Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 13 October 2009 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Label | AAO Music | |||
Producer | Simon Hill Rob May | |||
Connie Talbot chronology | ||||
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Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic, also known as Connie Talbot's Christmas Magic, is the third album by British child singer Connie Talbot. Released 13 October 2009 by AAO Music, it features rerecordings of songs from Talbot's previous album, Connie Talbot's Christmas Album , as well as new tracks. The album was released after Talbot was named child ambassador for the Toys for Tots Campaign, and some of the proceeds from the album were given to the organisation. The album was marketed with a tour of the United States, a cross-marketing campaign with Boscov's, and a television special produced by WVIA, a DVD of which was later released for sale. Reviews of the album were mixed; while Talbot was called "sweet" and her range was praised, other reviewers considered the album to be "cloying" and "little more than a novelty act".
In September 2009, it was announced that Talbot had been named child ambassador of the Marine Corps Toys for Tots Campaign, [1] a charitable programme which purchases toys for underprivileged American children. It was announced that, in addition to promoting the drive on adverts and on television, Talbot's forthcoming album, Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic, would be dedicated to the campaign. [2] Further, a portion of the proceeds from the sales of the album were to be donated to the charity. [1] Talbot said that upon being declared ambassador, she was "I'm sad and happy—sad because I'm learning there are so many children who are not as lucky as I am, and I'm happy that I'm able to help them." [2] Vice-president of the Toys for Tots Foundation Bill Grein said: [2]
The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is extremely proud and excited to have Connie as our youngest ambassador ever ... She is the perfect person to inform the public of the millions of less fortunate children who may be overlooked this Christmas holiday season, unless people step up to donate a toy or make a cash contribution. Her angelic looks and voice will remind everyone of the innocence of children ... And they all deserve to experience the magic of the holiday season! I hope she sells lots of CDs and raises a lot of money and awareness for our children.
The track listing of Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic was compiled by people including Talbot's family and friends, and AAO Music manager Peter Kuys; of the tracks, Talbot said that her favourite was "When a Child Is Born". [3] Some of the songs had previously appeared on Connie Talbot's Christmas Album , and Talbot's official site describes Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic as "re-launched". [4] However, Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic also featured three new songs, and the album's vocals were completely rerecorded. [4]
Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic was released on 13 October 2009, [5] by the Albany-based record label AAO Music. The release was promoted by a United States tour [3] and a television special. The special, entitled Holiday Magic, was taped from 24–27 September, and produced by WVIA. Holiday Magic featured performances of all of the songs from Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic, and was available to all PBS stations to be shown in November and December. [6] On the special, Talbot performed with a choir from Scranton High School. [7] A 17-track DVD of the performance, featuring all of the songs from Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic, and two additional songs, "What a Wonderful World" and "Over the Rainbow", was produced. In addition, the DVD featured an interview with Talbot and behind the scenes footage. [6] [8]
Appearances in the United States included performances at the Colonie Center. [3] In addition, Talbot participated in a cross-marketing campaign with Boscov's; she received signage and merchandising at Boscov's stores, and wore Boscov's clothes. Albert Boscov, of Boscov's, said "We're thrilled that Connie—such a talented youngster—is joining us to bring a little holiday magic to everyone this holiday season." [7] Kuys, of AAO Music, said "We have had a long relationship with Boscov's over the last decade. This campaign was personally picked by Mr. Boscov, and we feel that both parties can be perfect for each other while adding great value to Connie's Toys for Tots campaign." [7]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
The Philadelphia Daily News | (B-) [9] |
The Salt Lake Tribune | (B) [10] |
Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic received mixed reviews. Sunny Tse, reviewing the album for the South China Morning Post , said that the album was "just right for the kids", but added that Talbot's "stunning rendition of 'Ave Maria' ... will blow your mind". [9] Jonathan Takiff, writing for The Philadelphia Daily News , said that "[l]istening to her trill through 'Silent Night,' the calypso-flavored 'Mary's Boy Child' and 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' might inspire your kids." He gave the album a B−. [11] David Burger, writing for The Salt Lake Tribune , gave the album a B, and praised Talbot's range, saying that there were "sweet, playful and jazzy arrangements". [10] Reviewers also praised the link with the Toys for Tots Foundation, which Tse considered "one more reason why you should grab a copy." [9] [12]
While Tse described Talbot's voice as "sweet" and "beautiful", [9] and Takiff called her "a freak of nature, with a grown-up singing voice in the body of a (just-turned) 9-year-old", [11] other reviewers were more critical. Jon Bream, of the Minneapolis Star Tribune , called the album "more cloying than cute", [13] and David Yonke, writing for The Blade , described Talbot's performance as "little more than a novelty act because of the overly sappy backdrop". [12] Yonke did praise Talbot for her "impressive vocal skills", but considered her "earnestness [as] wasted on arrangements that sound as if they were ripped from a 1930s Shirley Temple songbook". [12] Wayne Bledsoe, writing for ScrippsNews, said that Talbot "has a great voice for a kid", but added that "this album wore me out. Maybe it's the never-ending vibrato." [14]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" | Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane | 2:47 |
2. | "White Christmas" | Irving Berlin | 3:15 |
3. | "Silent Night" | Josef Mohr (lyicist – German) and Franz Xaver Gruber (composer) | 3:28 |
4. | "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" | Meredith Willson | 2:14 |
5. | "Do You Hear What I Hear?" | Noël Regney (lyricist) and Gloria Shayne Baker (composer) | 3:22 |
6. | "Mary's Boy Child" | Jester Hairston | 3:32 |
7. | "O Little Town of Bethlehem" | Phillips Brooks (lyricist) and Lewis Redner (composer) | 3:55 |
8. | "When a Child Is Born" | Fred Jay (lyricist) and Zacar (composer) | 3:07 |
9. | "Frosty the Snowman" | Jack Rollins and Steve Nelson | 2:47 |
10. | "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" | Johnny Marks | 2:34 |
11. | "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" | J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie | 2:58 |
12. | "Walking in the Air" | Howard Blake | 3:31 |
13. | "Ave Maria" | Vladimir Vavilov | 2:50 |
14. | "I Believe in Father Christmas" (Bonus track) | Greg Lake and Peter Sinfield | 3:30 |
"Walking in the Air" is a song written by Howard Blake for the 1982 animated film The Snowman based on Raymond Briggs' 1978 children's book of the same name. The song forms the centrepiece of The Snowman, which has become a seasonal favourite on British and Finnish television. The story relates the fleeting adventures of a young boy and a snowman who has come to life. In the second part of the story, the boy and the snowman fly to the North Pole. "Walking in the Air" is the theme for the journey. They attend a party of snowmen, at which the boy seems to be the only human until they meet Father Christmas with his reindeer, and the boy is given a scarf with a snowman pattern. In the film, the song was performed by St Paul's Cathedral choirboy Peter Auty, and reissued in 1985 and 1987.
Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. The program was founded in 1947 by reservist Major Bill Hendricks.
Henkäys Ikuisuudesta is the first solo album by Finnish singer Tarja Turunen, and focuses on the Christmas holiday season. On November 26, 2010, Nuclear Blast released a re-mastered version of the CD, bringing a new artwork and a semi-new track list, with "Heinillä Härkien" replacing "Happy New Year" and "Maa On Niin Kaunis" replacing "Happy Christmas "; the new edition also contains the previously unpublished track "Arkihuolesi Kaikki Heitä", which replaced "The Eyes of a Child".
"Three Little Birds" is a song by Bob Marley and the Wailers. It is the fourth track on side two of their 1977 album Exodus and was released as a single in 1980. The song reached the Top 20 in the UK, peaking at number 17. It is one of Marley's most popular songs and has been covered by numerous other artists. The song is often thought to be named "Don't Worry About a Thing" or "Every Little Thing is Gonna Be Alright", because of the prominent and repeated use of these phrases in the chorus.
"When A Child Is Born" is a popular Christmas song. The original melody was "Soleado", a tune from 1974 by Ciro Dammicco, composer for Italy's Daniel Sentacruz Ensemble, and Dario Baldan Bembo. The tune was based on Damicco's earlier tune "Le rose blu" published in 1972. The English language lyrics were written a few years later by Fred Jay. They do not make specific mention of Christmas. Fred Jay's lyrics have been sung by many artists, first version by Michael Holm in 1974 but most successfully by Johnny Mathis in 1976, whose version was the Christmas number one of that year in the UK.
Home For Christmas is the eighteenth studio album by Hall & Oates, and their first full-length album of Christmas music. It was released in the US on October 3, 2006. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this album goes to Toys for Tots. It was only available at Trans World Entertainment music stores in 2006, but has since become available at all retail outlets.
Over the Rainbow is the debut album of the child singer Connie Talbot, and was released 26 November 2007 by Rainbow Recording Company. Talbot, who had entered the public eye after her appearance on the first series of Britain's Got Talent at age six, signed with Rainbow, an independent label, after briefly recording with Sony BMG. Over the Rainbow consists entirely of covers of pop and Christmas songs, and was recorded primarily in a spare room in the house of Talbot's aunt, in an attempt not to interrupt Talbot's childhood by disrupting her regular activities. Although public appearances were initially kept to a minimum, Talbot did make appearances to promote the album, and performed in public several times after the British release.
Christmas, Like a Lullaby is the 24th studio album by American singer-songwriter John Denver released in December 1990.
Connie Victoria Elizabeth Talbot is an English singer. In 2007, she was the runner-up of the first series of Britain's Got Talent. She then signed with Rainbow Recording Company and released her debut album Over the Rainbow on 26 November 2007, which has sold over 250,000 copies worldwide and reached number one in three countries.
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Connie Talbot's Christmas Album, sometimes referred to as Connie's Christmas Album or just Christmas Album, is the second album by the English child singer Connie Talbot, released on 24 November 2008. The album is made up of Christmas-themed songs, and was recorded in the middle of 2008. Shortly after the release, Pinnacle Entertainment, the United Kingdom distributor, went into administration. Despite this, the album had some success in Asia and the United States, and Talbot's third album, Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic, included many of the same tracks. Talbot appeared publicly to promote the album, including an appearance on ITV Central in December, and embarked on a tour, making stops around the world. Critics responded warmly to the album, describing Talbot's voice as "sweet".
"I'm Gonna Be Warm This Winter" is a 1962 single by Connie Francis, released in that December to peak at #18 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Cash Box Top 100. The song reached #22 UK in December 2008 via a remake by Gabriella Cilmi titled "Warm This Winter".
Christmas Magic may refer to:
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Chicago XXXVII: Chicago Christmas, also known as simply Chicago Christmas, is the twenty-fifth studio album, the fourth collection of Christmas songs, and thirty-seventh album overall by the American rock band, Chicago. The album was released on October 11, 2019. The project grew out of a plan to record a few new bonus tracks for a re-release of one of the band's prior holiday albums. Unlike previous Christmas albums, Chicago Christmas features primarily original material, written by members of the band. The only non-original songs on the album are "What the World Needs Now Is Love", "Sleigh Ride (2019)", and "Here We Come a Caroling". Chicago Christmas reached number one on the Billboard Holiday Albums Sales Chart.