Released October 13, 1998 & Re-released September 14, 1999
Produced by Martina McBride and Paul Worley
Arranged and Conducted by Dennis Burnside
Album
photography by Andrew Eccles
1.Do You Hear What I Hear*
2. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
3. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
4. O Come All Ye Faithful*
5. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
6. O Holy Night
7. Silver Bells
8. Away In A Manger
9. White Christmas
10. What Child Is This
11.I'll Be Home For Christmas
12. Silent Night
*Found on the re-released 1999 version only
The Album
"I've always wanted to do a Christmas album, and I felt like this was the right time. It was fun, because it didn't have the same pressure involved as doing a new studio album. A Christmas album is full of songs that have already been done, and you just put your personal stamp on it. Creatively it was a nice breath of fresh air for me. It was just music for the sake of doing music. I really wanted it to be very classic and nostalgic, like the Christmas albums you heard as a kid. I remember hearing the same ones every year growing up. When I was doing this album, I knew what I wanted it to sound like--the Ray Conniff records, the Johnny Mathis Christmas record--the kind of album that I want to put on at a Christmas party or when I'm wrapping presents or trimming the tree. I wanted classic songs done in a classic way.
White Christmas was a chance to sing in a totally different way. I mean, those melodies are written differently. I was very conscious of wanting to sing in a way that did justice to the musical style. I wanted to sing it in a way that was interesting but simple. I just kept true to the idea of crooning and being there for the song.
We don't usually get to sing with orchestras, maybe one cut on an album if we're lucky. So to sing a whole album with an orchestra and to hear the arrangements and the power, it's incredible!" Martina McBride
Written by Noel Regney and Gloria Shayne
Said the night wind to the little lamb
Do you see what I see
Way up in the sky little lamb
Do you see what I see
A star, a star
Dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kite
With a tail as big as a kite
Said the little lamb to the shepard boy
Do you hear what I hear
Ringing through the sky shepard boy
Do you hear what I hear
A song, a song
High above the tree
With a voice as big as the sea
With a voice as big as the sea
Said the shepard boy to the mighty king
Do you know what I know
In your palace wall mighty king
Do you know what I know
A child, a child
Shivers in the cold
Let us bring him silver and gold
Let us bring him silver and gold
Said the king to the people everywhere
Listen to what I say
Pray for peace people everywhere
Listen to what I say
The child, the child
Sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light
The child, the child
Sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light
Have Yourself A Merry Little
Christmas
Written by Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the yuletide gay
From now on our troubles will be far away
Here we are as in golden days
Happy golden days of your
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more
Through the years we all will be together
If the fates allow
Hang a shining star up on the highest bough
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now
Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of your
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more
Through the years, we all will be together
If the fates allow
Hang a shing star up on the highest bough
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
Written by Jule Styne & Sammy Cahn
Oh the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we've no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
Oh it doesn't show signs of stopping
And I bought some corn for popping
The lights are turned way down low
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
When we finally kiss goodnight
How I hate going out in the storm
But if you really hold me tight
All the way home I'll be warm
Oh the fire is slowly dying
And my dear were still good-bying
But as long as you love me so
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
O Come All Ye Faithful
Written by Adeste Fideles
English words by Frederick
Oakeley
Latin words attributed to John Francis Wade
Music by John Reading
O come all ye faithful
Joyful and triumphant
O come ye, o come ye
To Bethlehem
Come and behold him
Born the King of angels
O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him
Christ the lord
Sing, choirs of angels
Sing in exultation
O sing, all ye citizens
Of heaven above
Glory to God
Glory in the highest
Oh come let us adore him
O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him
Christ the Lord
O come all ye faithful
Joyful and triumphant
O come ye, o come ye
To Bethlehem
Come and behold him
Born the King of angels
O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him
Christ the Lord
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
Written by Mel Torme & Robert Wells
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
Dressed up like Eskimos
Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe
Help to make the season bright
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow
Will find it hard to sleep tonight
They know that Santa's on his way
He's bringing lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
And every mother's child is gonna spy
To see if reindeer really know how to fly
And so I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from 1 to 92
Although it's been said many times, many ways
Merry Christmas to you
They know that Santa's on his way
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
And every mother's child is gonna spy
To see if reindeer really know how to fly
And so I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from 1 to 92
Although it's been said many times, many ways
Merry Christmas to you
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas Merry Christmas to you
O Holy Night
Written by Adolphe Adam
O Holy Night
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the one in sin and ever-pining
Till he appeared
And the soul felt it's worth
The thrill of hope
The weary world rejoices
For yonder brinks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees
O hear the angel voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night divine
O night, o night divine
O Holy Night
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the one In sin and ever-pining
Till he appeared
And the soul felt it's worth
The thrill of hope
The weary world rejoices
For yonder brinks
A new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees
O hear the angel voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night divine
O night, o night divine
Silver Bells
Written by Jay Livingston & Ray Evans
City sidewalks, busy sidewalks
Dressed in holiday style
In the air there's a feeling
Of Christmas
Children laughing, people passing
Meeting smile after smile
And on every street corner you'll hear
Silver bells
Silver bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring-a-ling
Hear them ring
Soon it will be Christmas
Day Strings of streetlights, even stoplights
Blink of bright red and green
As the shoppers rush home with their treasures
Hear the snow crunch
See the kids bunch
This is Santa's big scene
And above all the bustle you'll hear
Silver bells
Silver bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring-a-ling
Hear them ring
Soon it will be Christmas Day
Soon it will be Christmas Day
Away In A Manger
Written by Anonymous, John T. McFarland & James R. Murray
Away in a manger
No crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus
Lay down his sweet head
The stars in the sky
Look down where lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep in the hay
The cattle are lowing
The poor baby wakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying he makes
I love thee Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle
Till morning is high
Away in a manger
No crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus
Lay down his sweet head
The stars in the heavens
Look down where he lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay
Away in a manger
No crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus
Lay down his sweet head
I love thee Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle
Till morning is nigh
Stay by my cradle
Till morning is nigh
White Christmas
Written by Irving Berlin
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card around
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
ust like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card around
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white
And may all your Christmases be white
What Child Is This
A
16th Century English Melody, Arranged by William C. Dix
What child is this
Who lay to rest
On Mary's lap is sleeping
Whom angels greet with anthomsweet
While shepards watch our keeping
This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepards gaurd and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him grace
The babe, the son of Mary
So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh
Come peasant King to own him
The King of Kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone him
This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepards gaurd and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him grace
The babe, the son of Mary
This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepards gaurd and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him grace
The babe, the son of Mary
The babe, the son of Mary
I'll Be Home For Christmas
Written by Walter Kent, Kim Gannon & Buck Ram
I'll be home for Christmas
You can count on me
Please have snow and misltetoe
And presents on the tree
Christmas Eve will find me
With a love like me
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
I'll be home for Christmas
There'll be snow and mistletoe
Christmas Eve wil find me
With a love like me
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
If only in my dreams
Silent Night
Written by Joseph Mohr & Franz Gruber
Silent night Holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon mother Virgin and child
Holy infant, so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night Holy night
Shepards quake at the sight
Glory streams from heaven above
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born
Silent night Holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin Mother and child
Holy infant, so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
