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Anne Murray's first and most countryfied Christmas album

Lawrance M. Bernabo | The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota | 11/22/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Anne Murray might not be thought of in the same breath with Perry Como and Bing Crosby when it comes to singing Christmas songs, but she should be. "Anne Murray's Christmas" is the second of four holiday albums she has released (including one for Hallmark one year as their special Christmas album). Ever since she had her first big hit with "Songbird" it was clear she would be a natural to do Christmas songs. Of her various Christmas albums, this one is the most country, at least on what would have been the second side of the original record/cassette, where she sings "Born in Bethlehem," "No Room at the Inn," "Sweet Little Jesus Boy," and "Mary's Boy Child." The first side is where she does the traditional Christmas songs, both religious ("O Come All Ye Faithful") and secular ("White Christmas"). However, the song that might impress you the most beyond the obvious choices is going to be "Christmas in Killarney." Even though this is her earliest Christmas album there is more than enough here to show she is one of the singers you want to tick off on your first five fingers when you start naming solo artists that you want to have in your Christmas CD collection. Just be aware that most, but not all of these songs can be found on her superb 2001 2-CD collection, "What a Wonderful Christmas.""

Going with tradition

Amanda Richards | Georgetown, Guyana | 10/24/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you're looking for a traditional Christmas album of old favorites, then look no further.



Canadian country legend Anne Murray delivers fifteen warm and fuzzy songs for the yuletide season, ten of them from previous albums and five previously unreleased tracks.



The new tracks are:



Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

Jingle Bell Rock

Blue Christmas

Baby it's Cold Outside (with Michael Buble)

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (with Diana Krall)



Murray puts a country spin on the songs, but the difference is more in the instruments than in the vocals. Simple, subtle and stunning intros and bridges complement that famously timeless voice, making for the perfect album for opening gifts on Christmas morning (providing you were nice, of course - naughty children won't need this album this year)



Anne Murray has six other Christmas albums, and her latest doesn't disappoint. If you're looking for a new album of traditional material, then this is the album to put you in the mood for eggnog and mistletoe.







Amanda Richards, October 23, 2008

"

This review is for Anne Murray's 1988 release, entitled "CHR

Keith E. Martin | Greenville PA USA | 01/04/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love this CD, and I've loved it since it was first released on CD and LP in 1988. HOWEVER, I do believe I should correct some misunderstandings represented in three of the four other reviews currently present on Amazon's product listing page for this album (a problem Amazon needs to correct, as these reviews appear in multiple locations):



1. CHRISTMAS was not released in 1970. It was released in 1988.

2. This was NOT Anne Murray's first Christmas album.

3. The 12-song track listing Amazon has in place for CHRISTMAS is correct.

4. All 12 tracks were original, new recordings.

5. This is not a compilation of previous material combined with 5 new tracks. That is a different CD, entitled ANNE MURRAY'S CHRISTMAS ALBUM, released in 2008.



The confusion is understandable, given Amazon's publishing of reviews bleeding from one title into another and given the presence of 'Christmas' in so many Anne Murray holiday titles, but the only 2 albums of just-recorded material released by Anne Murray during the long peak of her career were released in 1981 ("CHRISTMAS WISHES") and 1988 (this one, "CHRISTMAS"). I too wish that she had taken the time to put some Christmas music down on wax back when she was possessed of her "Snowbird"-era voice, but not enough to pretend that she actually did so."