Customer Reviews

Merry Little Christmas

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This cd features beautiful singing by Linda Ronstadt throughout, but be aware that after track five, (with the exception of I Wonder As I Wander) the voice that you may be used to - warm, big and belty, disappears. From that point on Linda steps out of the spotlight and displays her soprano as an understated member of the choir. The musical selections and arrangements are inspired and the vocals are flawless, but if you're expecting Silent Night with an acoustic guitar and three part harmony you might be surprised. She does serve up some tasty "Nelson Riddle style" treats on the first half of the cd, including a gentle duet with Rosemary Clooney on "White Christmas" and a powerful version of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". Joni Mitchell's classic "River" gets a pretty treatment, but stays too close to the surface for my taste . All in all, the generous talents of Linda Ronstadt are on full display and that will certainly "help to make the season bright".

This is a lovely Christmas album with beautiful singing throughout. Be prepared for the fact that its a rather schizoid album, though, with different styles throughout (much like Ronstadt's career, as a matter of fact!)

The first four songs are arranged much like Linda's Nelson Riddle albums and shine beautifully - the duet with Rosemary Clooney on "White Christmas" especially glows. Only "Have Yourself A Merry Christmas" jarred a bit, with Ronstadt turning up the volume and belting a bit too strenuously on a tune that doesn't really need it that much.

Joni Mitchell's "River" is included - its got a Christmas-time background, but isn't really a Christmas song. I'm glad its included, though, both because I've always loved it, and because Ronstadt does such a fine, assured job with it. First-class!

The real reason to buy the cd in my opinion is the concluding section, though. Ronstadt does a version of "I Wonder As I Wander" that sent shivers up my spine, and they stayed there for the rest of the cd, as one exquisite example of choral singing followed another. Linda sort of retreats into the background and blends in with the chorus, but the sheer beauty of the singing will leave you stunned. I was a bit disappointed with one thing: an early pre-release listing of the songs I saw included "In the Bleak Midwinter", one of my very favorite Christmas carols, and its unfortunately nowhere to be found. I'd looked forward to it, but its a small disappointment with what would be a wonderful addition to anyone's collection of holiday music. Great job, Linda!

Linda Ronstadt has been something of a musical chemeleon over the course of her 20+ year career: she has done everything from operetta ("The Pirates of Penzance") to traditional Mexican music, from country-rock to light standards. With the release of a holiday album, Ronstadt brings her clear, rich soprano to popular Christmas standards and haunting, lesser-known choral pieces. The results, of course, are brilliant. Whether the heartwarming duet with the legendary Rosemary Clooney on "White Christmas" or Ronstadt's confident stride up her high register with "Lo How A Rose 'Ere Blooming," this recording showcases the versatility of a voice that has never been afraid to tackle the road less traveled. Listen to the beautiful duet between Ronstadt (on soprano) and an alto on the affecting "Xicochi Xicochi," and the haunting "Welsh Carol," in which Ronstadt takes a solo mid-way through. It is interesting to note that, throughout the chorale pieces, Ronstadt takes the soprano parts, hitting notes that most of her contemporaries in popular music would shy away from. This ability is a showcase for Ronstadt's boundry-crossing talent in any type of music she chooses. The beautiful renditions of these songs separate and elevate her musicality from that of so many popular singers, who too often choose dramatic embellishment to cover their own limitations. Rondstadt seems to have no musical limitations, and her heartfelt rendering of these pieces, illuminated with the clear power of her vocals, is refreshing and worth a permanent spot in anyone's Christmas music collection.

Ronstadt fans rejoice! Finally America's most thrilling pop voice has put together a stunning Christmas collection. Her sultry belt is perfect on seasonal favorites like THE CHRISTMAS SONG and HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS. She delivers a trip down memory lane with Rosemary Clooney on WHITE CHRISTMAS. Her cover of RIVER will make Joni Mitchell proud. But the last 8 cuts will stun and surprise. Ronstadt's trilling soprano has never sounded better. AWAY IN A MANGER is heavenly and LO, HOW A ROSE E'RE BLOOMING brought a tear to this listeners eye with it's harmonic beauty. In a time when pop stars are cranking out over-produced Christmas drivel, Linda Ronstadt has given us a Christmas Classic.

The first song, "The Christmas Song" starts out with an orchestral sound, switches to a light jazzy lounge sound with a breathy Linda Ronstadt singing. It switches back to an orchestral ending. "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" are orchestral and Linda still sounds a little breathy. The third song is the duet with Rosemary Clooney. Quite a bit of it is sung by backup vocalists, but this song is really worthwhile. "River" is a beautiful song. The music is mostly simpler, with mainly strings and piano. I liked this selection quite well.

