Preamble
I love this time of the year. It's when I dust off all of my Christmas cd's and place them into high rotation.

Let me just start off by saying, if you are a fan of pop music, especially groups that are known for their harmonizing abilities, you would be silly not to own this cd. And just to shock your system a bit, I like this Christmas cd more than any other one I have, including the NSYNC Christmas cd. (Gasp! It can't be true!)

Who Are The Wilson Sisters?
I'm going to pretend that every one lives under a rock and doesn't know who Carnie and Wendy Wilson are! They are, of course, the daughters of Beach Boy genius Brian Wilson. They are, of course, two thirds of the defunct-now-rumored-to-be-reunited Wilson Phillips trio.

After their great success in 1990 with their debut cd, Wilson Phillips went on to release their sophomore effort, Shadows and Light. Too much pressure from their record label and Chynna Phillips desire to become a solo artist, led to their breakup in late 1992.

While you may wonder if the Wilson sisters are just a bastardized version of the Spice Girls, let me assure you that they are at least three thousand notches above those other girls.

The History of Hey Santa!
Although the Wilson sisters were devastated by Chynna's decision to go solo, they moved forward with a recording effort known as this cd, Hey Santa!. Unfortunately, selling 200,000 copies in three weeks wasn't enough for their record label and shortly thereafter, Carnie and Wendy Wilson were dropped.

Flash Forward
To present day....Carnie is 140 lbs. lighter and married, Chynna is a mother, and Wendy, well - she's still the same <g>. The only thing on this cd that could have made it perfect was the third part of the harmony provided by Chynna. Maybe one day, we'll be blessed with a Wilson Phillips Christmas cd. Until then, I'm satisfied with at least the Wilson version.

Hey Santa!
I usually don't like original, new Christmas songs. I think they are hokey and stupid-sounding (yes, let me tell you how I REALLY feel). This song however, has fallen into the category of new songs that will stay in my Christmas collection for many, many moons.

Props to Carnie and Wendy for writing this song (in conjunction with their friend Owen Elliot's husband, Jack Kugell).

The song starts out very sweet. The Ascension Lutheran Children's Choir sing the intro which is bound to leave you with goose bumps. If every day was Christmas, if we could make believe. If everyone would care a little more, there'd be harmony

After the intro, Carnie and Wendy kick it up a little bit. Beach Boy Carl Wilson provides background harmonies.

The production (which Carnie had a hand in) is well balanced. All in all, the song has the perfect mixture of sentimentality, harmony, and pop hook.
Grade: A

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
I'm one of those people that are okay with artists who just want to sing the darn song and not add anything special to it. Hey, it's usually better if you leave the classic stuff alone! Changes to this song include the intro of the piano solo, the jazzing up of the how the lyrics are performed, and a harmonica thrown in during the bridge. It comes off well. Carnie has the priviledge of making this a solo effort.
Grade: B

Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer
Oooooh! I really like the intro to this. Wendy and Carnie do some oooooooooooooo's for about ten seconds. It sounds all nice and rich and full. Wendy, whose voice I think is the weakest of the original Wilson Phillips group, is allowed the solo effort on this track. No offense to you Wendy fans, I just think that her voice comes off as shaky and whiney. Either the production effort was very effective, or Wendy's voice just happened to be utilized in the proper way.
Grade: B+

Winter Wonderland
Here's where Carnie's deep, rich voice is showcased. She opens up this song, with keyboards playing faintly in the background. Wendy does a great job of jumping in with harmonies. I'm telling you, listening to their voices in direct contrast to each other gives this song a great, full feeling. This track has the feeling of the least production effort, meaning, not a lot of bells and whistles are added. You have the pleasure of listening to their voices (which is a great treat!).
Grade: A

The Little Drummer Boy
I'm not a fan of this song. It's always been very drab and lifeless to me. Although Wendy and Carnie do a good job with the lyrics and arranging the vocals, I'm still not convinced it's a great Christmas tune (ut oh - I feel the wrath of the religious freaks coming out). Please know that I'm grading on the song not the lyrics or the "meaning". The saving grace in this song is the bridge. Every child must be made aware. Every child must be made to care. Carnie and Wendy are able to bring the intensity to a climax and somehow, made me care enough to listen.
Grade: C+

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
There's probably a reason they stick the ickiest songs in the middle of a cd. This doesn't just go for this cd, but for ALL cd's. I think it's so we're blown away in the beginning and they wrap it up nicely at the end, making us forget the stuff in the middle <g>. I like this song normally. The vocals are fine. Nothing too special. I think what doesn't make it special for me is that it seems darker than normal. Girls! I should be happier after listening to a Christmas song, not sadder!
Grade: C

Jingle Bell Rock
When I heard that they had recorded this, I wondered if they were going to stick closely to the original or if they were going to take a detour somewhere. To my surprise, they stuck with the original - electric guitar and all. Wendy has the pleasure of singing lead on this track. This is one of those times when you hear Wendy's voice and you think she might have a shot at being a good country music singer. She's got that twang about her.
Grade: B

Silver Bells
These are the times that we need Chynna back into the fold. Wendy sings lead on this tune and it just doesn't sound as good as it could. This part was screaming for Chynna! Still, the arrangement of the vocal and music is good and Carnie does a great job in the background vocals. Again, we feel like Wendy really wants to be a country music singer!
Grade: B

Christmas Medley: We Three Kings of Orient Are/Silent Night/The First Noel
I've always liked We Three Kings. I think it has something to do with the cognitive dissonance that occurs all throughout the song. It's like the music takes you through a lot of internal conflict but always gets resolved (Whew! That was WAY too deep for a Saturday morning!). The Wilson sisters do an excellent job in the lead vocal.

The transition from one song to another is perfect. You don't even realize it. Ladies and gentlemen, that factor contributes to the success of a medley! A choir moves us into Silent Night. Unfortunately, Wendy and Carnie feel the need to speak and wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Girls, nice thought, just don't like it. Wendy's rendition of Silent Night sounds sweet and angelic.

The transition to The First Noel is also seamless. The arrangement with the choir gives me that throw back feeling I had when I attended Christmas mass as a child enrolled in a Catholic school.
Grade: B+

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Originally recorded in 1976, this ditty is cute as cute gets. Wendy and Carnie, along with some of the other Beach Boy children (Matthew Jardine, Adam Jardine, Hailey Love, Christain Love, Jonah Wilson, and Justyn Wilson) sing lead while the Beach Boys provide background vocals.
Grade: A-

The End
I'm probably a little harder on the Wilson Sisters than I should be. It's their fault though <g>. They set extremely high, vocalizing standards when they were a part of Wilson Phillips. If you're into the whole Christmas music thing, and you're looking to add some great vocal harmonies to your collection, this is a must buy cd. You can pick it up pretty cheaply too - I've seen it recently listed for as low as $6.99.




Recommended: Yes