By Christmas 1987, the heyday of the K-tel compilation record had long passed.
And it was still a decade before the British Now series would make the trans-Atlantic hop to succeed it.
What filled the gap? Soundtracks, sometimes.
But in 1987, executive producer Jimmy Iovine and the folks at A&M Records offered a wonderful feel-good present with A Very Special Christmas. It was an all-star set of carols and covers to raise money for Special Olympics International.
Truly, the set screams 1987.
From its iconic yet of-the-moment Keith Haring cover…
To its list of performers, many in their imperial chart periods…
I snapped it up and played it all season long, no doubt to the delight of my neighbors in adjacent apartments.
(Who wouldn’t want to listen to Whitney Houston belting “Do You Hear What I Hear?”)
Even then, I sensed Iovine and his coordinating producers knew what they were doing with their structure of the album. (Yes, I bought it on vinyl. CDs weren’t on my radar yet, but I knew better than to get it on cassette.)
- The set’s first track, The Pointer Sisters’ “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” is essentially their version of the Bruce Springsteen/E Street Band (and before them, the Jackson 5) take on the standard.
It’s fun. Though there are many Pointer recordings (including their take on Bruce’s “Fire”) that I enjoy more.
But the rest of Side One:
Is home run after home run.
- Eurythmics get things going with a delightful take on “Winter Wonderland.”
It’s both chilly and warm, thanks largely to Annie Lennox’s vocal performance.
- Whitney Houston’s “Do You Hear What I Hear?” is easy to mock (I did it myself just now…) …
for what was becoming her trademark to-the-rafters approach.
But her love for, and roots in, the gospel tradition clearly shine here. It triumphs over any temptation to excess.
- Springsteen’s contribution of “Merry Christmas, Baby” offers the same exuberance of “Santa Claus” but on a song that, at the time, was not as popular.
Of course, given the success of this album, this song originally sung by Charles Brown may be now as well known.
I’ve said I appreciate holiday music with a sense of melancholy.
(For example, the Carpenters’ “Merry Christmas, Darling,” which I’m grateful no one covered here).
- So Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders’ take on “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is not only lyrically appropriate but welcome.
There’s a risk in having children on a rock recording. It can turn out to be one eye-roll after the next.
I thought John Cougar Mellencamp did a great job of handling the challenge – in what after all was a recording benefiting a children’s charity:
With his take on “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.” He played it straight (if with a wink) until the end with the dissolve to children singing the refrain.
- Sting’s “Gabriel’s Message” is, yes, typical Sting-in-his-most-literate mode.
At the same time, it is lovely to have a carol closing side one. And for those who can’t take too much Sting, at 2:10, it is brief.
After such a start on Side 1, how could Side 2 top it?
It starts promisingly:
- With Run-D.M.C.’s original “Christmas in Hollis.”
Exuberant and timely, it offers a vital reality check to a set that otherwise might be so timeless as to risk irrelevance to 1987 if not to future decades.
- U2’s “Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)” is the collection’s most explicit Spector shoutout.
It doesn’t replace Darlene Love’s original as the go-to version. But Bono’s lovely hammy performance guarantees a strong second.
And then, the album starts to slide.
- Madonna’s “Santa Baby” is OK on its first listen. By its second, it’s grating.
And beyond that, it’s torture. She’s out of tune a few times, and her take on Eartha Kitt’s original performance falls far short, sounding more petulant and entitled than come-hither.
- Bob Seger’s “The Little Drummer Boy” would not be the worst song he released that year. (That would be his chart-topping “Shakedown.”) But, man, does it come close.
One especially head-scratching choice: In verse three, Seger changed the lyrics from “Mary nodded” to “Then he nodded.” It undercuts the emotional moment key to the song, the baby’s reaction to the drummer boy’s presence.
Bryan Adams’ “Run Rudolph Run” is competent but quickly gone. It’s aural cotton candy.
Then comes the nadir:
- Bon Jovi’s “Back Door Santa.”
Even if it gave Bon Jovi or executive producer Iovine rock cred to cover a song with obvious sexual innuendo on a holiday album and children’s charity fundraiser, it was still a poor choice. Bon Jovi’s live production was so generic that it sounded more like Kiss’ “Rock and Roll All Night” than a seasonal melody.
The last two tracks do their best to pull out of the slide.
- Alison Moyet’s take on “Coventry Carol,” like Sting’s “Gabriel’s Message,” is a stately production.
It almost erases the bitter taste of the preceding track.
- And Stevie Nicks’ “Silent Night” is the perfect conclusion, gentle but not sleepy.
Robbie Nevil was finishing his year in the spotlight after three top 20 hits by doing a great job as counterpoint to Nicks. Their work on the song’s long wind-up is truly lovely, bringing the collection to heavenly peace.
Top-Shelf:
- Eurythmics
- Whitney Houston
- Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
- The Pretenders
- John Cougar Mellencamp
- Sting
- Run-D.M.C.
- U2
- Alison Moyet
- Stevie Nicks (and Robbie Nevil).
Decent:
- The Pointer Sisters
- Bryan Adams.
Yuck:
- Bob Seger
- Madonna
- Bon Jovi
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An interesting mix of the usual suspects (the songs that is) with some lesser spotted festive fare. I’ve never heard of the Coventry Carol or Gabriel’s Message.
Christmas In Hollis feels shoehorned in, both as an original track where everything else is a cover and representing rap.
Run DMC and Madonna are the only two I know I’ve definitely heard. Agree that Madonna’s take is far from the definitive version. Based on what you said about Bon Jovi I’m happy not to seek it out.
Merry Christmas one and all!
I remember this album, but mostly from seeing it in used CD bins for years. Looks like it wore out its welcome quickly, but some of these songs are still Christmas radio standards.
I agree with JJ that “Christmas In Hollis” feels a little out of place but it’s still a fun track. Springsteen and The Pretenders are my favorites.
As for holiday music around in my house, I’ve been listening to Bob’s Ska Radio’s Christmas channel. That’s right, it’s all ska versions of holiday songs, 24/7. What more could you want?
Well, I think the answer is obvious.
And my two fwont teeff.