A Very Special Christmas 320cbr (Big Papi) 80's Rock Stars Sting Nicks Jovi U2 Madonna

Hard to believe that 16 years have gone by since this compilation was first released (1987). It is the first in what is now a five-volume series and perhaps the best of them all. Many of these recording artists featured on this record, I am not particularly a fan of. But they sure sound great doing Christmas music! My only real beef with this album is that there are no original Christmas songs here. All of these songs are covers of well-known and mostly over-recorded Christmas classics. But by and large, they are very well done and in most cases, they are given a new and refreshing twist.

The set kicks off with a frenetic version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" by the Pointer Sisters with a Clarence Clemens like saxophone break in the middle, injecting some new life into this tired classic. This is followed by the Eurythmics eclectic version of "Winter Wonderland" that sounds just as fresh today as it did then. Then we have Whitney Houston, pre-Bobby Brown, doing a powerful version of "Do You Hear What I Hear." Whitney was hottest female vocalist on the planet back in 1987 and this recording reveals her at the top of her game, before her long and sad slide downward.

Speaking of Clarence Clemens, we have Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band up next doing a live version of "Merry Christmas Baby." And the hits keep coming. The Pretenders (Chrissie Hynde) with an awesome version of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" and then John Mellencamp (still known as John Cougar back in those days) belting out a rocking version of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."

But the best of this album is still to come! Sting's otherworldly "Gabriel's Message" is just perfect for the holiday season.
The album's only misfire comes on the next track with Madonna singing Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby" in her nauseating little-girl voice (in fairness, I didn't like the original much either). But that is followed by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band doing a very decent version of "Little Drummer Boy." The next two tracks I don't care for very much, Bryan Adams doesn't do anything new and exciting with "Run Rudolph Run" and Bon Jovi sounds tired with their live version of "Back Door Santa," complete with the obligatory guitar solo and lame callouts to the audience to "put their hands together" and such. I understand that newer versions of this album substitutes this song with "I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas" but I still have my original 1987 copy.

Then we have what is quite probably the best song on the entire album. Alison Moyet's "The Coventry Carol" which I must play twenty times every Christmas and never get sick of. I have no idea who Alison Moyet is other than this one song but it's a great one and worth the price of this album alone. This collection finally comes to a close with Stevie Nick's stellar version of "Silent Night" - another standout track on what is in my opinion the best Christmas compilation album of the 1980s, at least of those that feature contemporary, well-known recording artists.