The Secret of Christmas

Captain & Tennille | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 6, 2007)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Retroactive Entertainment LLC
• ASIN: B000WM9ZQ6
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #180,632 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Merry Christmas

2. It's the Most Wonderful Time Of the Year

3. I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas

4. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

5. Little Saint Nick

6. Tahoe Snow

7. Christmas In California

8. Boogie Baby Christmas

9. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Variations)

10. The Christmas Star

11. Silent Night

12. Daryl Of the Bells

13. The Secret Of Christmas

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

A HOLIDAY NOTE FROM TONI TENNILLE

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you! Daryl and I hope you have your most wonderful holiday season this year, and that this, our very first Christmas CD, will be part of your Christmas celebrations for many years to come. Ever since our first hit record, LOVE WILL KEEP US TOGETHER, in 1975, fans have been asking us to record a Christmas album. It has taken us over thirty years to finally do it, but we could not be happier with this joyous mix of holiday songs.

There are wonderful songs for children on this CD, such as I WANT A HIPPOPOTAMUS FOR CHRISTMAS and SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN, as well as some lovely ballads that adults will enjoy, like MERRY CHRISTMAS, a beautiful song sung by Judy Garland in the 1940's film "In The Good Old Summer Time," and the classic HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS. You will also hear THE TENNILLE SISTERS (Jane, Louisa, Melissa and me) version of the Beach Boys Christmas song, LITTLE SAINT NICK, which was digitally remixed directly from the 1976 Captain and Tennille ABC Christmas Special.

I wrote four new Christmas songs for this CD...TAHOE SNOW, CHRISTMAS IN CALIFORNIA, THE CHRISTMAS STAR, and one I wrote especially to feature Daryl's boogie piano style, BOOGIE BABY CHRISTMAS. I think listeners who prefer more spiritual Christmas songs will especially enjoy the traditional hymn, SILENT NIGHT, which I sing here as a quiet lullaby. And Daryl's strange and wonderful instrumental version of the classic Carol of the Bells, which we call DARYL OF THE BELLS, is a wild trip through Daryl's musical mind.

Daryl and I had the most wonderful time writing, arranging and recording this CD, and I believe it is one of the best, most creative projects we have ever done together. We truly believe you will enjoy it, too.

What is THE SECRET OF CHRISTMAS? The song that closes this album, written by the great American songwriters, Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen, discloses the secret with these lines..."so may I suggest, the secret of Christmas is not the things you do at Christmas time, but the Christmas things you do all year through."

My sentiments exactly. Have a glorious holiday season.

Product Description

TONI TENNILLE AND DARYL DRAGON HAD THEIR FIRST HIT RECORD as "Captain & Tennille" in 1975 with the #1 smash (and Grammy Record of the Year) "Love Will Keep Us Together." Every year since then fans have asked them to record a Christmas album. Proving again that good things do indeed come to those who wait, Retroactive Entertainment is proud to announce the first studio album in more than 20 years from the duo Billboard magazine ranks among the top 10 of all time!

Toni & Daryl had a wonderful time making this new Captain & Tennille holiday CD. It represents the many different styles of music the duo enjoys. "I think there's a holiday song here for just about everyone--adults and children alike." notes Toni. "I must confess that, as we were working on the music, I was thinking a lot about the children. I ought about how I would love to see them smile and laugh when they listen to `I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas." There are also some lovely songs that adults will particularly enjoy, such as the classic "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and other ballads. Toni Tennille wrote four original Christmas songs for the CD, including "Tahoe Snow," "Christmas in California," " The Christmas Star" and "Boogie Baby Christmas." Daryl Dragon offers up three instrumentals in the mix, all of which are quite fascinating--sometimes charming, sometimes outright funny, and sometimes, as in the case of "Daryl of the Bells," a musical trip through the mind of " the Captain!" So what is the secret of Christmas? The song that closes the album (written by the great American songwriters Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen) discloses the secret with these lines: "So may I suggest the secret of Christmas is not the things you do at Christmas time, but the Christmas things you do all year through."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Christmas Album Well Worth The Wait!, November 30, 2006

By 

Austin Hayes (Rancho Mirage, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Secret Of Christmas (Audio CD)

I have been wishing and hoping for the past 30 years that there would be a Captain & Tennille Christmas album. My wishes have finally come true and I am thrilled to have this outstanding CD in my home! Listening to this music has renewed and reinvigorated my holiday spirit.

