Christmas Time Is Here/Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Sing noel
The Christmas Shoes
Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch
Light Your World
Away In A Manger/God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen
What Child Is This?
As The World Slept
The First Noel
Christmas Carol
O Holy Night
Veteran Christian band Newsong decided to include the sentimental ballad, "Christmas Shoes," as a bonus track on 2000's Sheltering Tree, unaware that the almost O. Henry-esque tale about a young boy attempting to buy a ... more »pair of shoes as a Christmas present for his dying mother would blow up into a massive hit. So overwhelming was the response to that song (it landed atop Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart) that the group decided to fashion an entire holiday album around it, naturally titling it Christmas Shoes. In addition to the heart-wrenching title track, the contemporary Christian rockers serve up some beautifully arranged versions of cherished favorites such as "Away in the Manger/God Rest Ye, Merry Gentleman," "The First Noel," and "What Child Is This," as well as an impish, rather histrionic version of "You're a Mean One, Mr.Grinch" which should tickle the underage set. Newsong have also written a number of well-crafted, infectious holiday songs that don't bludgeon you with heavy-handed inspirational messages, but instead shine brightly with the true spirit of the holiday. --Jaan Uhelszki« less
Veteran Christian band Newsong decided to include the sentimental ballad, "Christmas Shoes," as a bonus track on 2000's Sheltering Tree, unaware that the almost O. Henry-esque tale about a young boy attempting to buy a pair of shoes as a Christmas present for his dying mother would blow up into a massive hit. So overwhelming was the response to that song (it landed atop Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart) that the group decided to fashion an entire holiday album around it, naturally titling it Christmas Shoes. In addition to the heart-wrenching title track, the contemporary Christian rockers serve up some beautifully arranged versions of cherished favorites such as "Away in the Manger/God Rest Ye, Merry Gentleman," "The First Noel," and "What Child Is This," as well as an impish, rather histrionic version of "You're a Mean One, Mr.Grinch" which should tickle the underage set. Newsong have also written a number of well-crafted, infectious holiday songs that don't bludgeon you with heavy-handed inspirational messages, but instead shine brightly with the true spirit of the holiday. --Jaan Uhelszki
Kerry S. (booboonose) from ALBERTVILLE, MN Reviewed on 2/2/2012...
Very heart-warming, peaceful Christmas music.
0 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.
CD Reviews
Buy it because of the famous song, LOVE all the other songs!
Soozie4Him | Chicago suburbs | 11/20/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Last Christmas, radio stations were playing "Christmas Shoes". Just in case you missed it, here's the Chorus:Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time
You see she's been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight
So it's worth buying the album for that one song, but every song on this album is GREAT! I love their opening track Christmastime is Here/Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Sing Noel is one of my favorites on the album. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree is such fun to listen to! Then they stuck "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch". I like their version of it better than the Go Fish version on their Christmas album "More Than a Story".You will recognize "Light Your World" - it was written in 1989, and I had never heard it on an album - just on the radio. So that was a wonderful surprise! And I liked what they did with the traditional Christmas carols. Sometimes they're changed so much in trying to make them unique that they aren't at all appealling! You will surely enjoy the lush orchestration on all these wonderful Christmas carols.The original songs "As the World Slept" and "Christmas Carol" will become a favorites. Listen carefully to the lyrics - unfortunately the liner notes have the lyrics for just one song -Christmas Shoes. NewSong's rendition of "O Holy Night" is majestic and moving! A fitting end for a great Christmas CD!May God bless you as you celebrate Jesus' birth this Christmas season! Please check out my other reviews of Christmas CDs, other Christian CDs, and Chrsitian books."
Only 1 star because there's no option for a minus 10,000,000
NyteScrybe | Missouri | 12/09/2005
(1 out of 5 stars)
"Note to self: Add "heave" to to-do list.
One of the other reviewers pontificated that those who do not like this song "must not be Christian".
Dead annoying, that.
I'm Christian...a devout, practicing one, and I detest this song. Being a Christian does not negate the ability to recognize a cheesy plebian hack job when I see it.
What does being a Christian have to do with it? What a close-minded, judgmental, condescending thing to say.
This song, IMO, is simply a poorly written, poorly executed attempt to pull at heartstrings. If the author's Very Cunning Plan had succeeded, great. But this one fails miserably. Phrases like "you see, sir..." would probably have most of the Saints in heaven rolling their eyes and reaching for the Mylanta.
It's like a lot of Christian Rock. The message might be positive, but a badly written song is a bad song, regardless of its message.
Nothing will make this turkey fly."
Hysterical.
psyche. | ohio | 11/28/2005
(1 out of 5 stars)
"Christmas Shoes has to be the worst song I've ever heard. I have been scouring bad country radio stations ever since, hoping to hear the god-awful & maudlin words again. I am tempted to buy a copy of this album just to laugh at it. It's that bad.
What's meant to be touching comes across as truly manipulative and unnerving - our narrator genuinely believes that he has done something extraordinary by chipping in to help a mangy little boy buy some high heels for his dying mom. He goes on to suggest that God "sent" the boy to teach him about Christmas. Apparently in the men of NewSong's world, God gives the mothers of little children fatal illnesses just to inspire a bit of Christmas spirit in rich, grumbly country stars.
"
Christmas Shoes Song - A Story of Hope, Love and Life
Katherine C. Watson | Houston, TX USA | 11/28/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There seems to be more cynics at Christmas than any other holiday. They take the songs and hope of the Christmas season and try to degrade it into something that is cheap and dirty. The "Christmas Shoes" is about hope, love and life. That is what this season is about, not about the world degrading the hope of people. Yes the song is sad, but it also about what love can do. Many Christmas songs are like this song, speaking not only of sadness and loss, but also of the hope of the world to see a better year ahead. That is what the Christmas Season is - hope for us all and a sense of love for others.
As for this song being just a Christian song, many people have not listened to the song closely. The song does not mention Christian tenets. It does mention Jesus and God, but as sense of hope for the Characters of the song. The song was not meant to beat anyone over the head.
Listen to the "Christmas Shoes" and other songs on the album for the beauty of the music and the hope that the world can be beautiful, even when life is not always happy or as great as our expectations. The music will lift your spirits if you let it."
Varied Selection of Holiday Tunes
Virginia Allain | Poinciana, FL | 12/18/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This CD will be a treat for my sister with its mixture of religious tunes (Sing Noel, As the World Slept, Light Your World), a touching story tune (The Christmas Shoes), and something fun (You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch).
The rather breathless singing style, with the piano and rich string background, are pleasant enough listening.
Sure the Christmas Shoes song has the rather maudlin style of those never-ending stories circulated on the internet and after awhile might get on one's nerves. With an 11 month break between listenings, it should be fine.