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List Price: $21.94 | | Label: Sony
Salesrank: 748
Released: October 13, 2009 |
| Our Price: $16.52 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Christmas In the Heart (Deluxe with Greeting Cards) Track Listing:
1. Here Comes Santa Claus
2. Do You Hear What I Hear?
3. Winter Wonderland
4. Hark the Herald Angels Sing
5. I'll Be Home for Christmas
6. Little Drummer Boy
7. Christmas Blues
8. O' Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)
9. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
10. Must Be Santa
11. Silver Bells
12. First Noel
13. Christmas Island
14. Christmas Song
15. O' Little Town of Bethlehem
Editorial Review:
Deluxe Edition includes five exclusive holiday cards. 2009 holiday release, the first Christmas album from the legendaryFolk/Rock singer/songwriter. Christmas In The Heart is Dylan's 47th album and follows the worldwide success of his album Together Through Life. In a commitment to ending hunger, all of Bob Dylan's U.S. current and future royalties from sales of Christmas In The Heart will be donated in perpetuity to Feeding America, guaranteeing that more than four million meals will be provided to over 1.4 million people in need in this country during this year's holiday season. 15 tracks including 'Here Comes Santa Claus', 'Winter Wonderland', 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' and many others.
Christmas In the Heart (Deluxe with Greeting Cards) Reviews:
A Sad Day for Dylan !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
2009-12-21 - This album does not even rate one star,any DYLAN fan who buys this junk should have to burn all of their Dylan classic albums.
Bob Dylan VS. The Grinchs 
2009-12-18 - Well people, your beloved Seer is back to spread Christmas cheer and a new review. Well, it's the holiday season after all. I don't really have the time, as all my fans know, however I am known for my sacrifices for the public good. So, I have torn myself away from my hot toddy to write this. Are you satisfied now? And, yes, I do expect many presents under the tree to show just gratitude. If not, yellow journalism will prevail on future reviews. And, I do name names (!).
O.K., aside from all that, let me tell you I met up with Bob (at his request) some months back to discuss his forthcoming Christmas offering. He arrived at a famous coffee shop in NYC looking refreshed and pleased. "What have you been up to Bob"? I asked. "Well Metamorpho, I think you and everybody will be surprised that I recorded a Christmas Album", he said as he used great amounts of honey in his coffee to sooth his vocal chords. "But Bob", I said, "You didn't do the standard Christmas songs everybody knows. Did you? I'm sure you wrote them yourself".
Bob paused. He gazed out of the window, watching people pass by that he knew would be wearing warm overcoats and boots eventually. Then he looked at me. Peering.
"You know Metamorpho, I am getting on in age and I need a break. I have written songs for almost 50 years now. I just need to relax a bit and do some covers". To tell you the truth people, I sympathized with Bob. After all, he is one of my biggest fans.
He then lightened up. "I think you will be surprised. And my vocals are not bad considering I have 10,000 nodules on my vocal chords". It flashed in my mind that I did an internet search once and it said he started his career with only a 1,000 nodules but they have increased expoentially each year. "Well, I'm sure it will be fine". He then got up to leave and said goodbye. He left money for the coffee but I had to cover the tip myself. I guess he doesn't know your beloved Metamorpho is a non-profit Seer. I was a tad annoyed, however, I learned later that he donated the album profits to charity. He probably had to save the tip amount for studio time. Whatever.
Anyway, after you muddled through this somehow up until now, I really should tell you about the album. It's fun. It truly is. Who would have thought he'd do this at his age. But hey, if you're Bob Dylan you've earned the right to do anything you want musically. He has vocal abuse, and it shows here. Raspy and rough in spots. This might be off-figgy-pudding to some (but face it, the main objection to his tunes was probably his voice, thus, what's new?). The album has a down home appeal, reminiscent of some tunes from the 50's. The band provides great backing and is perfect for his voice. And, I have to be honest here, the more you listen to this the better it becomes. (No! I won't allow you to blame the vast amounts of spiked egg nog I've had this evening!). Then again, one has learned from the past to never take Dylan at face value. There is always more there. And you may not realize it until many years hence.
I'm giving this 4 stars. It is by no means a classic, but hey, it's Dylan. People will say that my review is tainted because I know him personally and I am an avid fan of his prior work. Well, I might give him a slight edge here. But, honestly, it's not as bad as some people would have you believe. Yeah, it's rough in spots. But as I said, it's a fun recording (and I believe sincere as well). In my book, fun should always win out. Especially at this time of year. So, I recommend it if you are not overly critical and being a grinch. Dylan has made a career fighting the establishment Grinchs. He's always won. And, he'll win this one as well.
Now, let me get out my thermalite Seer's outfit. Looks like snow!
Holly Jolly, Hot Toddy, Good Golly Miss Molly!
love, Metamorpho ;)
Should become a Christmas standard! 
2009-12-11 - I love Christmas, and I love Bob Dylan. I'm by no means a hard-core Dylanologist, I just enjoy his music and recognise him as a hugely significant figure in popular music and a man with a marvellous sense of both humour and musical history (just listen to his radio programmes). Much has been said and written about this album and Dylan's motives for recording it have been questioned. But, once I got used to his vocal stylings in the context of these songs (which had me reaching, vicariously, for the throat lozenges on several occasions), I hugely enjoyed the whole album. This is sincere and joyful music-making and I defy anyone not to be uplifted by Dylan and band's galloping take on "Must Be Santa". Add to that the great retro-style packaging and the fact that all royalties go to charity and, well, what's not to like? I listened to this album three times over while undertaking the dreaded chore of writing Christmas cards and, not only did the album sound better on each hearing, it turned a chore into a delight. This album is part of the weave of America's musical history and should certainly be part of Christmas for many years to come. (NB: The deluxe edition which includes five Christmas cards is nice to have but not essential)
Just awful...
2009-12-08 - This is an abomination. Butchering of holiday music by someone who just can't sing. Each track sounds the same... the same awful croaking. Just awful. Save your money (and your eardrums) and donate directly to a good cause. This recording is a crime.
Zero plus Zero is still Nothing
2009-12-08 - This so-called `deluxe' edition gives you the same songs as the regular issue (thank God there are no more). The only difference being you get five Christmas cards and you're out six more bucks. As far as the cards go, don't expect Bob Dylan-style cards with Bob represented on them in any way, shape or form. What you get is the cover of the album... the same Russian couple in their sleigh, probably trying to escape their Siberian gulag in a bid for the West. If they only knew....
The songs herein are totally and utterly ruined by Dylan's phlegm-drenched vocals and seemingly impaired swagger. It's terrible. The only ray of sunshine is that it's all for charity, which shows you where Bob's heart is. I couldn't take any profit from this record if it were mine, either. I would end up like Judas Iscariot.... hanging from a tree, the silver scattered on the ground.....
Stay away from this record. If it wasn't meant to be a joke, then it should have been. In my humble opinion, of course :)
