This Is Christmas | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 18, 1995 | |||
Recorded | October 1994–July 1995 | |||
Studio | Various
| |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 48:21 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Producer |
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Luther Vandross chronology | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Cash Box | (favorable) [2] |
Entertainment Weekly | B− [3] |
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide | [4] |
Rolling Stone | (mixed) [4] |
This Is Christmas is a Christmas album by American singer Luther Vandross. It was released on October 18, 1995, by Epic Records. Produced by Vandross along with Nat Adderley Jr. and Marcus Miller, the album received mixed to negative reviews from music critics and peaked at number 28 on the US Billboard 200 and number 4 on both Billboard's Top Holiday Albums and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Being a steady seller throughout the Christmas season, it was eventually certified platinum in 2002 by the RIAA. [5]
In November and December 1995 the album lent its title to a syndicated television special which was hosted by Vandross and featured songs from the album, as well as performances by special guests.
In 2002 Sony Music released six of the album's tracks, along with two spiritual tracks from the same era, on the compilation album, Home for Christmas.
In October 2012 Sony rearranged, expanded, and repackaged the entire album under the new title, The Classic Christmas Album. The additional tracks were odd songs Vandross had recorded for other Christmas releases:
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "With a Christmas Heart" |
| 4:04 |
2. | "This Is Christmas" |
| 4:45 |
3. | "The Mistletoe Jam (Everybody Kiss Somebody)" |
| 4:45 |
4. | "Every Year, Every Christmas" |
| 5:06 |
5. | "My Favorite Things" | 5:58 | |
6. | "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" | 5:05 | |
7. | "I Listen to the Bells" (duet with Darlene Love) |
| 6:07 |
8. | "Please Come Home for Christmas" |
| 3:37 |
9. | "A Kiss for Christmas" |
| 4:12 |
10. | "O Come, All Ye Faithful" | 4:19 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Christmas Song" | 4:30 | |
2. | "My Favorite Things" |
| 5:58 |
3. | "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" |
| 5:05 |
4. | "The Mistletoe Jam (Everybody Kiss Somebody)" |
| 4:45 |
5. | "With a Christmas Heart" |
| 4:04 |
6. | "I Listen to the Bells" (duet with Darlene Love) |
| 6:07 |
7. | "A Kiss for Christmas" |
| 4:12 |
8. | "Every Year, Every Christmas" |
| 5:06 |
9. | "This Is Christmas" |
| 4:45 |
10. | "Please Come Home for Christmas" |
| 3:37 |
11. | "O Come, All Ye Faithful" |
| 4:19 |
12. | "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (Live) (duet with Chaka Khan) |
| 5:11 |
13. | "May Christmas Bring You Happiness" | Vandross | 4:27 |
14. | "At Christmas Time" | Vandross | 5:03 |
Notes
|
|
Choir on "O' Come All Ye Faithful"
|
|
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA) [5] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. was an American soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer. Throughout his career, he achieved eleven consecutive RIAA-certified platinum albums and sold over 40 million records worldwide. Known as the "Velvet Voice", Vandross has been recognized as one of the 200 greatest singers of all time (2023) by Rolling Stone, as well as one of the greatest R&B artists by Billboard. In addition, NPR named him one of the 50 Great Voices. He was the recipient of eight Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year in 2004 for a track recorded not long before his death, "Dance with My Father". In 2021, he was posthumously inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.
Ruben Studdard is an American singer and actor. He rose to fame as the winner of the second season of American Idol and received a Grammy Award nomination in 2003 for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for his recording of "Superstar". In the years following Idol, Studdard has released seven studio albums, including his platinum-selling debut, Soulful, and the top-selling gospel follow-up, I Need an Angel. He is most well known for his recording career, which has produced hits including "Flying Without Wings", "Sorry 2004", and "Change Me", but he has also segued into television and stage work. Most notably, he starred as Fats Waller in a national tour revival of Ain't Misbehavin', which spawned a Grammy-nominated soundtrack.
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is a song written in 1943 by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane and introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis. Frank Sinatra later recorded a version with modified lyrics. In 2007, ASCAP ranked it the third most performed Christmas song during the preceding five years that had been written by ASCAP members. In 2004 it finished at No. 76 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs rankings of the top tunes in North American cinema.
"The Best Things in Life Are Free" is a duet between American singers Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson, recorded for the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced soundtrack to the 1992 American film Mo' Money, starring Damon Wayans. The song was composed by Jam, Lewis, Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe, Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch. The song was released as the soundtrack's lead single on May 12, 1992, by Perspective Records and A&M Records. Additionally, the song was remixed by David Morales, Frankie Knuckles, and CJ Mackintosh. The duet became a major hit in several countries, peaking at number two in Australia and the United Kingdom, number six in Ireland and New Zealand, number eight in Canada and Germany, and number 10 in the United States. Its music video was directed by Paris Barclay, but didn't feature Vandross and Jackson. The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
"Endless Love" is a song written by Lionel Richie and originally recorded as a duet between Richie and singer/actress Diana Ross. In this ballad, the singers declare their "endless love" for one another. It was covered by Luther Vandross with R&B-pop singer Mariah Carey, and also by country music singer Shania Twain. Richie's friend Kenny Rogers also recorded the song. Billboard has named the original version as the greatest song duet of all time.
Songs is the ninth studio album by American R&B/soul singer-songwriter Luther Vandross. It was released by Epic Records on September 20, 1994. The album, a collection of cover versions, produced the singles "Endless Love", "Always and Forever", and "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now". According to an interview both Vandross and Mariah Carey gave in Japan following the release of their duet "Endless Love", there was mention that Carey had given advice as to what songs Vandross would cover on this album.
The Best of Luther Vandross... The Best of Love is the first compilation album by American singer Luther Vandross, released on October 4, 1989. It contains two previously unreleased songs, "Here and Now"—which became Vandross' first top ten pop hit and won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male in 1991—and the 1990 US #5 R&B single "Treat You Right".
One Night with You: The Best of Love, Volume 2 is the third compilation album released by American singer Luther Vandross, released on September 15, 1997, by Epic Records. It is his second compilation album to be released stateside, and is a continuation of his triple-platinum selling first compilation The Best of Luther Vandross... The Best of Love (1989). One Night with You contains four newly recorded songs including the R. Kelly-penned and Grammy-nominated "When You Call on Me/Baby That's When I Come Runnin'" and selections compiled from his later studio albums such as Songs (1994), This Is Christmas (1995), Never Let Me Go (1993), Power of Love (1991) and Your Secret Love (1996).
The Essential Luther Vandross is a greatest hits album by American singer Luther Vandross, released on March 5, 2002 in the UK and June 10, 2003 in the US, by Sony Music and Legacy Recordings as part of The Essential Series. The two-disc compilation features thirty-five tracks from Vandross's recording catalog. The collection contains R&B and pop hit songs spanning from Vandross earlier albums to the later—Dance with My Father, a Grammy win for Best R&B Album.
Luther Vandross is the twelfth studio album by American singer Luther Vandross. It was released by J Records on June 19, 2001 in the United States. His debut with the label after a brief stint with Virgin Records on I Know (1998), it marked a departure for Vandross who reunited with frequent collaborators Nat Adderley, Jr. and Marcus Miller to work on some songs, but also recruited a wider range of contemporary producers such as Warryn Campbell, Shep Crawford, Eddie F., Darren Lighty, Soulshock, and The Underdogs to contribute material.
"Sweet Thing" is a song performed by American funk and R&B band Rufus with vocals by band member Chaka Khan. As a single, it peaked number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1976. Mary J. Blige recorded her version, which charted in the United States and New Zealand in 1993.
The Ultimate Luther Vandross is a greatest hits album by American R&B/soul singer Luther Vandross, released in 2001. The compilation was re-released in 2006 with a different track listing, along with two previously unreleased songs. The unreleased cut "Got You Home" which appears on the 2006 edition of the compilation, earned Vandross a posthumous nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 49th Grammy Awards in 2007.
Naughty is the second solo album by American R&B and funk singer Chaka Khan, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1980.
Queen Latifah is an American rapper, jazz/blues singer, and actress. Born Dana Owens, she has released seven studio albums, six of which were hip hop-influenced albums and two that were all-singing jazz-influenced albums. She has released a total of twenty-three singles as well. She has been given the title the "Queen of Jazz Rap".
Chaka Khan is the fourth solo album by American singer Chaka Khan. It was released on the Warner Bros. Records label on November 17, 1982. Khan worked with frequent collaborator Arif Mardin on the album, who would produce all the tracks on Chaka Khan. The "Be Bop Medley" won the pair Grammy Award for Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices at the 26th awards ceremony.
Chaka is the debut solo album by American singer Chaka Khan. It was released on October 12, 1978 through Warner Bros. Records. Following the release of the Chaka album, Khan reunited with Rufus for the recording of 1979's Masterjam, produced by Quincy Jones. Her second solo album Naughty followed in 1980.
Epiphany: The Best of Chaka Khan, Vol. 1 is a compilation album of recordings by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, first released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1996. Although the compilation, which reached #22 on Billboard's R&B chart and #84 on Pop, was given the "Vol. 1" tag, it remains without a sequel to date.
The Rush is a song by American recording R&B artist Luther Vandross', released as the third single from his 1991 album, Power of Love. It reached number six on the US R&B Singles chart and peaked at number 73 on Billboard's Hot 100 in January 1992. The next single to follow was "Sometimes It's Only Love".
"Sometimes It's Only Love" is a 1991 song by American recording artist Luther Vandross. The single was released in 1992 in support of his album Power of Love. The song was a top ten hit on the Billboard's Hot R&B Singles and Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks.
"Every Year, Every Christmas" is a song by American singer Luther Vandross. It was written by Vandross and Richard Marx for his tenth studio album, the holiday album This Is Christmas (1995), while production was helmed by Vandross. The original Christmas song received moderate rotation on radio and peaked at number 32 on the US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. Singer Patti LaBelle also covered the song, which appeared on her 2007 Christmas album Miss Patti's Christmas. The LaBelle version was spoken at the end the song dedicated to Vandross.