Now for something completely different! This must be the beginning of the work of the second producer. It's as if I changed the CD. "O Come O Come Emmanuel", "Lo, How A Rose E're Blooming", "Welsh Carol", Past Three O'Clock", "O Magnum Mysterium", and "Silent Night" are a cappella choral music. Linda's voice blends in completely with the choir. These are nice songs, done in a traditional choral way. The seventh song "Xicochi, Xichoci" is a lovely lullaby that translates: "Go to sleep, little baby, Surely the angels will carry you on your path, little green one." You can clearly hear Linda's breathy voice on "I Wonder As I Wander". The background is cello, harp, bass, and backup vocals. I liked "Away In A Manager" with Cookie Rankin singing beautifully.

I've read the reviews here and tried to sort out what's happening. I think that if you like a Christmas CD to create a mood or "hang together" somehow, then you may not like this CD. If you're still listening to Linda's classic "Blue Bayou", this CD could be a disappointment. I've been disappointed by other Christmas CD's and then gone on to love them. However, I wonder if the breathy singing style that Linda has adopted on several songs really works for her. I can't personally recommend this CD, but a lot of other people loved it. Some stores will let you listen to a CD before you buy it and that may be the way to go.

Some details: The liner notes are contained in a 12 page booklet that is quite good and contains the words to the songs (except for "I'll Be Home For Christmas"). The CD is 45 minutes long.

Let me begin by saying that this is now one of my favorite Christmas CDs. I actually bought it a couple of years ago and must say that it was not what I expected. Well, that's not quite true. The first four songs were EXACTLY what I expected.
Ms. Ronstadt gives both The Christmas Song and I'll Be Home for Christmas very cozy treatments. She may as well be standing in your living room next to the fireplace and singing right to you and yours. White Christmas is a lovely addition due to the fact that Linda sings it with Rosemary Clooney (who better?). Linda embellishes Rosie's lovely burnished vocals and the end result is one of my favorite renditions of the venerable standard.

The gears begin to shift with Joni Mitchell's River. I've heard this lovely song before but not in a Christmas setting (Holly Cole and Dianne Reeves both have strong versions). The lyrics only make a passing reference to Christmas but it works well here. Christmas albums don't often include songs dealing with the meloncholy aspect of the Holidays. This song gives this collection that chance. After River, a touching selection dealing with lost love, the album slides into sacred mode.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel has Linda prominently featured along with a Tuscon choir. Xicochi, Xiochi is actually arranged by Linda and has Kris Karge providing a lovely harmony vocal.

The next two songs, I Wonder As I Wander and Away in a Manger, are credited to "The Choir from Los Angeles" and do not feature Ms. Ronstadt -- at least according to the liner notes. I Wonder As I Wander does not appear on Christmas collections enough so I really appreciate its inclusion here. Away in a Manger has a Richard White adaptation and arrangement that is different than the two versions I am familiar with. I enjoy it quite a bit.

The next five songs are credited to "Linda and the Choir from Tuscon". She sings along with the choir and her voice is not easily distinguishable from the rest of the choir. These final five songs are: Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming (also not heard enough on holiday recordings -- at least in my book), Welsh Carol, Past Three O'clock, O Magnum Mysterium, and Silent Night. All are incredibly lovely and very well done.

My only critisism of the album is that Linda's voice is not prominently featured on most of the sacred selections. She is the reason I bought the CD after all. Never the less, this has grown into one of my favorite collections of holiday songs. I highly recommend it.

On _A Merry Little Christmas,_ Linda Ronstadt runs the gamut from secular to nonsecular Christmas tunes, stopping to visit classics such as "The Christmas Song" (with a lush, mid-50s arrangement), Joni Mitchell's morose "The River" (with Ronstadt in excellent vocal control, hinting at that slightly sharp tendency in Mitchell's own voice), and "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." On the latter Ronstadt is joined by an angelic choir of (boy?) sopranos; the song is delivered accapella and is nothing short of stunning. On "I Wonder as I Wander," originally performed a few years ago on an Aaron Neville Christmas special, Ronstadt reveals that she still possesses that high upper register lurking behind her pop offerings. A very aging Rosemary Clooney joins Ronstadt on "White Christmas." Curiously, on "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (with its evocative 40s arrangement) Ronstadt does something she did with "Little Girl Blue" on the _For Sentimental Reasons_ album: she moves the intro verse to the middle and turns it into a bridge (this time sung by a choir); personally I'd rather hear it as an intro verse--it's such a great one!--but it's a fine performance of an old chestnut anyway. The album is just filled with excellent takes on so many different kinds of yuletide (including a World Music turn) tunes that you'll just have to hear it. The packaging hints at the old-time approach to the pop standards. If there's one thing missing here, it's this: I would have covered an old rock-Christmas song as well (especially "Jingle Bell Rock," which seems perfectly suited to Ronstadt's belting delivery). A keeper!

I really enjoy this CD. I quite simply cannot get enough of "River." It's true, there is a huge difference in styles between, say, "River" and "Xicochi, Xicochi." However, I like the dichotomy between the reverence of the more traditional songs and the "breathy" holiday standards. It contains gorgeous renditions of two of my favorite religious songs ("O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" and "I Wonder as I Wander") and great versions of the more secular standards (such as her wonderful duet with Rosemary Clooney on "White Christmas"). I think it showcases the different moods of Christmas beautifully. Because I like both sides of Christmas, this CD appeals to all my tastes. If your tastes are not as ecclectic, if you need a Christmas CD to be more uniform, this might not be your cup of tea. However, I love Linda Ronstadt and this ecclectic collection, and I have not been disappointed since I received it last Christmas.

