Pros: This CD manifests wonderful imagery in the opening six or seven secular Christmas songs.
Cons: Too short. A couple more "religious" songs would have been nice but, 12complete, isn't bad.
The Bottom Line: Though this CD doesn't have many "religious" songs reflecting the true-meaning-of-Christmas to believers, it does happen to be a favorite presenting a divine and peaceful feel of the season.
popsrocks's Full Review: This Christmas I Spend With You by Robert Goulet
During the Christmas season it is easy to have a number of favorite CDs. This is one of mine. There are also some CDs that get it right with the perfect signature song as an opener. There is such a song here. It is the CDs Title, This Christmas I Spend With You.
I remember so many Christmas seasons in the past listening to Robert Goulet's baritone voice opening with the words...
Mark this Holiday mark it well,
note how perfectly right it fell
Yes, It's Christmas but something is new
because this Christmas I spend with you.
It's a story that so many who have been separated over the holidays can understand. I also read into it a feeling that it's Christmas that brings people together not only physically but in a more heartwarming way.
That message continues with the title and the words
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Let your Heart be Light,
From Now on Our Troubles Will be Out of Sight."
On a personal note my wife and I get together with a group of friends we call "Fourteen Faithful Friends" every month. At Christmas time, during Advent we get together for an Agape. It's a time we share Christian love, good feelings, concern and empathy with each other. It's both prayer filled and fun filled. When I hear the words in this song "Have a Merry Little Christmas" the words...
Faithful friends who are dear to us,
gather near to us, once more
...are particularly important to me.
December Time Again is another mellow song with words unfolding the the sentiments of the Christmas imagery.
When the air is filled with tinkling bells
and the trees are white with crusty shell
and the frost is on the window pane
It's December time again.
When the snowflakes cover up the sky
and the little faces breath a happy sigh
Old man winters here to entertain
it's December time again...
The song continues with seasonal portraits including Mistletoe, sleigh rides so exciting, and fancy coloured lighting
Let it Snow, Let It Snow, Let it Snow
Another simple tale of people enjoying time together, snowbound in a home.
The weather outside is frightful,
and the fire is so delightful
and since we've no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow
Depicting a romantic evening it continues...so as long as you love me so, Let it Snow, Let it Snow ,Let It Snow.
Keeping with the snow theme The Christmas Song is next up with Goulet keeping the same tone. Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,
Jack Frost nipping at your nose.
Yule time carols carols being sung by a fire
and folks dressed up like Eskimos...
With the next song the beat goes up a touch yet, the CD stays with the mood of "what Christmas time means to me."
City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style.
in the air there's a feeling of Christmas
Children Laughing, people passing
meeting smile after smile after smile
and on every street corner you hear.
Silver bells, Silver Bells
it's Christmas time in the city.
I grew up in NYC and I still visit it often as a tourist and for doing business. I'm a romantic who gets stirred by this imagery. I love that every time I walk up to Seventh Ave from Penn Station I can still hear those "Silver Bells".
Back to the outside and upbeat a Winter Wonderland
"A beautiful site we're happy tonight walking in a winter wonderland."
White Christmas comes next with Goulet singing a melancholy tune where he is "dreaming of a White Christmas , just like the ones I used to know.
Where the tree tops glisten and children listen
to hear sleigh bells in the snow...."
The CD then moves on to the Christian celebration of Christmas. It opens with O Holy Night. This is perhaps them most beautiful and meaningful song of all the ones I listen to. Each word builds up proclaiming the wonder of the birth of Jesus. Unfortunately this arrangement does only the first couple of verses and doesn't tell the full story. Nonetheless, Goulet's voice is perfectly suited for this holy song.
Panis Angelicus is another song that Goulet's baritone handles with such power yet such ease. Though sung in Latin its message is that of "Heavenly Bread" being the "Bread of All Mankind" Though not explained outright, this is Jesus who nourishes even the "poorest and the humblest of servants."
Another song in Latin comes next, the beautiful Ave Maria. Though this is not a true Christmas song the way I usually hear it, it's message of asking Mary "for the beautiful peace that only You(Mary)can give..." can also reflect her giving birth to the Savior that Christians believe in and the freedom of sin he allows. The full orchestration in this one, as with the previous Panis Angelicus, is particularly pleasant to listen to.
O Come All Ye Faithful closes the CD. It's full with background choir and an accompaniment of strings hovering above it all.
Closing Thoughts
Some familiar songs that are both secular and religious make this CD a fine mix. Though another one or two religious songs like "Silent Night" would have made this even more rewarding for me, it's still a wonderful CD. I remember listening to this one on vinyl for years and then we moved up to the CD when it came out perhaps 15 years ago. The sound is still excellent. It's one of those recordings that is exceptionally clean and clear.
This CD has a number of songs that are not heard on other CDs or done by many other artists. That's part of what makes this a particularly pleasing album to have. The secular songs and their arrangement set up the CD with a distinctive element of a winter wonderland, a peaceful feel, and that of friends getting together that I associate with Christmas. Perhaps that is why I did use so many words from the songs in this review. I feel they are important to get the feel of the CD.
Goulet's voice is so smooth yet powerful and does many of these songs better than most other artists can. His inflection of the words finish the CD powerfully.
This remains one of our most played Christmas CDs. Though Robert Goulet has a couple of other CDs, this is the one I recommend.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.