Customer Reviews

Soul Christmas

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This great collection ranges from Clarence Carter's raucous "Back Door Santa", giving new meaning to the "Xmas" abbreviation to The Impressions sacred presentation of "Silent Night".

However, one will wonder if we really need two versions of "White Christmas" and two versions of "Merry Christmas, Baby". The answer is a resounding, "Yes, we sure do!" This unusual repetition is one factor that gives this entire set such a unity and flow. You'll see what I mean as I point out the highlights here.

The CD opens with Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters in a definitive R&B version of "White Christmas", complete with gospel overtones. This is immediately followed with Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas" featuring great sweet soul vocals with funky horns, sleigh bells, and pulsating rhythm. And then Carla Thomas brings us "Gee Whiz, It's Christmas", a bittersweet and seductive spinoff of the 1961 hit, "Gee Whiz'. Booker T & the MG's come through with an instrumental "Merry Christmas Baby", featuring Steve Cropper's masterful guitar work. Luther's festive holiday dance track, "May Christmas Bring You Happiness" deserved recognition that it missed when first released. The sharp contrast of the next cut is chilling. This is Otis Redding's version of "White Christmas", a shockingly melancholy rendition which is in an altogether different ballpark than the Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters version. Booker T. & The MG's return with another instrumental, a jazzy, bright "Silver Bells". Again, we get a sharp contrast as Carla Thomas returns with her restrained but sorrowful "All I Want For Christmas Is You". Then we hear the Drifters straight-forward arrangement of "The Christmas Song", followed by Otis Redding who surprises us with his joyful and even punchy version of "Merry Christmas, Baby", a really sharp contrast to the Booker T. & the MG's version as well as to his own "White Christmas". There's much, much more here, but I do want to point out the Otis & Carla duet, "New Year's Resolution", and the final cut which is a remix of Luther's "May Christmas Bring You Happiness".

This is a total satisfying recording and likely to remain one of the very best soul Christmas recordings ever.

This essential 1991 reissue changed the artwork, updated and expanded Atlantic's original 1968 "Soul Christmas," the finest such collection released. That set featured holiday chestnuts dipped in Memphis/Muscle Shoals soul stew: Otis Redding's rollicking "Merry Christmas Baby" and heartbreaking "White Christmas," Clarence Carter's salacious "Back Door Santa," Solomon Burke's stirring "Presents For Christmas," and Carla Thomas' girl-group sweet sequel, "Gee Whiz, It's Christmas." In its way, "Soul Christmas" addressed the joy, loneliness, and intensity inherent in this most emotional time of year.

Those classics form the core of this collection, which also features soaring jazz-funk instrumentals from King Curtis and Booker T. & The MGs, respecively, with Donny Hathaway's horn-driven 1970 classic "This Christmas," and the Clyde McPhatter-led Drifters' timeless take on "White Christmas." (The later Drifters also provide a smooth take on "The Christmas Song.") Luther Vandross, a 1977 session musician later 1991 superstar, leads his group in original and remixes on "May Christmas Bring You Happiness." Performers best known for their pre-Atlantic work (the Impressions, Brook Benton) contribute Christmas singles, while Margie Joseph's sweet-soul slick "Christmas Gift" could have been a R&B/pop hit any time.

Unlike many various and even single-artist Christmas sets, "Soul Christmas" delivers familiar songs without bombast or trite sentimentality (as Phil Spector delivered in his revered Christmas album and played off in its ironic closing words). It's a welcome addition for fans of Christmas music or classic R&B; Scrooge and the Grinch have nothing on fans of neither.

I purchased this CD 5 years ago and everytime I play it it's like the first time I played it. Every cut on the cd is great I mean from the Drifters to Luther, I especially like the Marjie Joseph cut Christmas Gift it takes me back to the 70's. I would urge anyone to purchase this I listen to it year round, 5 stars, 2 thumbs up, a must have.

This is an excellent compilation, featuring Christmas songs performed by soul artists, from the Atlantic Records vaults. There are too many highlights to list them all, but some of them are: Donny Hathaway's great original composition "This Christmas", Clarence Carter's lascavious "Back Door Santa", and the Drifters definitive version of "White Christmas", which happens to be my favorite Christmas recording of all time. There are a few songs here that don't quite hit the mark, such as Margie Joseph's "Christmas Gift", but the hits far outnumber the misses. I think anyone that has a little soul will enjoy this CD.

I bought this CD a few years ago and I absolutely love it. I like the Otis' version of White Christmas and I think Jo Tex's song is wonderful. Lovely CD and I highly recommend it

Found this at 50% off post xmas and what a find!.....Donny Hathaway's classic "This Christmas" is hard to find on any CD and virtually not played anymore (At least in my region) by the Clear Channel corporate media conglomerate, yet this original version is better than just about all of the covers done by others of the same tune.

"This Christmas" is worth the price of admission (as a forgotten rarity), but this Atlantic collection has other un(der)played gems that won't get pass the focus group review panels that now dominate AM/FM radio content.....listen for yourself to find out what is missing on the air waves?!.....

I can listen to the Atlantic label's stable of artists and relisten to them again and again.

A highly recommended "soulful" collection "Buy It Now"

Soul Christmas is definitely one of the best Christmas Compilations of all time. My Mom bought this CD a little over 10 years ago and it's been a Christmas tradition in our home ever since. I decided to buy it myself this year and after a LONG hunt, I finally found it (and at a wonderful price too!) on Amazon.com. Listening to Soul Christmas will definitely continue to be a holiday tradition for many more years to come.

For anyone that really loves great soul & R&B, this collection is definitely for you. A treasure trove of true talent, you can't beat this cd for classics as sung by Otis, Carla, Solomon Burke, Clarence Carter & many others. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face & become a crowd-pleaser at any holiday party. Highly recommended.

You know, every Christmas, we often think we're going to hear the same stuff cranked out every year; same traditional pop Christmas numbers. That's all well and good, and I've nothing against it, but why not put a little soul into it? This is quite an interesting album that features the all-time classic "White Christmas" of Clyde McPhatter/The Drifters. Plus, among the others are cuts from the original 1968 "Soul Christmas" album like Carla Thomas' "Gee Whiz, It's Christmas" and "All I Want For Christmas Is You", Clarence Carter's super-grooving bass-heavy "Back Door Santa", Booker T. and the MG's "Merry Christmas Baby (Otis Redding's is here also and with his soully impassioned version of "White Christmas"), and "Silver Bells". There are also some cuts from another album from 1976 called "Funky Christmas" that includes Luther Vandross' "May Christmas Bring You Happiness" and a remix of it (love both), the Impressions' gospel-like "Silent Night" (wonderful; one of the best I heard), and Margie Joseph's little gem "Christmas Gift." Other tracks here and there include Donny Hathaway's groovy horn-driven "This Christmas", Joe Tex's organ-drenched ballad "I'll Make Every Day Christmas For My Woman", Brook Benton's soulful "Soul Santa" as well as the Sweet Inspirations' gospelly "Every Day Will Be Like a Holiday." Looking forward to New Year's is taken into consideration with Otis & Carla's "New Year's Resolution" as well as King Curtis on "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" Every bit inspirational and every bit of fun with a whole lot of soul to make your holidays shine.

I buy a lot of products from amazon,
haven,t had a problem yet, just as happy as a customer should be with the service and products.

Thank You.

A Happy Customer.