After reviewing "Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5", "Abc", and "The Third Album", it's now time to critique "The Jackson 5 Christmas Album".
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We start off with 7 ultra classic Christmas carols updated on a more Soulful early seventies parody. The J5 tried a shot at mimicking Diana Ross's "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town". Even borrowing a few loops from "The Love You Save" on Up On The Housetop". The Funkilisious "Frosty The Snowman" together with "Rudolph's" ab-libs and the hybrid Standard/Soul "Merry Little Christmas" makes this album a great reinterpretation on age-old Christmas Carols.
Now for the originality, "Give Love On Christmas Day" blossoms with raw vocals from Little Michael. But I thought "Someday At Christmas" was unnecessary(since Stevie did such a wonderful job). Add to that the filler "Christmas Won't Be The Same This Year". However "Little Christmas Tree" more then makes up for those frills. Michael's raw, passionate, sincerely rangeful vocal harmonies could've sour this puppy to number one(had they included the tune as a single)!
In closing up, The Jackson 5 Christmas Album is worth listening to occasionally when the holidays come about!
1. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
2. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
3. The Christmas Song
4. Up On The Housetop
5. Frosty the Snowman
6. The Little Drummer Boy
7. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
8. Christmas Won't Be the Same This Year
9. Give Love On Christmas Day
10. Someday At Christmas
11. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
12. Little Christmas Tree
I hope you enjoyed having a little Christmas with The Jackson Five. Our next post lands us in 1971 with Maybe Tomorrow!