I got this right around the same time as I purchased another 70's diva's Christmas record--namely, Donna Summer's CHRISTMAS SPIRIT. Perhaps not too surprisingly, both albums contain versions of what have become holiday standards. But did they have to be the same ONES? "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire); "White Christmas; "I'll Be Home For Christmas." Where's the originality?

Well, actually, there is a fair amount of originality on both releases. Just maybe not with their selection of Christmas standards. But nearly every holiday album by popular artists is a mix of the secular and the sacred, and the trick is in the balancing. Interesting that in both Ronstadt and Summer's cases, they start off with the popular standards and then somewhat more gradually (Summer) or quite abruptly (Ronstadt) shift to the more religiously themed material.

In either case, the mood would be totally altered if the listener were to switch to random select. In Ronstadt's case, especially so. The first four tracks are the standards, and they are basically a holiday version of American Songbook recordings with Nelson Riddle. Some reviewers (see below) have found these tracks rather perfunctory, or worse. Fans of the Riddle period recordings though should welcome these takes.

Ronstadt's duet with Rosemary Clooney on "White Christmas" is an implicit tip of the hat to the greats of an earlier era. (Who better to do it with, after all?) As with many such duets, what makes the track interesting is the singers' different approaches. By this point in her career, Rosie was all about phrasing. Linda seems to be trying to smooth out any rough edges by singing extra pretty. Oddly enough, it works. Or maybe it's not so odd. Opposites attract, and opposite singing styles complement each other. At least, here they do.

One reviewer below perceptively noted that the inclusion of Joni Mitchell's "River," with its musical quote of "Jingle Bells" and the passing reference to Christmas time, adds a note of holiday melancholy to the proceedings. One might argue that that same emotion is evoked in the holiday standards included here as well. After all, "I'll Be Home For Christmas" was, as I understand it, a WWII song, with the emotional capper being the closing line ('...if only in my dreams"). And is there a better example of Christmas melancholy than "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" ("Someday soon we all will be together if the fates allow"). Even "White Christmas" is about yuletide nostalgia. By the time we get to Ronstadt's take on the Joni Mitchell classic, we should be pretty much overcome with the holiday blues.

So where to go from there? Back to the true meaning of the Christmas holiday, I guess. So bring on the choirs. Yes, much of the rest of the album consists of Linda singing (and blending in--with precious little soloing) with choirs from Tucson and Los Angeles. It's an abrupt change of pace, and it pretty much works. But fans will probably be nonplussed by the lack of soloing--or even momentary bits of Ronstadt coloration.

I love choral singing myself. And I won't argue with Ronstadt's (or her producer's) artistic decision here. I guess there could be truth to one commentator's contention that the album was a quickie done more for contractual reasons than artistic ones. On the other hand, sometimes even rush jobs can come together in unexpected ways and make a significant statement. Ronstadt's musical journey on this record from the secular to the sacred, from the personal to the communal, is a fascinating one. I won't say it's 100% successful. But like Summer's record (which gradually moved from holiday standards to a full gospel testimony), this is a record which actually brings the listener along for a very interesting--and perhaps inspiring--ride.

"Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord at thy birth
Jesus, Lord at thy birth." ~ Silent Night ~ Franz Xaver Gruber

Linda Ronstadt's "A Merry Little Christmas" is an absolutely beautiful collection of some of the best-loved Christmas songs of all-time. How can you not include this with your collection of Christmas music? There are so many reasons why this CD should be in your Christmas collection.

Firstly, Linda Ronstadt's vocal artistry is impeccable.

Secondly, the choice of material is great - it's a combination of some of the most popular traditional Christmas carols and some of the least recorded songs yet remarkably meaningful.

Thirdly, Rosemary Clooney, a great singer herself graced this album on a duet with Linda Ronstadt as they sing Irving Berlin's "White Christmas."

Another good reason to love this CD is Ms. Ronstadt's interpretations. She sings so effortlessly and with such gracefulness and dedication to each song.

One more justifiable reason is the musical arrangements - they're sublimely done. She's surrounded by a long list of talented musicians headed by Peter Matz and Jeffrey Haskell who have their respective line-up of musicians, and not to mention the backing of the Choirs from Tucson and Los Angeles.

In addition, some of my favorite Christmas carols are included here - "Silent Night," "The Christmas Song," "White Christmas," "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," not to mention the great versions of "River," a Joni Mitchell composition, and "I Wonder As I Wander" featuring The Choir from Los Angeles. I love the beautiful performances on traditional songs such as "Away In A Manger," "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" and "Lo, How A Rose E're Blooming."

Lastly, this is one beautiful Christmas CD that I will strongly recommend for your Holiday's listening pleasure.