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List Price: $11.98 | | Label: Sparrow
Salesrank: 533
Released: September 18, 2007 |
| Our Price: $7.76 |
| Used Price: $40.65 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Home for Christmas Track Listing:
1. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
2. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
3. Joy to the World/For Unto Us a Child Is Born - The American Boychoir, American Boychoir, Amy Grant, Ronn Huff, London Studio Orchestra
4. Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song) - Amy Grant
5. O'Come All Ye Faithful - The American Boychoir, American Boychoir, Amy Grant, Ronn Huff
6. Grown-Up Christmas List
7. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - Amy Grant
8. Winter Wonderland
9. I'll Be Home for Christmas
10. Night Before Christmas
11. Emmanuel, God With Us - Amy Grant
12. Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring [Instrumental]
Home for Christmas Reviews:
Great Christmas music for your collection! 
2009-12-10 - This CD is enjoyable for years and years. Amy Grant has a voice that is enjoyable to listen to and not distracting or detracting--great blend of songs/music/her voice that are pleasing to the ear. Terrific gift for almost any adult--I had never heard her until last year and I love this.
A Nearly Flawless Christmas CD
2009-12-03 - Amy Grant does Christmas albums RIGHT. Most artists make uninspired CDs chock-full of the same-old same-old, and their original songs are bland and boring filler. On the other hand, Amy Grant somehow manages to craft original songs that are just as much fun to listen to as ye olde tried and true, and takes classics and charges them with renewed energy, hope, and wonder. Every time I listen to the classics she recreates here, I feel like I'm listening to them for the first time. That's really saying something.
She one-ups her previous Christmas album in two ways: firstly, because her voice has aged and gained some richness and depth, which is marvelous to listen to. Secondly, she took that hateful 80s synth and replaced it with an orchestra. The result? This album is practically timeless.
"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" always gives me chills -- mostly because it's so moving, joyful, and fun (and partially because I'm so excited that the album is starting, haha). "Joy to the World" and "For Unto Us..." are also fantastic. These three tried and true golden oldies set the tone for the disc; Amy Grant brings her own great style and optimism to them, never letting them sink into mediocrity. The full orchestra and the command of dynamics, combined with Amy Grant's rich voice, transforms these common songs into magnificent showstoppers.
The star of this collection is definitely "Mary's Song (Breath of Heaven)," which always brings a tear to my eye. Quiet, thoughtful, and melancholy, it takes a very unique view of the Virgin Mary -- moving beyond the picture-perfect creche Barbie Doll to illustrate a flesh-and-blood human being with very human worries. This has always been my favorite song on the album. In fact, it is my favorite Amy Grant song of all time. It's remarkably stirring and I dare a first-time listener NOT to wipe away a tear at the end of it.
The only lackluster songs to me are "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" (which I have always nodded off at, even since childhood), "Grown-Up Christmas List" (which is uninspired, goofy, fluffy, and meaningless), and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (which offers no substantial difference from the billions of renditions out there).
"Winter Wonderland" and "I'll Be Home for Christmas" are quite pretty and enjoyable, but lean into mediocre territory. Like the songs preceding them, there is not much to differentiate them from all of the other versions out there. I appreciate them now only for nostalgia's sake, and they're great in a mix.
Ironically, I like the last three original arrangements much more than the traditional songs. "The Night Before Christmas" is so darn happy that it never fails to make me grin. I think that's because it manages to invoke the same spirit of hope that "Mary's Song" does -- that is, it says, "Hey, we're all fallible human beings here. This holiday is not just for all of those picture-perfect people; it's for everybody. Come on, join us, be glad!" The tune is a delight, too, especially with the addition of that children's chorus.
"Emmanuel, God with Us" attracted me mostly because of its tune; starting out with few traditional instruments, reaching the uplifting, fantastic, and exciting chorus with all instruments at once, then dropping back with only one or two instruments. I'm usually enjoying the music too much to listen to the words, admittedly, which is quite wrong, as there are lovely lyrics to go along with the lovely melody.
My second-favorite song on the album is definitely "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring." What a great song to go out on! It begins traditionally, slowly, quite pretty, your typical arrangement... and at first you think that Amy is going to leave you hanging. Then, BAM! it turns into a foot-stomping dance, complete with violins and a full orchestra. I can always imagine a warm, golden common room filled with joyful, dancing common folk.
In fact, I think there's definitely a common theme for this album -- that Christmas is for everyone, every fallible and silly human being out there. This is probably why I've always liked it so much.
In the end, this is my favorite Christmas album. Sure, there are some low points to it, but with such awesome and unique songs and such lovely reimaginings, how could anyone dislike it?
Cd & Seller Are Great....
2009-11-11 - When I purchased this item I was looking for a certain song. I normally wouldn't order a cd or tape with just Amy Grant on it. However I like this one. I asked the seller a question and she was so great. What a way to purchase, From someone who will be honest with you and give you the info you request without making you wait. I'd buy from her anytime again if she had what I was looking for.
Amy Grant Holiday Music
2009-01-30 - Home for Christmas Wonderful holiday music and one of our very favorites! Highly recommend!
classic Christmas cd
2008-12-15 - I love this Amy Grant CD--I grew up with it in my home, and am tickled to have my own copy of it now that I'm grown up. It's a special Christmas item for me.
