V is for A Very Special Christmas

I decided to do a second V post this week, the latter focusing on A Very Special Christmas, because:

1) My friend Carla had only recently heard a song from that first album, and didn’t know about the compilations

2) It is St. Nicholas Day, and I needed an excuse to put some more holiday music herein

3) It’s Wednesday, at least in some hemisphere

A Very Special Christmas is “the title of an ongoing series of Christmas music compilation albums that benefit Special Olympics,” and I own the first seven albums. It was “the brainchild of music producer Jimmy Iovine, who wanted to produce a Christmas album as a memorial to his father. The idea of the record benefiting Special Olympics was suggested by Iovine’s wife Vicki, as she was a volunteer for the organization.

“Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, the founders of A&M Records, along with Bobby Shriver, helped the Iovines realize the project. Since the release of the first album in 1987, the series has raised over $100 million for Special Olympics, more than any other benefit series. The album cover art is designed by artist Keith Haring.”

I’ve linked to each of the titles AND artists below (except Natalie Merchant, for whom I found only one acceptable version).

A Very Special Christmas (1987) – the original, and still my favorite. A few songs swiped the arrangements of Phil Spector’s Christmas album of a quarter of a century earlier.

1. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town – The Pointer Sisters
2. Winter Wonderland – Eurythmics
3. Do You Hear What I Hear? – Whitney Houston
4. Merry Christmas Baby – Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band – Live track
7. Gabriel’s Message – Sting
8. Christmas in Hollis– Run-D.M.C.
10. Santa Baby – Madonna; Done previously by Eartha Kitt
14. The Coventry Carol – Alison Moyet

A Very Special Christmas 2 (1992)

1. Christmas All Over Again – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, written by Petty
16. What Child Is This? – Vanessa Williams

A Very Special Christmas 3 (1997) – ah, these are coming out every five years

3. Children Go Where I Send Thee – Natalie Merchant
8. Oíche Chiún – Enya. Almost every AVSC album has Silent Night, and this is my favorite version
16. We Three Kings – Patti Smith

A Very Special Christmas Live (1999) – or maybe not. “The album was recorded live in Washington, D.C. in December 1998 at a benefit party held by then-President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the founding of Special Olympics.”

A Very Special Christmas 5 (2001) – “Several of the album’s tracks were recorded live in Washington, D.C. in December 2000 at a benefit concert hosted by then-President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton.”

A Very Special Acoustic Christmas (2003) – “As opposed to earlier editions that contained a wide variety of musical styles, this version… featured primarily Country and Bluegrass artists.” I found this only a season or two ago.

A Very Special Christmas 7 (2009) – and there are others, related to the theme, and benefiting the Special Olympics, which I don’t have (yet) such as Jazz to the World (1995) and World Christmas (1996). Maybe next year, I’ll list tracks from the later albums.

ABC Wednesday – Round 19

Author: Roger

I'm a librarian. I hear music, even when it's not being played. I used to work at a comic book store, and it still informs my life. I won once on JEOPARDY! - ditto. View all posts by Roger

14 thoughts on “V is for A Very Special Christmas”

how good of you! An extra post is always welcome.

This subject was totally new to me though… never had heard of this but it is wonderful.

And no… its not wednesday yet…. its still tuesday, 17.45 here 😉

You’re making me feel old, Roger! All these reminiscences! But it’s all good.

Leslie
abcw team

Some great oldies there Roger,
Loved the Phil Spectre sound and Herb Alpert,
All good stuff,
Di.
ABCW team.

Very Special. I like the funds going to The Special Olympics.
Great songs to the Christmas Spirit.

Oh three of my favorite songs here – do you hear what I hear (didn’t know Whitney Houston sang that), What Child is this, and We three Kings of Orient. I sang in a large church choir for at least 8 years, when a choir was in vogue in the church. Now you have me humming those songs:)

3) It’s Wednesday, at least in some hemisphere
Indeed—happy Wednesday from the Eastern and Southern Hemispheres!

I bought the original AVSC album, and absolutely loathed Sting’s song. Still do, to be honest. But I picked up on the Phil Spector thing, too, which is still one of my favourite Christmas albums. I didn’t realise there’d been so many sequels, so, thanks?

Special post, – so lovely and pertinent.

We have #3 and it’s one of our favorites with our adult kids. Eartha Kitt was my sister in law’s Godmother.

When I saw your name on the ABC page, I was hoping for some music; you didn’t let me down. Well, you wouldn’t have really let me down, no matter what you posted. But I am partial to whatever music you feature. Thank you for introducing this; I’ve bought Christmas gifts from both the high school special students and the special adult items available during this time before Christmas. I intend to search for them online.

ellen b- Eartha Kitt was my favorite female singer when I was a teenager.

…it seems to be so with all that wonderful music pouring in:)

What an interesting series, an inventive artist/song combination, some of those I would never have guessed at. The Coventry Carol is a favourite of mine, happily I like Alison Moyet too.