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Christmas Soul SpecialChristmas Soul Special (1982) is an original album presenting six soul music stalwarts from the 60's singing 12 holiday favorites arranged in the classic Memphis style of Stax Records. In many cases, the arrangements even crib classic Memphis riffs - most originally played by Booker T. & The MG's - to frame the songs. It certainly seems like a winning concept, and for the most part, it succeeds. How could it not? With performers as illustrious as Motown's Martha Reeves and Mary Wells, wicked Wilson Pickett, the Drifters' Ben E. King, the Shirelles' Shirley Alston, and Sam Moore of fabled duo Sam & Dave, good things were bound to happen.

Christmas Soul Special was originally released on LP in 1982 by a New York label called QAG Records that, by all appearances, released that one album and ceased to exist. Thankfully, it was reissued on LP, cassette, and CD by Rounder-distributed Varrick Records in 1987, though it has yet to make the leap into the world of downloads and streaming.

If you are new to the world of soul music, Christmas Soul Special might be revelatory. But, if you come to the album with an appreciation for vintage soul - and the history of the artists who contribute to the album - I think you'll find that the whole thing stands up to repeated listening, though it's hardly mind blowing. For me, eight of the tracks qualify as essential listening (see below), meaning I try to hear them every Christmas season. Of those, Shirley Alston's "Winter Wonderland," Sam Moore's "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town," and both Wilson Pickett tracks really stand out because they personify Memphis soul stew as much or more as they embody the spirit of Christmas. Not coincidentally, all of them are upbeat, funky workouts. That said, with its gospel roots, soul music lends itself to religious carols like Martha Reeves' "O Holy Night" and Mary Wells' "Silent Night," and those are fine performances, too.

Christmas Soul Special was produced by Jack Malken, who played guitar in a group called Thirty Days Out that recorded for Reprise in the early 1970's. Subsequently, Malken built up a lengthy list of credits, mostly as an engineer, working for artists as prominent as the Ramones, Bette Midler, Todd Rundgren, Harry Chapin, and Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes. I can only assume he was also responsible for the concept of the album (the liner notes are brief and vague), but the rest of the supporting cast is rather obscure - though jazz giant Clifford Jordan shows up for a stellar sax solo on Ben E. King's otherwise unremarkable "Christmas Song." Nevertheless, the backing band makes a valiant effort to recapture the chemistry of the MG's - as if anyone could.

Which brings me to my final and overarching point: Christmas Soul Special turns out to be a better concept on paper than in reality. Great soul records sound spontaneous, dirty, and raw. Christmas Soul Special is a good record, but not a great one, for all those reasons. As impressive as the performances are, it sounds considered, clean, and restrained. It's proof that you can't go home again - even when home is a place as rich and vibrant as 926 E. McLemore Avenue. Ultimately, Christmas Soul Special ends up sounding more like a tribute album than something relevant to the here and now.

Motown Christmas
Soul Christmas
Stax Christmas

At the risk of stating the obvious, there is such a thing as actual vintage Christmas soul music - though, interestingly, almost none of it is by this particular batch of artists. Briefly, Motown Records recorded a whole bunch of holiday music during their "Golden Decade," as did the Stax and Atlantic stable of artists during the same timeframe - most of which ended up on the landmark 1968 album Soul Christmas. Subsequently, Stax and Atlantic severed their relationship, and the Stax Records roster recorded a bunch more which has been compiled on several albums over the years. And, that's just the cream off the top. Any soul music enthusiast will tell you that the more you look, the more you'll find. Few musical genres reward diggin' the crates like vintage soul! [top of page]

Albums Albums

SongsEssential Songs

  • Jingle Bell Rock (Mary Wells)
  • Jingle Bells (Wilson Pickett)
  • Little Drummer Boy (Ben E. King)
  • O Holy Night (Martha Reeves)
  • Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Sam Moore)
  • Silent Night (Mary Wells)
  • Silver Bells (Wilson Pickett)
  • Winter Wonderland (Shirley Alston)

Further ListeningFurther Listening

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