Amy Grant - Home for Christmas
List Price:
Our Price: $6.84
You Save: $5.10 (43%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $4.98 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more new music releases
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Music CD Cover
Artist: Amy GrantEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2007-09-18
Music Label: Sparrow
Soundtracks:
- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
- It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
- Joy to the World/For Unto Us a Child Is Born
- Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)
- O'Come All Ye Faithful
- Grown-Up Christmas List
- Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
- Winter Wonderland
- I'll Be Home for Christmas
- The Night Before Christmas
- Emmanuel, God With Us
- Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring [Instrumental]
Free Music Notes for Home for Christmas
Free Music Review: A Nearly Flawless Christmas CD
Hit: 5 Stars
Amy Grant does Christmas albums RIGHT. Most artists make uninspired CDs chock-full of the same-old same-old, and their original songs are bland and boring filler. On the other hand, Amy Grant somehow manages to craft original songs that are just as much fun to listen to as ye olde tried and true, and takes classics and charges them with renewed energy, hope, and wonder. Every time I listen to the classics she recreates here, I feel like I'm listening to them for the first time. That's really saying something.
She one-ups her previous Christmas album in two ways: firstly, because her voice has aged and gained some richness and depth, which is marvelous to listen to. Secondly, she took that hateful 80s synth and replaced it with an orchestra. The result? This album is practically timeless.
"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" always gives me chills -- mostly because it's so moving, joyful, and fun (and partially because I'm so excited that the album is starting, haha). "Joy to the World" and "For Unto Us..." are also fantastic. These three tried and true golden oldies set the tone for the disc; Amy Grant brings her own great style and optimism to them, never letting them sink into mediocrity. The full orchestra and the command of dynamics, combined with Amy Grant's rich voice, transforms these common songs into magnificent showstoppers.
The star of this collection is definitely "Mary's Song (Breath of Heaven)," which always brings a tear to my eye. Quiet, thoughtful, and melancholy, it takes a very unique view of the Virgin Mary -- moving beyond the picture-perfect creche Barbie Doll to illustrate a flesh-and-blood human being with very human worries. This has always been my favorite song on the album. In fact, it is my favorite Amy Grant song of all time. It's remarkably stirring and I dare a first-time listener NOT to wipe away a tear at the end of it.
The only lackluster songs to me are "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" (which I have always nodded off at, even since childhood), "Grown-Up Christmas List" (which is uninspired, goofy, fluffy, and meaningless), and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (which offers no substantial difference from the billions of renditions out there).
"Winter Wonderland" and "I'll Be Home for Christmas" are quite pretty and enjoyable, but lean into mediocre territory. Like the songs preceding them, there is not much to differentiate them from all of the other versions out there. I appreciate them now only for nostalgia's sake, and they're great in a mix.
Ironically, I like the last three original arrangements much more than the traditional songs. "The Night Before Christmas" is so darn happy that it never fails to make me grin. I think that's because it manages to invoke the same spirit of hope that "Mary's Song" does -- that is, it says, "Hey, we're all fallible human beings here. This holiday is not just for all of those picture-perfect people; it's for everybody. Come on, join us, be glad!" The tune is a delight, too, especially with the addition of that children's chorus.
"Emmanuel, God with Us" attracted me mostly because of its tune; starting out with few traditional instruments, reaching the uplifting, fantastic, and exciting chorus with all instruments at once, then dropping back with only one or two instruments. I'm usually enjoying the music too much to listen to the words, admittedly, which is quite wrong, as there are lovely lyrics to go along with the lovely melody.
My second-favorite song on the album is definitely "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring." What a great song to go out on! It begins traditionally, slowly, quite pretty, your typical arrangement... and at first you think that Amy is going to leave you hanging. Then, BAM! it turns into a foot-stomping dance, complete with violins and a full orchestra. I can always imagine a warm, golden common room filled with joyful, dancing common folk.
In fact, I think there's definitely a common theme for this album -- that Christmas is for everyone, every fallible and silly human being out there. This is probably why I've always liked it so much.
In the end, this is my favorite Christmas album. Sure, there are some low points to it, but with such awesome and unique songs and such lovely reimaginings, how could anyone dislike it?
Christian & Gospel Music CDs
Music Genres
Top music charts in Christian & Gospel Music CDs
![Welcome Home [VHS] Image](/images/Welcome-Home-VHS-6304326335-X.jpg){kind=small}
Ron Kenoly - Welcome Home [VHS]Sony; Release date: 1997-01-21; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $24.95
![Amy Grant's Old Fashioned Christmas [VHS] Image](/images/noimg.gif)
Amy Grant - Amy Grant's Old Fashioned Christmas [VHS]A&M Video; Release date: 1992-10-06; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $19.90
![Roots of Gospel 1 [VHS] Image](/images/Roots-of-Gospel-1-VHS-6301944860-X.jpg){kind=small}
Roots of Gospel - Roots of Gospel 1 [VHS]Xenon; Release date: 1994-06-07; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $3.99
Price in other shops:
Bed Bug Bible Gang - Dandy Dreams [VHS]Insp Music; Release date: 2002-10-21; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $44.98
Southern Classic Series - Southern Gospel Alive 2 [VHS]Homeland Records; Release date: 2002-09-10; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $12.98
Price in other shops:
Your Path, Buddha's PathAnahata Press; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $10.82
Price in other shops:
Bed Bug Bible Gang - God's Little Heroes [VHS]Insp Music; Release date: 2002-10-21; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.98
Price in other shops:
![What's Love Got to Do With It [VHS] Image](/images/What-Love-Got-to-Do-With-It-VHS-1578555051-X.jpg){kind=small}
T.D. Jakes - What's Love Got to Do With It [VHS]Td Jakes; Release date: 2000-05-16; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $15.95
Price in other shops:
![Gospel According to Al Green [VHS] Image](/images/Gospel-According-to-Al-Green-VHS-1572524049-X.jpg){kind=small}
Gospel According to Al Green [VHS]Winstar; Release date: 1998-12-22; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $6.68
Price in other shops:
U Kids Favorite Sing-A-LongsMadacy Entertainment Group; Published: 1998-01; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $7.79
Price in other shops:
Top Rated Albums
Carpenters - Christmas PortraitCARPENTERS; Release date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $7.27
Price in other shops:
Celine Dion - These Are Special TimesDION,CELINE; Release date: 1998-11-03; Music CD
Best price: $3.92
Price in other shops:
Mariah Carey - Merry ChristmasCAREY,MARIAH; Release date: 1994-11-01; Music CD
Best price: $3.70
Price in other shops:
Mary Did You Know?: 17 Inspirational Christmas Songs From Today's Top Country ArtistsRelease date: 2007-10-09; Music CD
Best price: $12.75
Price in other shops:
Vince Gill - Breath Of Heaven: A Christmas CollectionGILL,VINCE; Release date: 2002-08-27; Music CD
Best price: $1.74
Price in other shops:
Amy Grant - Christmas to RememberRelease date: 2007-09-18; Music CD
Best price: $3.00
Price in other shops:
Martina Mcbride - White ChristmasRelease date: 2007-10-02; Music CD
Best price: $3.30
Price in other shops:
Amy Grant - Christmas Album / Christmas to RememberRelease date: 2011-09-27; Music CD
Best price: $9.39
Price in other shops:
Amy Grant - Christmas AlbumRelease date: 2007-09-18; Music CD
Best price: $6.25
Price in other shops:
Amy Grant - The Christmas CollectionRelease date: 2008-09-30; Published: 2008-09-01; Music CD
Best price: $6.79
Price in other shops: