Track 1
Merry Christmas Baby
Originally Sung By: Otis Redding
Before I'd heard the Song... I heard this song before I could even think the words 'Track Listing'!
After I'd heard the Song... This song is so much fun! (Like the bulk of the songs on this CD! So I'm sorry if I repeat myself!) Taylor's voice sounds excellent; it's much easier on the ears now. Although, I have to admit, you can't understand a word he's saying! It took me a long time to figure out with he was "Uh, mumble mumble mumble, sluuurrr"-ing about! (I had to refer to ELVIS lyrics to get one line!) Perfect for those summery Christmas days (over here in Australia, where everything is upside down according to Zac, I roast every Chrissy) just running around, driving teachers to distraction, splashing about -- HAVING FUN!!! :-)
Track 2
What Christmas Means to Me
Before I'd heard the Song... I thought it would be a ballad. (I knew most of the songs on this CD, but not by name, by sound.)
After I'd Heard the Song... This is one of my favourite songs from 'Snowed In'! Yet again, Taylor needs to enunciate better, but since Zac takes the lead on this winter warmer (for our friends in the Northern Hemisphere!) we can understand what's going on! Zac's vocals are excellent; this song really suits his voice. I would like to hear him sing it now, coz I can't think of what it would sound like now! I love the part where the Hanson boys trade off and sing a line each, Isaac, phew!
Track 3
Little St. Nick
Originally Sung By: The Beach Boys
Before I'd Heard the Song... I was expecting something upbeat!
After I'd Heard the Song... I've actually heard the original version, sung by the Beach Boys, of this, and I have to admit, Isaac needs to open his mouth and enunciate much like dearest Taylor! And although there is the winter touch of jingle bells (they always remind me of snow), it still sounds like summer this song! Taylor and Zac remind me of beach bunnies in this song, while Isaac sings with an ultra COOOL voice -- it sounds great! This is a cute, fun song, great for those beach parties (Southern Hemisphere reference again) or for staying indoors, and partying on -- with the heater turned up!
Track 4
At Christmas
Originally Sung By: Hanson
Before I'd Heard the Song... I was expecting a 'Where's the Love', 'Merry Christmas Baby' thang.
After I'd Heard the Song... A FANTASTIC job on the lyrics, the Hanson boys penned this tune all by themselves. It's a lovely lullaby, that makes you smile, and feel really warm and fuzzy inside (excuse me, I'm going sappy and sentimental here). So the world's not perfect -- but at Christmas, you just forget that bit. The song's family orientated, it's filled with Christmas love, and it's got a real emotional pull -- even the coldest humbug will smile at this song. Stand out.
Track 5
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Originally Sung By: ??? Mariah Carey sung a version though!
Before I'd Heard the Song... I was expecting something sappy.
After I'd Heard the Song... Hehe, at the start Taylor says "Look at you baby"! This song is one of the more popular songs from the album, and everyone says to me "I'd think this is one of your favourites too!" And I do love it, it's just not that memorable. Well, admittedly, there's not a lot to it, so it can get annoying, but it's still got this Christmas flava that makes it special when you hear it. I guess it's like kissing someone under mistletoe -- it's not something that you really think about before or afterwards, but when it happens, it's so special. Well, at least you can understand what Taylor's going on about in this song, but somehow, it just doesn't say Hanson. (Then again, Mariah Carey sang this song also, maybe I'm thinking of that! Alongside the Mariah Carey version, come the visions of the guys down at my local CD shop MOSHING to the Mariah Carey version! Hey, wasn't this song non-memorable? Maybe I should take that back...)
Track 6
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
Before I'd Heard the Song... Rock 'n' roll, baby, rock 'n' roll! :-)
After I'd Heard the Song... Blink and you'll miss it folks. :-) I have to smile when I hear this song, Zac is just great, the tone in his voice is telling us that's he's just having a tonne of fun! Zac too, also has Taylor's "let's slur the words together" disease -- enunciate boys! Please! But I think the problem here is that I'm supposed to know the words... :-)
Track 7
Christmas Time
Originally Sung By: Hanson
Before I'd Heard the Song... Something Christmassy... y'know, maybe like a traditional Christmas carol.
