A Motown Christmas
Encyclopedia
A Motown Christmas is a Christmas music
compilation album
, originally released as a 2-LP set by Motown Records
in 1973. It contains various seasonal singles and album tracks recorded by some of the label's artists from the 1960s and early 1970s.
In 1992, the album was reissued on compact disc
, with all 24 tracks from the original album on one CD. In 1999, a new single-CD version was released, with a bonus track by Marvin Gaye
added ("I Want to Come Home for Christmas").
A second compilation, A Motown Christmas, Volume 2, was issued on CD in 2001.
Side 2
Side 3
Side 4
Christmas music
Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music normally performed or heard around the Christmas season, which tends to begin in the months leading up the actual holiday and end in the weeks shortly thereafter.-Early:...
compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, originally released as a 2-LP set by Motown Records
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
in 1973. It contains various seasonal singles and album tracks recorded by some of the label's artists from the 1960s and early 1970s.
In 1992, the album was reissued on compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
, with all 24 tracks from the original album on one CD. In 1999, a new single-CD version was released, with a bonus track by Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
added ("I Want to Come Home for Christmas").
A second compilation, A Motown Christmas, Volume 2, was issued on CD in 2001.
Track listing
Side 1- "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" – The Jackson 5The Jackson 5The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
- "What Christmas Means to MeWhat Christmas Means to Me"What Christmas Means to Me" is a Christmas song written by Anna Gordy Gaye, George "Horgay" Gordy and Allen Story.The song was first recorded by Stevie Wonder for his 1967 Christmas album, Someday at Christmas released in both stereo and monoaural by Tamla Records ; the song was produced by Henry...
" – Stevie WonderStevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist... - "Rudolph the Red-Nosed ReindeerRudolph the Red-Nosed ReindeerRudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer is a fictional reindeer with a glowing red nose. He is popularly known as "Santa's 9th Reindeer" and, when depicted, is the lead reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. The luminosity of his nose is so great that it illuminates the team's path through...
" – The TemptationsThe TemptationsThe Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,... - "My Favorite ThingsMy Favorite Things (song)"My Favorite Things" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music.-The Sound of Music version:The song was first introduced by Mary Martin in the original Broadway production, and sung by Julie Andrews in the 1965 film.In the musical, the lyrics to the song are a...
" – The SupremesThe SupremesThe Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco... - "Deck the Halls/Bring a Torch, Jeanette, IsabellaBring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella"Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabelle" is a Christmas carol which originated from the Provence region of France in the 16th century. The song is usually notated in 3/8 time....
" – Smokey RobinsonSmokey RobinsonWilliam "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy... - "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa ClausI Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" is an American Christmas song with music and lyrics by Tommie Connor.The original recording by Jimmy Boyd on 15 July 1952 when he was 13 reached #1 on the Billboard charts in December 1952, and on the Cash Box chart at the beginning of the following year...
" – The Jackson 5
Side 2
- "Ave MariaAve MariaAve Maria may refer to:*Ave Maria , the "Hail Mary", a traditional Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox prayer calling for the intercession of Mary, the mother of Jesus-Music:...
" – Stevie Wonder - "Silent NightSilent Night"Silent Night" is a popular Christmas carol. The original lyrics of the song "Stille Nacht" were written in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria, by the priest Father Joseph Mohr and the melody was composed by the Austrian headmaster Franz Xaver Gruber...
" – The Temptations - "Little Christmas Tree" – Michael JacksonMichael JacksonMichael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
- "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" – Smokey Robinson
- "The Christmas SongThe Christmas Song"The Christmas Song" is a classic Christmas song written in 1944 by musician, composer, and vocalist Mel Tormé and Bob Wells. According to Tormé, the song was written during a blistering hot summer...
" – The Jackson 5 - "Joy to the WorldJoy to the World"Joy to the World" is a Christian Christmas carol.The words are by English hymn writer Isaac Watts, based on Psalm 98 in the Bible. The song was first published in 1719 in Watts' collection; The Psalms of David: Imitated in the language of the New Testament, and applied to the Christian state and...
" – The Supremes
Side 3
- "The Little Drummer Boy" – The Temptations
- "Silver Bells" – The Supremes
- "Someday at Christmas" – Stevie Wonder
- "Frosty the SnowmanFrosty the Snowman"Frosty the Snowman" is a popular song written by Walter "Jack" Rollins and Steve Nelson, and first recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950. It was written after the success of Autry's recording of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" the previous year; Rollins and Nelson shipped the...
" – The Jackson 5 - "Jingle BellsJingle Bells"Jingle Bells" is one of the best-known and commonly sung winter songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont and published under the title "One Horse Open Sleigh" in the autumn of 1857...
" – Smokey Robinson - "My Christmas Tree" – The Temptations
Side 4
- "White ChristmasWhite ChristmasA white Christmas refers to the presence of snow on Christmas Day. This phenomenon is most common in the northern countries of the Northern Hemisphere...
" – The Supremes - "One Little Christmas Tree" – Stevie Wonder
- "Give Love on Christmas DayGive Love on Christmas Day"Give Love on Christmas Day" is a Christmas song first recorded by Motown Records' family quintet The Jackson 5. Written by the label's songwriting-producing team, The Corporation , the song was recorded for the Jackson brothers' 1970 seasonal album, entitled The Jackson 5 Christmas Album...
" – The Jackson 5 - "It's Christmas Time" – Smokey Robinson
- "Children's Christmas Song" – The Supremes
- "Have Yourself a Merry Little ChristmasHave Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is a song introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis. Frank Sinatra later recorded a version with modified lyrics, which has become more common than the original. The song was written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane...
" – The Jackson 5