Christmas Island (album)
Encyclopedia
Christmas Island is a 1996 collection of Jimmy Buffett's
Christmas-themed music
and is his 22nd studio album. It features covers of popular Christmas
songs in Buffett's musical stylings as well as two tracks which Buffett wrote for the album. "Twas the Night Before Christmas" is a hidden track
.
season. "Ho Ho Ho & A Bottle Of Rum" was the track chosen to be played live for promoting the album when first released, and seems to remain the most popular off the album. Although no singles
were released, "Jingle Bells
", "Mele Kalikimaka
", "Ho Ho Ho & A Bottle Of Rum" and "Merry Christmas, Alabama (Never Far From Home)" get considerable amount of radio
airplay during the season. Another Buffett song, "Christmas In The Caribbean" (released as a single in 1985 and later on Boats, Beaches, Bars & Ballads
) is also known to be a favorite on radio stations.
Jimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
Christmas-themed music
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:...
and is his 22nd studio album. It features covers of popular Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
songs in Buffett's musical stylings as well as two tracks which Buffett wrote for the album. "Twas the Night Before Christmas" is a hidden track
Hidden track
In the field of recorded music, a hidden track is a piece of music that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, vinyl record or other recorded medium in such a way as to avoid detection by the casual listener...
.
Reception
Reviews tend to be mixed for the album. In a positive review, a reviewer states that "[Christmas Island] will have you on your feet all through the holidays." Rob O'Connor states writes that "this may not be the traditional Christmas fare of chestnuts roasting on an open fire, but for those who enjoy ocean breezes and 'wasting away' to this most successful beach bum, Christmas Island is exactly what the cruise director ordered." Thom Owens presents a more negative view of the album, describing Buffet as being "relaxed and entertaining" even though, "few of his new Christmas songs are remarkable and his rearrangements of classic carols are rather forced." However, several tracks remain very popular around the ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
season. "Ho Ho Ho & A Bottle Of Rum" was the track chosen to be played live for promoting the album when first released, and seems to remain the most popular off the album. Although no singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
were released, "Jingle Bells
Jingle 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...
", "Mele Kalikimaka
Mele Kalikimaka
"Mele Kalikimaka" is a Hawaiian-themed Christmas song that takes its title from the Hawaiian phrase, "Mele Kalikimaka," meaning "Merry Christmas." The phrase is borrowed directly from English, but, since Hawaiian has a different phonological system "Mele Kalikimaka" is a Hawaiian-themed Christmas...
", "Ho Ho Ho & A Bottle Of Rum" and "Merry Christmas, Alabama (Never Far From Home)" get considerable amount of radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
airplay during the season. Another Buffett song, "Christmas In The Caribbean" (released as a single in 1985 and later on Boats, Beaches, Bars & Ballads
Boats, Beaches, Bars & Ballads
Boats, Beaches, Bars & Ballads is a four-compact disc compilation box set of Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band's greatest hits, rarities, and previously unreleased songs. Released in 1992, the collection reached quadruple platinum.-Boats:...
) is also known to be a favorite on radio stations.
Track listing
- Christmas Island
- 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...
- A Sailor's Christmas - written by Buffett
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over)Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"Happy Xmas " is a song written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono and released in 1971 as a single by John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir....
- written by John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music... - Up On The House TopUp on the House Top"Up on the House Top" is a Christmas song written by Benjamin Hanby in 1864 in the town of New Paris, Ohio.. It has been recorded by a multitude of singers, among the most notable Gene Autry, who is also known for his version of the classic "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer".-History:According to...
- Mele KalikimakaMele Kalikimaka"Mele Kalikimaka" is a Hawaiian-themed Christmas song that takes its title from the Hawaiian phrase, "Mele Kalikimaka," meaning "Merry Christmas." The phrase is borrowed directly from English, but, since Hawaiian has a different phonological system "Mele Kalikimaka" is a Hawaiian-themed Christmas...
- Run Rudolph RunRun Rudolph Run"Run, Rudolph, Run" is a Christmas song popularized by Chuck Berry and written by Johnny Marks and Marvin Brodie and published by St. Nicholas Music . The song was first recorded by Berry in 1958 and released as Chess Records 1714...
- Ho Ho Ho & A Bottle Of Rum
- I'll Be Home For Christmas
- Merry Christmas, Alabama (Never Far From Home) - written by Matt Betton.
- A Visit from St. NicholasA Visit from St. Nicholas"A Visit from St. Nicholas", also known as "The Night Before Christmas" and "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" from its first line, is a poem first published anonymously in 1823 and generally attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, although the claim has also been made that it was written by Henry...
(hidden trackHidden trackIn the field of recorded music, a hidden track is a piece of music that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, vinyl record or other recorded medium in such a way as to avoid detection by the casual listener...
)