassed, shines through on Diane's beautiful lead vocals. But wait, the last track is well worth waiting for. Flo singing lead on Silent Night, virtually a capella, is so riveting and awesome, it leaves you needing to hear more of her. Her delivery is a cross between gospel and blues, with a most powerful ending. I know I speak for the rest of the world when I say: more Flo, more Flo, more Flo!

This Christmas CD "Merry Christmas" from Diana Ross, Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson, famously and collectively known as The Supremes, is one of the best among my Christmas music collection. What made it so especially delightful to me is the inclusion of my all-time favorite Rodgers and Hammerstein's song "My Favorite Things" from "The Sound of Music." They first performed this song live to millions on The Ed Sullivan Show for CBS in 1965 and Andrew Skurow on Liner Notes described it as "a production worthy of Broadway - color broadcast, a full orchestra, colossal presents and glamorous pink chiffon gowns." It's always been an enjoyable experience listening to this CD with its mix of traditional and contemporary Christmas songs performed in Yuletide fashion. It is simply one of "My Favorite Things," and I will most definitely recommend it for your listening pleasure this Holiday Season.

My top favorite is "White Christmas," which is absolutely one of the best interpretations ever recorded and it would have made composer Irving Berlin beam with pride. I love its nostalgic arrangement and the trio's rendition that is so reminiscent of 1940s style of singing.

The rest of my highlights include "The Christmas Song," "Silver Bells," "Noel," "Silent Night," "Joy To The World," "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town."

"So you better watch out . . .
He knows if you'd been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake"

Christmas is the one time of the year that I am always child-like. Are you? Let's all bring out the inner child in us and . . . wait for Santa's magic this Christmas! He knows we've all been nice throughout the year! :)

Happy Holidays to one and all. May the love and joy that Christmas bring reign in your beautiful hearts not only this Yuletide Season but also for all the years to come.