Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Songs Review

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Songs 2007

Over the years, my family has collected many of the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
albums. We like them so well that we listen to them year round. Chip Davis and the
American Gramaphone company have a way of providing upbeat renditions of music that makes us want to sing and dance. And sometimes we do. One of my favorite CD's just recently cracked badly enough that we had to replace it. Amazon.com made that a quick fix.

It's no wonder that when we heard that Chip Davis was finally, after 6 years, coming
out with a new Christmas album, we were overjoyed. Anticipation built as we waited to find our copy in the stores. I received my CD for my birthday two weeks before Christmas. Minutes after unwrapping the gift, I had that disk in my computer. I try to hog it all to myself, but everyone else in the family had to have their turn too. While Christmas Extraordinaire (the red one) is still my #1 favorite, and Christmas in the Aire (the blue one) is still my second best choice, this one is very close to the top.

Here's the playlist for Christmas Songs 2007:

1. Let It Snow, Let It Snow

2. The Christmas Song featuring Johnny Mathis, vocalist

3. Santa Claus is Comin' to Town

4. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

5. Feliz Navidad

6. Catching Snowflakes on Your Tongue

7. Masters in This Hall

8. Above The Northern Lights  Gene Nery, vocalist

9. Frosty the Snowman  vocals by Spaceman

10. Traditions of Christmas

11. Christmas Lullaby Olivia Newton-John, vocalist

12. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

If you listen to Mannheim Steamroller very much, you'll recognize the familiar motifs and
signature arrangement styles. Each song is fun in its own way. Let It Snow starts us out
in a light bouncy mood. Frosty gets us into techno dance. A funky Santa is comin' to town. Above the Northern Lights is music that fits that awed feeling we experience standing in the cold and watching the Northern Lights above our heads.

Traditions of Christmas is an enchanting music box piece played in under 40 seconds. Olivia Newton-John returns to contribute to the Mannheim tradition after her participation in the Christmas Angel album, to sing a lullaby. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is written in the best tradition of swing and jazz--guaranteed to make you feel nostalgic for the good ole days.

Johhny Mathis croons out Chestnuts Roasting Over the Open Fire and makes me weep. An old Christmas carol from the 19th century begins in Renaissance style and moves to a rendition in rock. Way to go, Chip! I'm going to wear this CD out in under a year.