Wonderful Christmas Tume

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11-30-2021, 10:32 AM
Ollie9

Wonderful Christmas Tume

I was playing this cd a little early as i’m stuck at home with a bad cold, trying to cheer myself up.
For me it remains one of the best Christmas cd’s out there, being glad she chose to record more traditional/adult orientated songs as opposed to “Frosty The Snowman”
I remember on first listen being amazed at the strength of her vocals on “His Eye Is On The Sparrow”.
The songs recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra are a little lacklustre in comparison, but still make a welcome edition to the package.
I love all the songs with the exception of “Ave Maria”, with Latin pronunciation not being Diana’s strongest point.
Her live in Vienna version of “Amazing Grace” is spine tingling and probably one of, if not the very best live performances of her career.
11-30-2021, 10:35 AM
Ollie9

Or even Christmas TIME lol. I do have a bad cold.....
11-30-2021, 11:17 AM
lucky2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ollie9

Or even Christmas TIME lol. I do have a bad cold.....

Get well, Ollie9. It's time for me to listen to Wonderful Christmas Time, too.
11-30-2021, 11:52 AM
Ollie9

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucky2012

Get well, Ollie9. It's time for me to listen to Wonderful Christmas Time, too.

Ta very much lucky. It all comes around to quickly.
11-30-2021, 12:42 PM
RanRan79

It really is a nice collection of songs Ollie. I keep a few of them in constant rotation during the holidays: "Wonderful Christmastime", "Happy Christmas", "Someday At Christmas" and my personal favorite, "Overjoyed". For the longest time I didn't understand why she chose this as I just never imagined it as a Christmas tune. Stevie's version is one of my all time favorite songs period, and the first few listens to Diana's version left me unimpressed. Over the last few years it started making more sense. I started to understand Diana's interpretation better and now think it was a brilliant idea turning the song into a holiday tune. It's now the one Diana Christmas song I'll probably play for the rest of my life. That and her version of "This Christmas", which I also think she did justice to.

Get well Ollie!
11-30-2021, 12:52 PM
lucky2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by RanRan79

It really is a nice collection of songs Ollie. I keep a few of them in constant rotation during the holidays: "Wonderful Christmastime", "Happy Christmas", "Someday At Christmas" and my personal favorite, "Overjoyed". For the longest time I didn't understand why she chose this as I just never imagined it as a Christmas tune. Stevie's version is one of my all time favorite songs period, and the first few listens to Diana's version left me unimpressed. Over the last few years it started making more sense. I started to understand Diana's interpretation better and now think it was a brilliant idea turning the song into a holiday tune. It's now the one Diana Christmas song I'll probably play for the rest of my life. That and her version of "This Christmas", which I also think she did justice to.

Get well Ollie!

Have a Wonderful Christmas Time, RanRan! I'm so glad we have Wonderful Christmas Time and Thank You. Truly gifts for us from Diana Ross.
11-30-2021, 02:07 PM
Ollie9

Quote:

Originally Posted by RanRan79

It really is a nice collection of songs Ollie. I keep a few of them in constant rotation during the holidays: "Wonderful Christmastime", "Happy Christmas", "Someday At Christmas" and my personal favorite, "Overjoyed". For the longest time I didn't understand why she chose this as I just never imagined it as a Christmas tune. Stevie's version is one of my all time favorite songs period, and the first few listens to Diana's version left me unimpressed. Over the last few years it started making more sense. I started to understand Diana's interpretation better and now think it was a brilliant idea turning the song into a holiday tune. It's now the one Diana Christmas song I'll probably play for the rest of my life. That and her version of "This Christmas", which I also think she did justice to.

Get well Ollie!

“Overjoyed” is another of my favourites from the collection and seems to fit really well with the Christmas themed songs.
I think it might possibly have done well in the UK had it been released as a single, with Diana over here to promote it. “Your Love” having been a sizeable hit the previous Christmas”
I also like the jazz arrangement on Jingle Bells” which is rather cool.
12-01-2021, 05:12 PM
nomis

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ollie9

I was playing this cd a little early as i’m stuck at home with a bad cold, trying to cheer myself up.
For me it remains one of the best Christmas cd’s out there, being glad she chose to record more traditional/adult orientated songs as opposed to “Frosty The Snowman”
I remember on first listen being amazed at the strength of her vocals on “His Eye Is On The Sparrow”.
The songs recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra are a little lacklustre in comparison, but still make a welcome edition to the package.
I love all the songs with the exception of “Ave Maria”, with Latin pronunciation not being Diana’s strongest point.
Her live in Vienna version of “Amazing Grace” is spine tingling and probably one of, if not the very best live performances of her career.

