Because It's

Barry Manilow

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 4, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Laserlight
• ASIN: B00004X0JY
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #391,349 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite Christmas CD of All Time, November 18, 2000

By A Customer

I bought this CD in September, 1990, the day it was originally released. Listening to Christmas music in September was a bit odd; but, as Mr. Manilow has said in many interviews, "Good music is good music," any time of the year.

The concept of this cd is a little different, each song blends into the next with lovely original transition pieces. This is a ROMANTIC Christmas album, not really the "sing along with the kids" kind. The title cut, an original song by Manilow is magical. On "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" Barry sings 7-part harmony with himself - so well you would swear he was the Osmond Family! "Baby It's Cold Outside" is a playful number dueted with K. T. Oslin. "I Guess There Ain't No Santa Claus" is a wryly humorous number, lyrics written by Johnny Mercer & posthumously given to Manilow by Mercer's widow after which Barry put these lyrics to music. The recording ends with Manilow's classic "It's Just Another New Year's Eve" re-recorded and updated; it's more beautiful now than when it was first made popular in the 70's.

This cd is an interesting blend of classic songs & Manilow originals, beautifully produced (with Eddie Arkin).

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the best Christmas albums ever, November 12, 2000

By	Kevin O'Conner - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is undoubtedly one of the best Christmas albums I've ever heard. Because It's Christmas is a wonderful mix of all the emotional highs and lows that accompany the holiday season.

For the traditionalists, there's "Silent Night", "The First Noel", "Unto Us A Child Is Born", "White Christmas", "Carol Of The Bells", "Joy To The World", and "We Wish You A Merry Christmas".

Then there are a couple of new Christmas songs written by Manilow - "Because It's Christmas", "The Bells Of Christmas" - as well as "It's Just Another New Year's Eve", which originally appeared on Barry Manilow Live.

There are also a couple of new songs (well, they were new in 1990, when the album was first released) that feature new music by Manilow put to previously unpublished lyrics by Johnny Mercer - the slightly bitter "I Guess There Ain't No Santa Claus" and the wistful "When The Meadow Was Bloomin'".

Of course, there's also "The Christmas Song", "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", and, undoubtedly the album's highlight, the Bing Crosby-Andrews Sisters arrangement of "Jingle Bells", with Expose singing the Andrews Sisters parts.

Finally, there's also a tongue-in-cheek reading of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with K.T. Oslin.

Overall, the album is remarkably free of the excesses that have often been present in Manilow's post-70's records, which means that even people who wouldn't otherwise be caught dead with a Barry Manilow record in their collections may enjoy this one.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You have to get this CD for your Christmas collection, October 31, 2000

By	Bob Waskiewicz (Wintersville, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

When you put on this CD,and the first number,"The Christmas Song" comes on,get ready for a wonderfull holiday adventure.All you hear is Barry's voice,but the song keeps building to a fantastic,Key changing masterpiece,then leads right into "Jingle Bells."Every song is overlaped,and there's alot of original music."When the Meadow was Blooming," is one of my favorites,and "The Bells of Christmas" is a wonderfull,romantic number,but I love,"It's just another New Year's Eve." Its sad at first,when you think about all the loved one's you might have lost during the year,but by the end of the song there's hope that next year will be the greatest year of them all.Along with,The Carpenters,Doris Day,and Barbra Streisand's Christmas Albums, "Because its Christmas" is a must buy for your holiday collection.