Track Listing

1. Everyone's A Kid At Christmas - Stevie Wonder
2. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Jackson 5
3. Winter Wonderland - The Funk Brothers
4. Let It Snow - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
5. Christmas Here With You - Four Tops, Aretha Franklin
6. The Miracles Of Christmas - Stevie Wonder
7. Joy To The World - The Supremes
8. Merry Christmas Baby - Four Tops
9. Children's Christmas Song - The Supremes
10. Purple Snowflakes - Marvin Gaye
11. Give Love On Christmas Day - Jackson 5
12. One Little Christmas Tree - Stevie Wonder
13. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
14. White Christmas - The Temptations
15. Frosty The Snowman - Jackson 5
16. Silent Night - The Temptations
17. This Christmas - Diana Ross
18. Christmas Everyday - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #62756 in Music
• Released on: 2001-10-08
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 54 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Pop music wise, Christmas is traditionally soundtracked by that "blimmin' Slade tune" and a host of even more irksome ditties. So, thank the Lord for Berry Gordy and his Hitsville roster, whose A Christmas Present From Motown Volume 1 features 18 soulful seasonal songs. Selections include traditional carols, Christmas evergreens and a smattering of specially written festive numbers, mostly recorded during Motown's 60s and early 70s heyday. The Temptations offer a swoonsome croonsome Bing-like reading of "White Christmas", alongside their doo-wop gospel take on "Silent Night". On a more up-tempo tip are Smokey's self-penned shuffler, "Christmas Every Day", and the Jackson 5's playful "Frosty The Snowman". The Four Tops are dreaming of a blues Christmas with the bourbon soaked "Merry Christmas Baby"; Marvin Gaye's "Purple Snowflakes" is a balmy beauty; and Stevie Wonder contributes a trio of tunes in the supper club soul style of his early Tamla hits. Somewhat predictably, Diana Ross provides the only mawkish moment. "Children's Christmas Song" is as hideous as it sounds and yes, there's a vomit-inducing spoken interlude and a kids chorus. Program your CD to skip this track and have a merry Christmas. --Chris King

Customer Reviews

First of two great compilations
Many Motown stars recorded Christmas albums and tracks from those albums have been the source of many Motown Christmas compilations. This is one of a pair of British budget compilations that are as good as any I've seen, with an excellent mix of famous and obscure songs and all the singers you expect to hear.

Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Jackson five and Stevie Wonder are each represented by three tracks. The Temptations and Diana Ross and the Supremes each get two tracks, though Diana also gets a solo track. The Four Tops also get two, including one featuring guest vocalist Aretha Franklin. The Funk brothers and Marvin Gaye have one track each.

For me, the highlights are Everyone's a kid at Christmas time (Stevie Wonder), Merry Christmas baby (Four tops), (Temptations), One little Christmas tree (Stevie Wonder), Purple snowflakes (Marvin Gaye) and Christmas everyday (Smokey Robinson and the Miracles) but there are many great tracks here and you may have different favorites.

This compilation stands on its own or as a companion to the equally brilliant second volume.

Track listing

Everyone's a kid at Christmas time - Stevie Wonder
Have yourself a merry little Christmas - Jackson Five
Winter wonderland (instrumental) - Funk Brothers
Let it snow let it snow let it snow - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Christmas here with you - Four Tops & Aretha Franklin
Miracles of Christmas - Stevie Wonder
Joy to the world - Diana Ross & The Supremes
Merry Christmas baby - Four Tops
Children's Christmas song - Diana Ross & The Supremes
This Christmas - Diana Ross
Give love on Christmas Day - Jackson Five
One little Christmas tree - Stevie Wonder
Santa Claus is coming to town - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
White Christmas - Temptations
Frosty the snowman - Jackson Five
Silent night - Temptations
Purple snowflakes - Marvin Gaye
Christmas everyday - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles