A Very Special Christmas - Vol. 5

A Very Special Christmas (Series)

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 30, 2001)
• Original Release Date: October 30, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: A&M
• ASIN: B00005R7TZ
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #54,831 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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• This is item 5 in The Very Special Christmas Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Five volumes in 14 years would probably qualify these all-star benefit albums (Special Olympics) as a holiday tradition by now, even if all five have been hit-and-miss affairs. Still, the 2001 edition has a few more highlights than a quick glance at its offerings might indicate. Jon Bon Jovi tries to imitate Elvis on "Blue Christmas," and Darlene Love--surely as important a voice in the genre as Bing Crosby--falls short in her attempt to recreate her superior 1963 Phil Spector version of "White Christmas." Genuinely cool, though, are Macy Gray's jazzy "This Christmas," Eve 6's pop-metallic "Noel! Noel!," City High's hip-hop Christmas hybrid, and SR71's goofy take on Billy Squier's already goofy "Time to Say I Love You." Things get downright steamy--and Santa-sized--when John Popper meets up with B.B. King for the bluesy "Back Door Santa." --Bill Holdship

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun CD to have, December 17, 2001

By	"kara71" (Collingswood, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

As with all of the other "A Very Special Christmas" CD's this one has some good songs and some that should have been left off. If you have the other volumes, you might as well add this one.
Here's a run down:

Macy Gray- "This Christmas (Hang All the Mistletoe)" - REALLY GOOD. I have this song on a Harry Connick Jr. CD and I like her version much better.

Wyclef Jean - "Little Drummer Boy/Hot Hot Hot" - OK. I just don't get the whole hot hot hot thing.

Eve6's "Noel! Noel!" - OK. It was a little too loud for me--I love rock music but this was a little too much for a Christmas song.

Jon Bon Jovi - "Blue Chirstmas" - OK. He tries a little too hard to be as cool as Elvis, but if you are a Bon Jovi fan you will like it anyway :).

Stevie Wonder & Wyclef Jean's "Merry Christmas Baby" - GREAT! (could have done w/out Wyclef Jean though)

City's High - "O Come All Ye Faithful" - BEAUTIFUL!

SR-71 - "Christmas is the Time to Say I Love You" - OK. I still like Billy Squire's version better.

Dido - "Christmas Day" - BEAUTIFUL

Sheryl Crow - "Run Rudolph Run" - GOOD

B.B. King & John Popper - "Back Door Santa" - GREAT! This song is so much fun!

Tom Petty - "Little Red Rooser" - I love him and all but What does this have to do with Christmas???? It's good to have if you are a TP fan.

Powder - "Christms Don't Be Late" - I'm not a big fan of this song but it was OK...better than the Chipmunks!

Stevie Nicks - "Silent Night" - GREAT! I know she did this on VSC 1 but I like this version so much better! It was recorded live, her voice sounds 100% better...much stronger and this arrangement doesn't have the annoying Robbie Nevell part on it
: ).

Stevie Wonder & Kimberly Brewer - "I love you More" - GREAT!

Darlene Love - "White Chrismas" - GOOD!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The Worst The Series Has Produced So Far..., December 2, 2001

By	"natures_son" (Logan, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews

First off, I have about 500 Christmas albums, so I've heard a alot of what's available... and the cause is good so I buy this series no matter what... BUT... This is really just dreadful... Even BB King didn't take his song any place it hasn't already been. I didn't hear any original tune that will go in my playlists. It was sad how uninspired Stevie Wonder was. Macy Gray was nothing special, and I couldn't believe Darlene Love missed the mark, when she's done such wonderful Christmas music in the past. And did anyone tell Tom Petty what kind of album this was? Sheryl Crowe did a passing fair job. So bottom line if you like supporting the cause, buy it but if your budget is tight then there are lots and lots of Christmas albums which are going to be a better choice.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, December 3, 2001

By	Dr. Flammond (Long Island, NY USA) - See all my reviews

I have to disagree with just about every review prior to mine, I just did not like this at all except for the BB King/John Popper song. Stevie Nicks already performed Silent Night on VSC 1, why do it again? (Liked it, but heard it before). What's with the Hot Hot Hot? isn't Christmas a winter holiday? Why put Wyclef Jean rapping in the beginning of Stevie Wonder's first song? As one of the reviewers mentioned earlier, it did not put me into the Christmas mood. If my purchase was not going to charity, I would have returned it, so I guess I have another frisbee to toss around. I really enjoyed Very Special Christmas 1 & 2, disappointed with most of III, & didn't bother with the live one.