Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential Amy, October 11, 2008
Yes, "The Christmas Collection" is a greatest hits album, culling favorites from her three studio Christmas albums. Amy is refreshingly candid in the liner notes asking: How much Christmas music should any singer release? (Apart from side projects and a single contribution to Christmas albums here and there, she has released three Christmas albums, in 1983, 1992 and 1999.)
What must be noted: 1) Amy invented the modern Christmas album in the guise as a worshipful, sincere Christmas celebration, while including a handful of secular favorites. (She was the sincere, Christ-based answer to the Nat King Coles, Bing Crosbys and Barbra Streisands...she honored those American songbook classics, but put her charismatic stamp on her albums...
2) Amy's three Christmas albums contain approximately 1/3 to 1/2 original material. No other artist does this. No other artist has undertaken large Christmas shows with the Nashville symphony (and other local symphonies)for the benefit of the idea of local symphonic music. Amy's Christmas shows in Nashville have famously taken the Nashville symphony from the red to the black.
3) Speaking of that original material, Amy's "Tennessee Christmas" has been covered countless times; "Breath of Heaven" has been covered by virtually every female singer releasing a Christmas album in the last few years...Donna Summer, Jessica Simpson, Roberta Flack, Point of Grace, a couple of Broadway dames etc. There are more I can't remember.
4) Finally, the four "new" track on "The Christmas Collection" are absolutely essential: "Jingle Bells" is Amy at her gutsiest; "I Need a Silent Night" may become Amy's next "Breath of Heaven"...gorgeous, resonant and unforgettable. The jazzy composition "Baby It's Christmas" with hubby Vince I could take or leave. But I adore the gorgeous orchestration and vocal of "Count Your Blessings" from the Bing Crosby movie "White Christmas."
In short, Amy amusedly admitted in the liner notes of this newest collection that her abundance of Christmas music "haunts" her children in restaurants and shopping malls across America during the Christmas season.
If any artist has the right, the invitation, the obligation, the expectation to continue making unforgettable Christmas music, it's our girl Amy.
"The Christmas Collection" gathers the best (minus some quibbles) of her three, stellar Christmas collections. The four new songs are worth the price of admission for the old fan. The new fan is in store for Christmas music that will make one an Amy Christmas fan for life...Amy Christmas Music is like no other...She sings each song, light or serious, with the impact of a believer.
Amy Grant is the Queen of Christmas...six million albums and counting.
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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Very solid Christmas album, October 14, 2008
Over the years I have bought each of Amy Grant's Christmas Cd's
Amy Grant to many is synonomous with Christmas music and I am no exception.
This packages is a greatest hits collection. The problem with the disc as far as I am concerned is that it does not include my favorite Christmas song by her. Emanuelle (God with us) to me is a masterpiece.
Having said this and in all fairness to her, Breath of Heaven, and many of my other favorites are included.
This collection only has four new songs, including Jingle Bells, Count your blessings, Baby it's Christmas and I need a silent night.
Jingle Bells is the same arrangement that Barbara Striesand did on her first Christmas album. To me the arrangement is sung way too fast and loses its charm. She would have been better off omitting this one.
Count your Blessings as she says in the liner notes is from the move White Christmas.
Baby it's Christmas is written by her husband Vince Gill and is another good song. Another Silent Night is good as well.
I would consider buying this CD even if you have the first three Christmas albums..........Merry Christmas
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's An Amy Grant Christmas!, October 9, 2008
When I first heard Amy Grant was coming out with a new Christmas album, her fourth (!), I was excited because I love her previous offerings and her music is my soundtrack to the holiday season. Then I found out that it was actually a kind of 'Greatest Hits' compilation of her three X-Mas albums, with a few new recordings added in. Disappointment aside, I knew I would get it as soon as it came out (in September!). So, here's the big question: Is it worth buying? Let's discuss, shall we?
First of all, the song selection is favored very heavily towards her second holiday album "Home For Christmas," with a whopping eight tracks (the first eight tracks of that album, actually) making an appearance, compared to four from the first one and only two from the last. It may sound completely unbalanced, but in my opinion HFC was the best of the three so I don't mind too much. Amy has stated that these are her favorites from each album, so whether or not you agree with her choices is beside the point.
As for the new songs, they fit quite nicely alongside the familar ones. "Jingle Bells" starts off the set with a furious pace, a remake of Barbra Streisand's version of the song. It's funny to hear Amy sing so fast! "I Need A Silent Night" talks about how commercial Christmas has become and how we sometimes forget the true meaning of it all. "Baby It's Christmas" is a sweet song about taking a breather and enjoying the simple pleasures of the holiday, and "Count Your Blessings" is a lovely reminder to be thankful for what you have. All in all, excellent additions to the Amy Christmas canon!
So is it a must buy? In my totally biased opinion, yes. Where some perfomers release holiday music to make a quick buck, Amy is one of the few artists who actually puts feeling and meaning into these songs. It may not be all new music, but it is good music, plain and simple, and wonderful.
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by Amy Grant 
