A New Thought for Christmas

Last updated
A New Thought for Christmas
A New Thought for Christmas.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 30, 2008
Recorded NRG Studios, North Hollywood, California
Genre Christmas music, rock
Length44:10
Label Island
Producer Melissa Etheridge, David N. Cole
Melissa Etheridge chronology
The Awakening
(2007)
A New Thought for Christmas
(2008)
Fearless Love
(2010)

A New Thought for Christmas is the 10th studio album, and first Christmas album, by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released by Island Records on September 30, 2008.

Contents

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]

Track listing

All songs written by Melissa Etheridge, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Blue Christmas"Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson2:44
2."Glorious" 3:38
3."Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector 2:41
4."Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane 4:22
5."Ring the Bells" Salman Ahmad, Melissa Etheridge6:05
6."Merry Christmas Baby"Lou Baxter, Johnny Moore 3:46
7."Christmas in America" 4:20
8."Light a Light" 5:10
9."It's Christmas Time" 4:21
10."O Night Divine" 6:57

In the album's liner notes, Etheridge states that although she has never been a religious person, Christmas has always been one of her favorite times of year. She states that the album is her attempt "to bridge our old oppressive cultural ways with the enlightenment of our coming future." The album contains a mix of traditional Christmas songs and original compositions. [2]

2009 re-release deluxe edition DVD track list

On October 26, 2009, Etheridge re-released A New Thought for Christmas as a deluxe package with a concert film DVD produced by Barry Summers from World Live Shows/Rock Fuel Media from the House Of Blues in Atlantic City. The Concert TV Special is broadcast throughout the month of December each year on HDNET/AXIS TV

  1. "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"
  2. "Blue Christmas"
  3. "Glorious"
  4. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
  5. "Christmas in America"
  6. "Merry Christmas Baby"
  7. "Light a Light"
  8. "Ring the Bells"
  9. "It's Christmas Time"
  10. "O Night Devine"

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2008)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [3] 113
US Top Holiday Albums (Billboard) [4] 4

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melissa Etheridge</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1961)

Melissa Lou Etheridge is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and guitarist. Her eponymous debut album was released in 1988 and became an underground success. It peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard 200 and its lead single, "Bring Me Some Water", garnered Etheridge her first Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female in 1989. Her second album, Brave and Crazy, appeared that same year and earned Etheridge two more Grammy nominations. In 1992, Etheridge released her third album, Never Enough, and its lead single, "Ain't It Heavy", won Etheridge her first Grammy Award.

<i>Skin</i> (Melissa Etheridge album) Album by Melissa Etheridge

Skin is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released by Island Records on July 10, 2001. The album explores the pain, confusion, grief, and recovery Etheridge went through following her split from Julie Cypher, her companion of 12 years. "Heal Me" features background vocals by Laura Dern and Meg Ryan. Etheridge plays almost all the instruments and penned all the songs.

<i>Brave and Crazy</i> 1989 album by Melissa Etheridge

Brave and Crazy is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released by Island Records on September 11, 1989. As of 2010, the album has sold 632,000 copies in the United States alone, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

<i>Never Enough</i> (Melissa Etheridge album) Album by Melissa Etheridge

Never Enough is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released by Island Records on March 17, 1992. As of 2010, the album has sold 997,000 copies in the United States alone, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

<i>Yes I Am</i> (Melissa Etheridge album) Album by Melissa Etheridge

Yes I Am is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released by Island Records on September 21, 1993. The pivotal album that gave Etheridge national and international recognition, the rock ballad "Come to My Window" was the first single released from the album, which peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, and its video featured the actress Juliette Lewis having a nervous breakdown. This single was quickly followed by "I'm the Only One", which became a major hit in the US and reached No. 8 on the Hot 100, and "If I Wanted To", which reached No. 16. By 2010, the album had sold over 4,348,000 copies in the United States alone, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

<i>Your Little Secret</i> 1995 album by Melissa Etheridge

Your Little Secret is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released by Island Records on November 14, 1995. It is her highest-charting album on the Billboard 200, where it peaked at No. 6. The album also contained three singles, "Your Little Secret", "I Want to Come Over", and "Nowhere to Go". "I Want to Come Over" went on to reach No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Nowhere to Go" peaked at No. 40.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Come to My Window</span> 1993 single by Melissa Etheridge

"Come to My Window" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released in 1993 as the second single from her fourth studio album, Yes I Am (1993). This was the first song to become a hit after Etheridge publicly announced that she was a lesbian. With the driving force of gay rights, the song gained substantial airplay on radio stations, mostly through call-in requests. The song debuted on the Billboard charts after the first week of its release, reaching number 25 on the chart, remaining on the Hot 100 for 44 weeks and being certified Gold. The song also charted in Canada, reaching number 13 on the RPM Top Singles chart. It was the second song from Etheridge that earned her a Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. In 2019, Billboard included "Come to My Window" in its list of the "30 Lesbian Love Songs".