After I'd Heard the Song... It's definitely the stand out track from the album. A Christmas song that you can relate to, that everyone's felt, it's Hanson second self penned track from the album, and you can tell too. Although producer buddy Mark Hudson helped out, it screams "Hanson!" out like us fans do! There's the trade mark harmonies, trading off, and sweet lyrics, I ask, "Why didn't you write MORE songs for 'Snowed In'?" I think my favourite part would have to be "Sitting around the Christmas tree/Me and you and you loving me", but that's just the teeny in me showing through. :-) It's a song that hopefully will be covered, and remembered, turning into something traditional at Christmas -- but will always be remembered as Hanson's song.
Track 8
Everybody Knows the Claus
Originally Sung By: Hanson
Before I'd Heard the Song... I was expecting 'Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer' part II.
After I'd Heard the Song... It's the 'Man from Milwaukee' of the album! It's so much fun, I laugh and smile every time I hear this song! Taylor's voice suits the song, and there are cool noises throughout. The lyrics are so funny, and don't follow the stereotype when talking about Santa Claus -- he's a nice guy, but don't get on he's bad sides! Something that I know I'll be playing to my children to put them to bed Christmas Eve, it's modern, it's fresh, it's imaginative -- it's Hanson! They wrote this song all by themselves too, and a job well done! Although Zac at the end drives me a little crazy, with his yelling, not singing, 'do, I can handle it... :-)
Track 9
Run Rudolph Run
Originally Sung By: Chuck Berry
Before I'd Heard the Song... I expected something with jingle bells in it. Something upbeat.
After I'd Heard the Song... This song is great! It's got so much energy, and such a great rock 'n' roll beat, still with that Christmas flava, it really suits Isaac's voice, no one else could sing this but Isaac. I find myself with a deodorant can as a microphone, singing and dancing to this song, it's just so much fun! The "Tay, kick one for Christmas, baby!" is quite amusing to say the least, but it just adds to the "fun rock 'n' roll" factor this song possesses! I would love to hear this song live (other than the pathetic excuse for "live" that 'Hey Hey it's Saturday' dares to dish out) coz it's just got "sing me live!" written all over it! Rock 'n' roll baby!
Track 10
Silent Night Medley
Oh Holy Night
Silent Night
Oh Come all Ye Faithful
Originally Sung By: Traditional Christmas Carols
Before I'd Heard the Song... I was expected traditional Christmas carols. Doi! :-)
After I'd Heard this Song... Everyone raved this song up, and I used to think "What's the hype?" Don't ask me why, I don't know why I didn't like it. I guess I thought it was boring. However, there's nothing wrong with it -- the vocals are perfection -- the harmonising is to the note, it screams "Christmas!", and for once, Zac doesn't seem to "yell" so much. Right at the end, where the beat changes slightly, is fantastic. It's a lovely tribute, and I like it a lot, but it's still not my favourite. Definitely a stand out track, but... no, I still don't like it as much as the others.
Track 11
White Christmas
Originally Sung By: Bing Crosby
Before I'd Heard this Song... I heard that Hanson "changed it" a bit. I was expecting some sort of rock/pop Hanson thing.
After I'd Heard this Song... This song in particular, I remember sitting in the CD shop listening to, thinking "Whoa." That's coz I didn't know what to think about this acappella offering. The record player adds an interesting touch, but could that be just to cover up vocal flaws? :-) But I don't think that happened. The harmony is PURE PERFECTION, and although I thought it was weird, and I didn't like it to start with, that's because it was something new. I love it now. One thing I don't see necessary is Mackie and his scratching at the end, I find that totally pointless, I guess some people found it cute, but me, well I find it annoying. At least it's at the end of the album, so I can turn it off before it gets that far.
Overall
Each year as I bring out this album, it just seems to rack up more memories. Let me tell you, I look back at those days and the song 'At Christmas' is the most perfect description. And I can't wait to see what wonderful memories 'Snowed In' shall accompany this year.
Okay, so what did I think of the album? Despite being my favourite album (next to 'Live from Albertane') it sounds very rushed. It was recorded in ten days, in a castle/recording studio in England, and it shows. Zac yells to hit some of the notes, and who knows what they're singing about half the time. And does anyone else think that Zac looks about five on the back cover??? Whatever the flaws are with this album, it's a lot of fun, it's Christmas to the max, and it's Hanson -- three things in life I adore!
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.