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The Beatles never quite made a commercially released Christmas album, though they put together special singles for their fan club every year from 1963 to 1969, then compiled them as The Beatles Christmas Album, also just for the fan club, in 1970. These recordings were more spoken-word than musical, though there was a song, "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)," heard in excerpts on the 1967 record. It has been left to Ringo Starr to release the first full-length Christmas album from a Beatle, and I Wanna Be a Santa Claus is very much in the group's spirit. Since he returned to recording in 1992, Starr has made a point of making music reminiscent of the Beatles, hooking up in 1998 with a group led by Mark Hudson dubbed the Roundheads. Hudson is everywhere on I Wanna Be a Santa Claus, co-writing the half-dozen originals with Starr and others, co-producing with Starr, and handling a variety of instruments. He and keyboard player/arranger Jim Cox clearly are steeped in the Beatles, and they have effectively recreated a Beatles sound on the record, in some cases aping specific songs. The Roundheads are also good at showcasing Starr's drumming, which is always high in the mix. If none of the new songs are likely to become classics, they are respectable efforts that Starr handles well. On the standards, Starr is his usual good-natured self, and the standout track is the cover of "Christmas Time Is Here Again." There are precious few lyrics besides the title, but it deserves to be added to the ranks of Christmas standards. So, Ringo Starr is well-served by his supporting musicians on I Wanna Be Santa Claus, and his typically cheery manner is so well-suited to the holiday spirit that it's only a shame he waited so long to make his seasonal recording.
© William Ruhlmann /TiVo
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Mark Hudson, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Scott Gordon, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ringo Starr, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Dean Grakel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Dick Smith, ComposerLyricist - Mark Hudson, Producer - Felix Bernard, ComposerLyricist - Scott Gordon, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ringo Starr, Producer, MainArtist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Mark Hudson, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Scott Gordon, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ringo Starr, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Dick Monda, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Mark Hudson, Producer - HARRY SIMEONE, ComposerLyricist - HENRY ONORATI, ComposerLyricist - Scott Gordon, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ringo Starr, Producer, MainArtist - Katherine Kennicott Davis, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Mark Hudson, Producer - Johnny Marks, ComposerLyricist - Scott Gordon, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ringo Starr, Producer, MainArtist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Mark Hudson, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Scott Gordon, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ringo Starr, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Mark Hudson, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Steve Dudas, ComposerLyricist - Jimmie Cox, ComposerLyricist - Scott Gordon, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ringo Starr, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Mark Hudson, Producer - John Lennon, ComposerLyricist - Paul Mccartney, ComposerLyricist - GEORGE HARRISON, ComposerLyricist - Scott Gordon, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ringo Starr, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Mark Hudson, Producer - Danny Wilde, ComposerLyricist - Scott Gordon, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ringo Starr, Producer, MainArtist - Billy Hayes, ComposerLyricist - Nick Trevisick, ComposerLyricist - Jay Jay Johnson, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Mark Hudson, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Steve Dudas, ComposerLyricist - Scott Gordon, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ringo Starr, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Mark Hudson, Producer - Irving Berlin, ComposerLyricist - Scott Gordon, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ringo Starr, Producer, MainArtist
℗ 1999 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Mark Hudson, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Richard Starkey, ComposerLyricist - Scott Gordon, Engineer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Ringo Starr, Producer, MainArtist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Album review
The Beatles never quite made a commercially released Christmas album, though they put together special singles for their fan club every year from 1963 to 1969, then compiled them as The Beatles Christmas Album, also just for the fan club, in 1970. These recordings were more spoken-word than musical, though there was a song, "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)," heard in excerpts on the 1967 record. It has been left to Ringo Starr to release the first full-length Christmas album from a Beatle, and I Wanna Be a Santa Claus is very much in the group's spirit. Since he returned to recording in 1992, Starr has made a point of making music reminiscent of the Beatles, hooking up in 1998 with a group led by Mark Hudson dubbed the Roundheads. Hudson is everywhere on I Wanna Be a Santa Claus, co-writing the half-dozen originals with Starr and others, co-producing with Starr, and handling a variety of instruments. He and keyboard player/arranger Jim Cox clearly are steeped in the Beatles, and they have effectively recreated a Beatles sound on the record, in some cases aping specific songs. The Roundheads are also good at showcasing Starr's drumming, which is always high in the mix. If none of the new songs are likely to become classics, they are respectable efforts that Starr handles well. On the standards, Starr is his usual good-natured self, and the standout track is the cover of "Christmas Time Is Here Again." There are precious few lyrics besides the title, but it deserves to be added to the ranks of Christmas standards. So, Ringo Starr is well-served by his supporting musicians on I Wanna Be Santa Claus, and his typically cheery manner is so well-suited to the holiday spirit that it's only a shame he waited so long to make his seasonal recording.
© William Ruhlmann /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:44:53
- Main artists: Ringo Starr
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Island Mercury
- Genre: Ambient/New Age Christmas Music
© 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group ℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
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