<i>Merry Christmas</i> (Mariah Carey album) 1994 studio album by Mariah Carey

Merry Christmas is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, and her first Christmas album. Released by Columbia Records on October 28, 1994, at the peak of the initial stretch of Carey's career, between Music Box (1993) and Daydream (1995), the album features cover versions of popular Christmas songs in addition to original material. Carey worked with Walter Afanasieff, with whom she wrote all of the original tracks, as well as producing Carey's interpretations of the covered material. Three singles were released from the album, of which "All I Want for Christmas Is You" went on to become one of the best-selling singles of all time and the best-selling Christmas ringtone in the United States.

Philip Sayce is a Welsh-born-American-Canadian guitarist, singer, songwriter, performer, and producer.

"Pink Cadillac" is a song by Bruce Springsteen released as the non-album B-side of "Dancing in the Dark" in 1984. The song received much airplay worldwide and appeared on the Billboard Top Tracks chart for 14 weeks, peaking at No. 27. The song was also a prominent concert number during Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm the Only One</span> 1993 single by Melissa Etheridge

"I'm the Only One" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge from her fourth studio album, Yes I Am (1993). It was released as the first single in September 1993, reaching No. 12 in Canada and No. 26 in the Netherlands. In the United States, it was slow to gain momentum, but after the success of "Come to My Window", it was re-released, peaking at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in January 1995. It remains Etheridge's biggest hit on either chart and earned her a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song in 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)</span> 1963 single by Darlene Love

"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" is a pop song originally sung by Darlene Love and included on the 1963 compilation album A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records (later renamed A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector). The song was written by Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, and Phil Spector.

<i>The Awakening</i> (Melissa Etheridge album) Melissa Etheridge album

The Awakening is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released by Island Records on September 25, 2007. The album conveys Etheridge's current autobiographical, religious and political perspectives. Etheridge made the album to convey parts of her story and journey along with her love for God. In the album's booklet, she included a letter to all who buy it starting with "Dear Friend".

"Merry Christmas Baby" is an R&B Christmas standard credited to Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore. In 1947, Johnny Moore's Three Blazers recorded the tune, featuring vocals and piano by Charles Brown. Subsequently, many performers have recorded renditions of the song, including Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ike & Tina Turner, Otis Redding, B.B. King, Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen, Christina Aguilera, and Melissa Etheridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bring Me Some Water</span> 1988 single by Melissa Etheridge

"Bring Me Some Water" is the debut single of American singer Melissa Etheridge. It was released in 1988 and became a hit in several countries, reaching the top 20 in Australia, New Zealand, and on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Like the Way I Do</span> 1988 single by Melissa Etheridge

"Like the Way I Do" is a song by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge, released as the second US single from her first album, Melissa Etheridge (1988). In the United Kingdom, "Don't You Need" was released as the second single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angels Would Fall</span> 1999 single by Melissa Etheridge

"Angels Would Fall" is a song by American musician Melissa Etheridge, released as the first single from her sixth album, Breakdown (1999), on August 31, 1999.

<i>Holly & Ivy</i> 1994 studio album by Natalie Cole

Holly & Ivy is a 1994 Christmas album and 16th overall studio album by American singer Natalie Cole. Released on October 4, 1994, by Elektra, it is Cole's first album featuring Christmas music and serves as a follow-up to Take a Look (1993). Cole co-produced the album with American music producer Tommy LiPuma, with whom she had worked on Unforgettable... with Love (1991). Holly & Ivy consists of 12 tracks, including 11 covers of Christmas standards and carols and one original song written by Gerry Goffin and Michael Masser. Cole promoted the album as non-traditional in interviews and live performances.

<i>Christmas in the Sand</i> 2012 studio album by Colbie Caillat

Christmas in the Sand is a Christmas album and the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat. It was released on October 23, 2012 in the United States through Universal Republic Records. The album includes eight cover versions of popular holiday songs and four original songs, written by Caillat along with several other songwriters. Produced by her father Ken Caillat, Christmas in the Sand features collaborations with Brad Paisley, Gavin DeGraw, Justin Young and Jason Reeves.

<i>The Medicine Show</i> (album) 2019 studio album by Melissa Etheridge

The Medicine Show is the 15th studio album by American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge. The album was released on April 12, 2019, by Concord Records and her own MLE Music.

References

  1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "A New Thought for Christmas – Melissa Etheridge". AllMusic . Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  2. "CD Review: Melissa Etheridge", Gunfighter.typepad.com, December 4, 2008.
  3. "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  4. "Melissa Etheridge Chart History (Holiday Albums)". Billboard.