From beginning to end, their album is a winner! This collection features some of the most heartfelt songs orchestrated by Daryl and sung by Toni, to date. It includes a few of my all-time favorite holiday classics, like "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year," the poignant "Merry Christmas," the sacred "Silent Night," and a long sought after Toni Tennille composition "Christmas In California" ... a tune that was unavailable until now and performed only a handful of times on TV shows such as "Solid Gold" back in the early 1980's.

Toni also wrote three additional songs for the CD: "The Christmas Star" the cheery "Tahoe Snow," and the 1950's style romp "Boogie Baby Christmas."

The track, "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" is a delightful catchy tune, perfectly suited for Captain & Tennille. What a terrific follow-up to Muskrat Love! This is a wonderful song for children and adults will enjoy it too. I can't believe I never heard the original version before, but C&T definitely made it their own!

Another of the most outstanding tracks is "Daryl Of The Bells!" The Captain (Daryl Dragon)nails it perfectly and really gives Manheim Steamroller a run for their money! I really enjoyed the special effects done to Toni's vocals. I'm quite impressed and can appreciate how much detail, time and creativity Daryl placed into making it a very memorable instrumental.

"Little Saint Nick" was taken from the ABC-TV Captain & Tennille Variety Show that aired in December, 1976. It is nice to have such a fitting song added since it includes all four Tennille sisters, but also acknowledges C&T's past association with the Beach Boys.

Perhaps the best of all is "The Secret Of Christmas." This classic is rarely recorded these days and sends out the right message to everyone. It reminds us of the true meaning of the holiday season.

If you don't have this CD in your collection, you are truly missing out on one of the best Christmas albums ever!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!!!, December 22, 2006

By 

Stephanie D. Pennington "drummergirl" (KC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Secret Of Christmas (Audio CD)

Everyone should hear this album! Know the expression "good things come to those who wait" well the wait is over!!

Every song is joyus and wonderful. Adults and children alike will love this album. My 11 year old cousin and I were listening to it in the car while on our way to shop for Christmas. She wanted to hear it over an over again! Especially "I Want A Hippopotamuss For Christmas."

It even relives one of Captain & Tennille's shining moments from thier TV show, when they are joined by Toni's three sisters for a wonderful rendition of the Beach Boys' "Little Saint Nick."

This album is full of wonderful treasures. I recommend it for anyone.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Joyous!, December 2, 2006

By 

NHgboy (Southern Maine) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret Of Christmas (Audio CD)

Toni is in top vocal shape on this cd. Her spritual and emotional readings of these songs is superb. One listen to "Silent Night" or "Merry Christmas" and you'll see why she continues to make a powerful connection with the listener. She wrote several of the songs, including: "Tahoe Snow", "Boogie Baby Christmas", and "Christmas In California". All of the songs she's written have wonderful melodies, are very different in style, and capture the holiday season. The Captain, a.k.a. Daryl Dragon, contributes flawless production. Both Toni and Daryl also play keyboards.

There's plenty of humor on this cd as well. You can't help but smile and giggle upon hearing "I Want A Hippopotomus For Chrismas". You'll take quite a journey through Daryl's musical mind as you listen to "Daryl Of The Bells". And you can almost see Santa's elves hard at work (or play?) while hearing "Here Comes Santa Claus"

This album is beautifully heartfelt and upon the first listen, you can really feel the love, happiness, and professionalism that make this holiday cd 100% wonderful.