A Very Special Christmas

Various Artists - Miscellaneous - Holiday, A Very Special Christmas (Series)

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: 1989
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: A&M
• ASIN: B000002GFJ
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #547 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #1 in	Music > Miscellaneous > Compilations > Decades > 1980-1989
  #1 in	Music > Pop > By Decade > 1980s
  #2 in	Music > Miscellaneous > Compilations > Holiday Music

• This is item 1 in The Very Special Christmas Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

When was the last time you heard collard greens being sung about in a Christmas song? Probably never, unless you're a Run DMC fan, or were wise enough to hop on the Very Special Christmas tip. The rappers' contribution to this benefit collection is probably the highlight, although traditional songs covered by now-traditional artists like the Pretenders ("Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas") provide the majority of the material here. Eurythmics turn in a suitably chilly "Winter Wonderland," Stevie Nicks sings a beautifully haunting "Silent Night," and Whitney Houston proves again that she's every woman with "Do You Hear What I Hear"--that is, every woman with a voice strong enough to do the song justice. "Santa Baby," Madonna's contribution, isn't as sultry as it could be, but there's more fun thanks to hell-on-heels, the Pointer Sisters and Bon Jovi. --Steve Gdula

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Christmas Rock, December 22, 2000

By	zeni "zenithomas" (Tennessee) - See all my reviews

What can I say? I grew up listening to the old guard's Christmas albums (Perry Como, Andy Williams, etc.). A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS was probably the first "contemporary" Christmas album I'd heard. While I still prefer the retro artists singing my Christmas music, there are some noteworthy efforts on this CD.

I always like to hear the Pointer Sisters sing the opening song, "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town." That's a great one out of the gate because the Pointers sound so excited about Christmas, sounding almost childlike with glee.

Though I'm not much of a Whitney Houston fan, one of my favorite songs on this CD is Houston's soulful version of "Do You Hear What I Hear?" I could have done without Run-DMC's "Christmas in Hollis," but I welcome it on the CD because it helps round out the flavor of the music--from Bruce Springsteen's gritty "Merry Christmas Baby" to Sting's ethereal "Gabriel's Message."

But it is Alison Moyet's haunting rendition of "The Coventry Carol" that makes this CD worth listening to. I had pulled the CD out to listen to on a Christmas road trip several years ago, and when I heard that song--WOW! I like Loreena McKennitt's version (on her CD, A WINTER GARDEN) much better, but it was Moyet's version that got me interested in listening to Christmas music that's off the beaten path.

I recommend this CD to those who want their Christmas with an Eighties touch. I would even recommend it to traditionalists who want a change every once in a while.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Selection of Great Songs, February 20, 2006

By	Jeff, Young Old-Timer (Lakeland, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This ol' rock 'n' roller enjoyed this album on cassette tape until the darn thing self-destructed this past Christmas season. So I got the CD right away, and it was like hearing them for the first time all over again. My personal favorite is Bob Seger's version of The Little Drummer Boy. He does his usual awesome best on this reverent song and doesn't hurt it one little bit. All the tracks are good. I'm no fan of Run DMC, but I can even listen to this one without thinking "rap-#@**!!" That's just me. Overall, I rate this CD five stars. I listen to Christmas music off and on throughout the year and a little more often in mid-spring when it's much more likely that Jesus was born. Hint: NO shepherds are outdoors with their flocks at night during the winter in Israel. It's about the same as trying that in Arkansas. Anyhoo, I enjoy the thing whenever the mood gets me. I highly recommend it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is What Christmas is Meant to Be, March 22, 2006

By	Cheryl Ann Kerwin "Lennonfan" (Upper Marlboro MD) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Very Special Christmas series of CDs is awesome...great music for a good cause (The Special Olympics). I've now got all of them and play them pretty much year round, just to get a lift from my favorite rock musicians.

This particular CD has a wide variety of songs, lots of diversity.