I have the cd but havent listened to it since its release..I have no recollection of the tracks but will give it another listen a bit closer to xmas and see what I think !
12-01-2021, 05:35 PM
thommg

We never got the original Christmas release in the US. I had an import of it, and enjoyed it very much. I also had the Hallmark cd. I love that we have them all in one package now. And, I also added her This Christmas to my mp3 album. It's a lovely Holiday cd, and it always gets play in my home.
12-02-2021, 07:44 AM
Ollie9

Quote:

Originally Posted by nomis

I have the cd but havent listened to it since its release..I have no recollection of the tracks but will give it another listen a bit closer to xmas and see what I think !

I’m sure you’ll enjoy nomis. I’m pleased Diana decided to make it a more traditional Christmas offering.
Including such songs as “Overjoyed” and “What The World Needs Now” makes the album a little different from the usual Christmas holiday releases. I wish she had also recorded “My Favourite Things”.
My only beef being the original album cover was a trifle lacklustre. Something like the artwork used for “Greatest Hits Live” would have worked brilliantly.
It’s a shame the unused tracks weren’t added to the rerelease
12-03-2021, 11:15 AM
RanRan79

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucky2012

Have a Wonderful Christmas Time, RanRan!

I'm trying Lucky! You do the same!
12-03-2021, 11:22 AM
RanRan79

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ollie9

“Overjoyed” is another of my favourites from the collection and seems to fit really well with the Christmas themed songs.
I think it might possibly have done well in the UK had it been released as a single, with Diana over here to promote it. “Your Love” having been a sizeable hit the previous Christmas”
I also like the jazz arrangement on Jingle Bells” which is rather cool.

Yeah, I dig the jazziness of "Jingle Bells" as well. The backing vocals are a bit "stale" IMO, but it kind of works with the arrangement.

More recent favs of mine have become "It's Christmastime" and "Go Tell It On the Mountain". The arrangements remind me of classic Diana. My one major criticism of the album is that I would've liked Diana to have incorporated some gospel arrangements on at least a couple songs, rather than some of the heavily orchestrated Tabernacle Choir arrangements. Had she gone full gospel [[something she was quite capable of doing, vocally) with "Go Tell It On the Mountain" in particular, she would've killed it.
12-05-2021, 09:08 AM
Ollie9

Quote:

Originally Posted by RanRan79

Yeah, I dig the jazziness of "Jingle Bells" as well. The backing vocals are a bit "stale" IMO, but it kind of works with the arrangement.

More recent favs of mine have become "It's Christmastime" and "Go Tell It On the Mountain". The arrangements remind me of classic Diana. My one major criticism of the album is that I would've liked Diana to have incorporated some gospel arrangements on at least a couple songs, rather than some of the heavily orchestrated Tabernacle Choir arrangements. Had she gone full gospel [[something she was quite capable of doing, vocally) with "Go Tell It On the Mountain" in particular, she would've killed it.

A smattering of gospel might have worked well as i think the LSO recordings lack a certain something when compared to the the martinelli produced songs.
Another highlight for me is “What The World Needs Now”, which other then “Amazing Grace”, and “HEIOTS”, is for me one of her strongest vocals on the album. It’s certainly a world away from the rather limp and lifeless version she recorded with the Supremes.
I really wish she had recorded her own Christmas special, away from the two tenors. Enjoyable as those concerts were.
12-07-2021, 11:17 AM
RanRan79

Excellent idea Ollie. A Diana Christmas special would have been a treat!
12-07-2021, 12:17 PM
Ollie9

Quote:

Originally Posted by RanRan79

Excellent idea Ollie. A Diana Christmas special would have been a treat!

Her own Christmas special with musical guests. Lionel Ritchie, Smokey Robinson, and Plácido Domingo would have been rather nice.
12-21-2021, 04:59 PM
TNSUN

Diana Ross Sings Christmas Songs. Every song is a present, gifted with love!