The Best Christmas Album In The World Ever

It's an overly-used expression nowadays, but this collection is an absolute 'classic'. Featuring many well-known tracks from a time when Christmas singles really meant something, you'll be hard pushed to find a song you haven't heard before - and believe me, these are the songs that'll be played constantly during the run-up to Christmas in almost every place you'll go.

Because it appears no-one's interested in making Christmas records an more, the people who compiled this CD have included many Christmas favourites from years gone by. Of course, "The Best Christmas Album In The World....Ever!" relies heavily on the massive chart hits from the 1970s. I mean, what collection would this be without Christmas contributions from Slade, Roy Wood & Wizzard, Paul McCartney, John & Yoko, Greg Lake, Chris De Burgh, Jona Lewie, Mud and Elton John? There's more than just a few classic 'cuts' from the 1950s and 1960s included here too: Nat King' Cole, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, Adam Faith and Matt Munro. Oldies, yes, but still all-time favourites. And, quite rightly, Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" features here too.

For those who like their music with a more modern feel, those responsible for this CD have included Robbie Williams' "Angels" (even if I can't understand why) and "Baby, It's Cold Outside" by Tom Jones and Cerys Mathews - two tracks that don't usually conjure up thoughts of "Christmas" to most people.

However, "The Best Christmas Album In The World....Ever!" belongs to the 'oldie' genre. But the quality doesn't suffer. From the 80s, there's "Do They Know It's Christmas" by Band Aid, Frankie Goes To Hollywood's, "The Power Of Love" (probably the best non-Christmas CHRISTMAS #1 ever), Mel (Smith) & Kim (Appleby's) homage to 50s rock'n'roll, "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" and the hauntingly beautiful "Walking In The Air" by Aled Jones. Cliff Richard also appears with (count 'em!) FOUR contributions including the criminally under-rated "Millennium Prayer".

For the Christmas traditionalists, there's a nice selection of Carols from the likes of Sinead O'Conner, The Spinners and David Bowie and Bing Crosby.

Sure, there's a couple of naff tracks, but these can be easily skipped. What you're left with is a classic collection of all-time Christmas favourites - a double CD for those who have the slightest bit of interest in the festive season.

Jon.

Cliff Richard had three Christmas number one hits in the UK - Millennium prayer, Saviour's day and Mistletoe and wine - and they are all here together with a fourth big UK hit, Little town. I love Cliff's music but some people have a different opinion and will not like his strong representation here.

Many classic UK hits are here (and one or two non-hits that should have been), including Happy Xmas (John Lennon), Wonderful Christmastime (Paul McCartney), I wish it could be Christmas every day (Wizzard), Merry Christmas everybody (Slade), Do they know its Christmas (Band aid), I believe in Father Christmas (Greg Lake), A spaceman came travelling (Chris De Burgh), The power of love (Frankie goes to Hollywood), Step into Christmas (Elton John), Little Saint Nick (Beach boys), Santa Claus is coming to town (Jackson 5), In dulci Jubilo (Mike Oldfield), Stop the cavalry (Jona Lewie), Christmas wrapping (Waitresses), White Christmas (Bing Crosby), The Christmas song (Nat King Cole), Walking in the air (Aled Jones), Rocking around the Christmas tree (Mel and Kim), Lonely this Christmas (Mud) and Gaudete (Steeleye Span). All these songs are regulars on UK Christmas compilations, though Brenda Lee's version of Rocking around the Christmas tree is sometimes used instead of the Mel and Kim version - both were UK hits at different times. Whatever you think of these songs and the Cliff Richard songs, they, together with the traditional songs, are the mainstay of British Christmas pop/rock compilations.

It is good to see Lonely pup in a Christmas shop (Adam Faith) included. This was a UK top five hit but is rarely seen on Christmas compilations. It is also great to have Ring out solstice bells (Jethro Tull) and the Tom Jones and Cerys Matthews version of Baby it's cold outside.

The remainder of the collection is mainly made up of covers but there's a great selection by great singers including Dean Martin, Matt Monro, Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald. Note that the Spinners who sing Twelve days of Christmas are the British folk group, not the Detroit soul group - they are always listed as the Detroit Spinners in UK releases.

If you only buy one Christmas pop/rock album, you cannot go wrong with the Best Christmas album in the world ever, whether you buy this edition or the second edition.