A Very Special Christmas

The Pretenders, Whitney Houston, Sting, Eurythmics, Stevie Nicks, Bruce Springsteen, Alison Moyet, Bob Seger, Bon Jovi | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: A&M
• ASIN: B000002GFJ
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (106 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #21,219 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #23 in Music > Miscellaneous > Holiday > Pop Vocal
  • #62 in Music > Pop > By Decade > 1980s

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

Product Description

No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS
Title: VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS
Street Release Date: 08/20/1996
Domestic
Genre: XMAS VOCAL COLLECTIONS

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 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

Format:Audio CD|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.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Christmas Rock December 22, 2000

By zeni

Format:Audio CD

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.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Have Yourself a Very Special Christmas November 30, 2003

By Johnny Heering

Format:Audio CD

This was the first of the Very Special Christmas albums, and it's still the best. There are some great performances here, but I have to make special mention of Eurythmics, who turn in the best version of "Winter Wonderland" I have ever heard. Run-D.M.C. contribute the only original song here, "Christmas in Hollis", and it's a terrific one. I also love the songs by the Pointer Sisters, Bruce Springsteen, the Pretenders, John Cougar Mellencamp, U2 and Madonna. The only weak performance here is by Bon Jovi, but they can't all be great. This album would make a fine addition to anyone's Christmas music library.