Christmas Means Love

Joan Osborne - Christmas Means Love

Christmas Means Love
List Price: $12.98
Our Price: $8.91
You Save: $4.07 (31%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $2.45 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more new music releases
Listen soundtracks from this album



(Click here)
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store

Music CD Cover

Artist: Joan Osborne
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2007-09-11
Music Label: Time Life Records
Soundtracks:
  1. Christmas Means Love
  2. Santa Claus Baby
  3. Away In a Manger
  4. Christmas Must Be Tonight
  5. Cherry Tree Carol
  6. Christmas In New Orleans
  7. Children Go Where I Send Thee
  8. Angels We Have Heard On High
  9. What Do Bad Girls Get?
  10. Great Day In December
  11. Silent Night

Free Music Notes for Christmas Means Love

Free Music Review: Brilliant but hard to classify
Hit: 5 Stars

Having been raised in Kentucky, Joan might have been expected to seek a musical career in country or bluegrass music, but she headed instead for New York where she was able to find her own musical style, blending jazz, blues, soul and pop with some country added into the mix when it suits her. Not that you'll find much evidence of Joan's country roots here, as this album tends to rely more on jazz, blues and soul influences; the liner notes suggest Billie Holiday, Ray Charles and Etta James as obvious influences and that`s fine by me as I`m a fan of all three singers. The results are brilliant, as even the obvious songs (Away in a manger, Silent night) prove, both of them sounding very distinctive here.

Actually, Joan generally steers clear of the obvious songs, preferring to go for original, obscure or rarely-recorded songs elsewhere on the album. I believe Christmas must be tonight (written by Robbie Robertson) was originally recorded by The Band. I don't remember hearing any other recording of this song so I'm pleased that Joan chose to revive it. Another oldie is the jazz/blues classic Christmas in New Orleans, which Joan also revives to great effect. In its full length version, as heard on Mary Chapin Carpenter's Christmas album Come darkness come light, there are twelve verses to Children go where I send thee, but Joan chose to only do the first four verses although she included a long fade-out.

Cherry tree carol is a traditional song that often turns up on choral Christmas albums but rarely on a mainstream album, so it's another inspired choice by Joan. Another traditional carol, Angels we have heard on high, occasionally turns up on mainstream albums, but not so often that you'd get tired of hearing it. The remaining four songs (Christmas means love, Santa Claus baby, What do bad girls get?, Great day in December) are all new to me and may well be originals. Indeed, Joan actually wrote my favorite among them, What do bad girls get?, so that one's definitely original and it leaves one to wonder what inspired Joan to write that song, as well as leaving one wondering what Santa gives to those bad girls.

This is a wonderful Christmas album that largely avoids the obvious tracks (and therefore won't appeal to those who just want to hear the same old classics). If you enjoy a blend of jazz, blues and soul music and you are looking for Christmas music that is a little different from the more typical alternatives, this could be just what you're looking for.

Christmas Means Love Poster

Critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Joan Osborne captures the essence of the holidays on Christmas Means Love with her versatile voice that easily goes from delicate and evocative to jazzy and glorious. Following in the tradition of Breakfast in Bed (Osborne?s May 2007 album of soul covers and original R&B-styled songs), here Osborne sings her heart out on 11 holiday songs backed by a rootsy blues band and, at times, a choir. This intimate seasonal album is a perfect balance of the secular (Santa Claus Baby) and the sacred (Away in the Manger), both sassy (What Do Bad Girls Get?) and somber (Angels We Have Heard On High). In all, Osborne?s Christmas Means Love is a wonderfully earthy approach to heavenly holiday music.

Miscellaneous Music CDs

Music Genres
Top music charts in Miscellaneous Music CDs
Slow Fade (As Read By Will Oldham) ImageRudolph Wurlitzer - Slow Fade (As Read By Will Oldham)
Release date: 2011-05-03; Music CD
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops: $25.49
3 Fools 4 April Image3 Fools 4 April - 3 Fools 4 April
Release date: 2008-03-25; Published: 2006; Music CD
Best price: $7.20
Price in other shops: $31.98
Sing Like the Stars ImageJudy Clark - Sing Like the Stars
Release date: 2008-07-22; Published: 2008; Music CD
Best price: $23.99
Price in other shops: $33.49
Race and Win: Race Boat Crewing with Tucker Thompson ImageRace and Win: Race Boat Crewing with Tucker Thompson
Bennett; Release date: 2007-01-01; DVD
Best price: $31.25
Price in other shops: $34.95
Coming Home to our Appetite: Guided Imagery ImageRebecca Cooper - Coming Home to our Appetite: Guided Imagery
Release date: 2009-06-01; Music CD
Best price: $12.01
Price in other shops: $12.95
Bull-Jean Stories ImageSharon Bridgforth - Bull-Jean Stories
Release date: 2005-12-27; Published: 1999; Music CD
Best price: $14.74
Price in other shops: $18.99
The ABCs of Violin for the Intermediate, Book 2: Performance CD ImageJanice Tucker Rhoda - The ABCs of Violin for the Intermediate, Book 2: Performance CD
Release date: 2009-03-17; Music CD
Best price: $11.99
Price in other shops: $15.95
You Can Dance - Waltz [VHS] ImageYou Can Dance - You Can Dance - Waltz [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1999-05-25; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $2.49
Price in other shops: $19.95
You Can Dance - Rhumba [VHS] ImageYou Can Dance - You Can Dance - Rhumba [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1999-05-25; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops: $19.95
Dino Collector's Series ImageDino - Dino Collector's Series
Benson Records; Published: 1998-07-01; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $9.14
Top Rated Albums
Standing in the Shadows of Motown ImageStanding in the Shadows of Motown
STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN; Release date: 2002-09-24; Music CD
Best price: $9.32
Price in other shops: $13.98
One of Us ImageJoan Osborne - One of Us
Release date: 2005-09-20; Music CD
Best price: $7.99
Price in other shops: $15.98
Righteous Love ImageJoan Osborne - Righteous Love
Release date: 2000-09-12; Published: 2000-09-12; Music CD
Best price: $7.59
Price in other shops: $13.98
Best Of Joan Osborne - The Millennium Collection [Eco-Friendly Packaging] ImageJoan Osborne - Best Of Joan Osborne - The Millennium Collection [Eco-Friendly Packaging]
Release date: 2007-07-24; Music CD
Best price: $4.95
Price in other shops: $9.98
Relish ImageJoan Osborne - Relish
Release date: 1995-03-21; Music CD
Best price: $2.24
Price in other shops: $13.98
Early Recordings ImageJoan Osborne - Early Recordings
Release date: 1996-11-05; Published: 1996-11-05; Music CD
Best price: $3.69
Price in other shops: $11.98
Pretty Little Stranger ImageJoan Osborne - Pretty Little Stranger
Release date: 2006-11-14; Music CD
Best price: $3.77
Price in other shops: $17.98
How Sweet It Is ImageJoan Osborne - How Sweet It Is
Baker & Taylor; Release date: 2002-09-17; Music CD
Best price: $1.93
Price in other shops: $18.98
Little Wild One ImageJoan Osborne - Little Wild One
Release date: 2008-09-09; Music CD
Best price: $6.27
Price in other shops: $18.98
Breakfast in Bed ImageJoan Osborne - Breakfast in Bed
Release date: 2007-05-22; Music CD
Best price: $5.16
Price in other shops: $11.98
Compare prices and find music notes for more than one million Music CD titles