This was one of the best-selling Christmas records of the 1960s, and with good cause! Somehow, without the fatherly image of Bing Crosby, or the svelte croon of Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett, or even the reverent innocence of Perry Como, Andy Williams managed to make a holiday institution! This collection of Christmas songs is full of standards normally identified with other artists, but armed with an average tenor and lots of exuberance, Andy Williams made them his own. His "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" is the most exhilarating version of the song there is, and even his "White Christmas" and "O Holy Night" are more than just passable. This is not only Williams's best Christmas collection, this is one that should be in every holiday music collection.

Tracklist:
01. White Christmas
02. Medley: Happy Holiday/The Holiday Season
03. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
04. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
05. A Song And A Christmas Tree (The Twelve Days Of Christmas)

Like his good friend Esquivel, Henry Mancini mixed some mean orchestral Christmas cocktails. But where Esquivel was possessed by wackiness and whimsy, Mancini played things fairly straight and still managed to create a sound that defined his career and an era. Sadly, the selections here are
pedestrian, even by the well-trodden holiday boulevard standards. "White Christmas," "The Little Drummer Boy," and "The Christmas Song" all benefit nonetheless from Mancini's genius for timing and dynamics. Even the mundane "Frosty the Snowman" gets some new life breathed into him thanks to Mancini's arrangement, and "Carols for Another Christmas" is a good example of Mancini's hip restraint. Merry Mancini Christmas, while not the maestro at his best, still imparts some of that madcap, martini-era holiday spirit as only Mancini knew.

Tracks
01. The Little Drummer Boy
02. Medley a.Jingle Bells b.Sleigh Ride.
03. The Christmas Song
04. Medley a.Winter Wonderland b.Silver Bells
05. Medley a.Frosty The Snow Man b. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
06. White Christmas
07. Carol for Another Christmas
08. Medley a.Silent Night b.O Holey Night c.O Little Town Of Bethlehem
09. Medley a.God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen b.Deck The Halls c.Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
10. Medley a.We Three Kings Of Orient Are b.O COme All Ye Faithfull(Adeste Fideles) c.Joy To The World

This is the same soundboard recording as House On Fire. The only difference here is that Milk Cow Blues and Toys In the Attic are replaced with Cryin’ and Walk This Way. If you put the two shows together, you have the complete show. I always meant to do this but I figured it would have to go on two discs anyway, so, if you get House On Fire and Welcome To Mama Kin, you basically have the complete show, which is a truly great one friends. The CD packaging on this one lists track 10 as Christmas Song (Joe Perry), well, it is in fact the rare song Stop Messin’ Around with Christmas lyrics inserted by Joe Perry. If anyone has ever questioned Joe Perry’s guitar, just listen to this track and you will change your mind. When Steven Tyler introduces him before this tune, you can tell he has a lot of respect for his longtime friend. The Walk This Way Jam is pretty cool too!

01 Train Kept A Rollin'
02 Same Old Song And Dance
03 Big Ten Inch Record
04 Walk On Water
05 Walkin' The Dog
06 Chip Away The Stone
07 Last Child
08 Rattlesnake Shake
09 One Way Street
10 Stop Messin' Around

Tracks
01 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
02 Little Drummer Boy
03 Joy to the World
04 Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)
05 Christmas in My Heart
06 Feliz Navidad
07 Silent Night
08 Welcome to Our World
09 Christ Is Come
10 Mary Did You Know-
11 Manger of Bethlehem Medley- Away in a Manger-O Little Town of
12 The Christmas Shoes

Don't expect Donna's Disco Christmas. She proves to be another pop diva who is not afraid to keep the Christ in Christmas in this well crafted, classic, and highly recommended additon to any Christmas music collection. While this CD covers some solemn and religious Christmas standards (a far cry from the orgasmic moaning of her disco anthem "Love to Love you Baby" ), it does so with the power and passion expected of a true diva. She puts the spirit of the season in your heart on some standard spiritual Christmas classics such as "O Come All Ye Faithful, "O Holy NIght" and a medley of "What Child is This, "Do You Hear What I Hear" and "Joy to the World". Her orginal tracks, "Christmas Spirit" and "Lamb of God" capture the essence of the season with the most heart warming lyrics and her passionate vocals as does her version of Amy Grant's "Mary, Breath of Heaven" (These are the ones that will give you the chills).

Another less religious original "Christmas is Here" and some other secular standards such as "I'll Be Home for Christmas", "The Christmas Song", and "White Christmas" also add to this highly recommended collection Summer Christmas cheer. -- Darren

[b]TRACKS :[b]
01. Miracles (2:31)
02. My Favorite Things (3:18)
03. O Christmas Tree (2:39)
04. The Rudolph Rednose Reindeer - Frosty The Snowman (5:21)
05. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (3:53)
06. Silent Night (3:47)
07. Silver Bells (4:00)
08. Sleigh Ride (3:47)
09. Slow Instrumental Sax (1:55)
10. The Chanukah Song (2:29)

TRACKS :
1. Deck the halls / The twelve days of Christmas (Medley) (2:59)
2. Heald the angel sing / O come all ye faithful (Medley) (4:35)
3. Joy to the world (2:27)
4. God resrt ye. Merry Gentlemen (4:33) Merry Gentlemen (4:33)
5. Rodolphe rednose the Reindeer / Frosty the snowman (5:20)
6. Wishes (3:57)
7. Do you can hear what I hear? (3:06)
8. Cantique of Noel (O Holy Night) (4:24)
9. Jesus. Joy of man's desiring (2:04)
10. Auld Lang Syne (Freedom Mix) (4:52)

TRACKS :
01. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
02. Silver Bells
03. White Christmas
04. Medley: O Christmas Tree/Christian Midnight/He Was Born the Holy Child
05. Silent Night
06. Ave Maria
07. Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
08. Romance
09. Little Drummer Boy
10. Moonlight Sonata

Sarah McLachlan 3-time Grammy and 8-time Juno Award-winning multi-platinum McLachlan, who has sold over 30 million records around the world, usher in the spirit of the season with the release of her first holiday album, Winstersong recorded in her home studio in Vancouver, Sarah McLachlan presents these classic songs on Winstersong with a unique twist, making them her own and translating them into her repertoire. These recordings are not simply traditional holiday fare. Instead, Winstersong could be considered the soundtrack to a blustery winter day. The album opens with her version of John Lennon's timeless declaration of peace from 1971, "Happy Xmas (War is Over)." John and Yoko and the Plastic Ono Band originally recorded the song with the Harlem Community Choir, and Sarah is also joined by a choral group -- a children's choir of students from the music school she personally funds and oversees in her hometown of Vancouver. Another highlight of the new album is Sarah's version of "River" from Joni Mitchell's 1971 Blue album ("It's coming on Christmas, they're cutting down trees..."). The title track Wintersong was written by Sarah specifically for this album. On this recording, she also pays homage to Gordon Lightfoot with his 1975 "Song For A Winter's Night." From the American standard songbook, Sarah has chosen "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas." The program is rounded out with the traditional "What Child Is This (Greensleeves)," "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "Silent Night," the classically flavored "In A Bleak Mid Winter," and a medley of "The First Noel/ Mary Mary." In addition, Wintersong features guest appearances from Diana Krall on piano on "Christmas Time Is Here" from the 1965 Charlie Brown Christmas cartoon and fellow Canadian Jim Creegan of Barenaked Ladies guests on double bass throughout the album.