Search - Diana Ross & Supremes :: Merry Xmas

"Christmas Is The Best Time Of The Year"

Rebecca*rhapsodyinblue* | 11/08/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The above title is a quote from Mary, detailed in the three pages of liner notes written by Andrew Skurow. The full paragraph in question reads "The Supremes were in the midst of a record-breaking string of No. 1 hits when Motown's Harvey Fuqua, who had produced their We Remember Sam Cooke LP, brought the project to the ladies. "We were all ecstatic" remembers Mary. Her eyes dance when talking about the album. "Christmas is the best time of the year!"



Not only is there nothing in these notes to suggest that these are not the original renditions (albeit remastered), but a reproduction of the original LP cover shows "STEREO" in bold letters at the top. So, I'm not certain as to what that 2-star reviewer is alluding to in the criticism of the CD. Perhaps, as they sometimes did back then, they released two versions of the vinyl LP, one in mono and the other in stereo.



In any event, this contains the original 12 tracks, with 13 to 16 added in for the CD release. Tracks 13 and 16 were first released in 1987 on the compilation The Supremes Never-Before Released Masters, but both with a different mix, including an acapella performance of Silent Night. Track 14 first appeared on the Motown collection Christmas In The City in 1993, while track 15 was previously unreleased.



Two of the original cuts, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Me and The Children's Christmas Song, were also released as a single with the A-side reaching # 5 and the flip # 7 on the Billboard Christmas charts in 1965 on Motown 1085. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Me then re-charted at # 26 in 1966, and # 10 in 1967.



Several beautiful pictures of the girls are included in the fold-out insert, and on the one showing them on a toboggan Mary says" My favorite photo is of the three of us on the sled that we used on the back cover (of the LP). It wasn't part of the original session. We were shooting an episode for Dick Clark's TV series, Where The Action Is, at Big Bear Mountain in California. In between we took loads of photos on the slopes."



Just a great Christmas album to have in your collection."

"When I'm Feeling Sad, I Simply Remember My Favorite Things

Rebecca*rhapsodyinblue* | CA USA | 12/11/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This Christmas CD "Merry Christmas" from Diana Ross, Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson, famously and collectively known as The Supremes, is one of the best among my Christmas music collection. What made it so especially delightful to me is the inclusion of my all-time favorite Rodgers and Hammerstein's song "My Favorite Things" from "The Sound of Music." They first performed this song live to millions on The Ed Sullivan Show for CBS in 1965 and Andrew Skurow on Liner Notes described it as "a production worthy of Broadway - color broadcast, a full orchestra, colossal presents and glamorous pink chiffon gowns." It's always been an enjoyable experience listening to this CD with its mix of traditional and contemporary Christmas songs performed in Yuletide fashion. It is simply one of "My Favorite Things," and I will most definitely recommend it for your listening pleasure this Holiday Season.



My top favorite is "White Christmas," which is absolutely one of the best interpretations ever recorded and it would have made composer Irving Berlin beam with pride. I love its nostalgic arrangement and the trio's rendition that is so reminiscent of 1940s style of singing.



The rest of my highlights include "The Christmas Song," "Silver Bells," "Noel," "Silent Night," "Joy To The World," "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town."



"So you better watch out . . .

He knows if you'd been bad or good

So be good for goodness sake"



Christmas is the one time of the year that I am always child-like. Are you? Let's all bring out the inner child in us and . . . wait for Santa's magic this Christmas! He knows we've all been nice throughout the year! :)



Happy Holidays to one and all. May the love and joy that Christmas bring reign in your beautiful hearts not only this Yuletide Season but also for all the years to come."