It's a Wonderful Christmas
| It's a Wonderful Christmas | ||||||||||||
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| Studio album by Michael W. Smith | ||||||||||||
| Released | October 16, 2007 | |||||||||||
| Genre | Holiday, pop, instrumental | |||||||||||
| Length | 39:46 | |||||||||||
| Label | Reunion/Sparrow | |||||||||||
| Producer | Michael W. Smith, David Hamilton | |||||||||||
| Michael W. Smith chronology | ||||||||||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| About |   [1] |
| Allmusic | [2] |
| Billboard | Mixed[3] |
| Jesus Freak Hideout | [4] |
It's a Wonderful Christmas is an album by Christian recording artist Michael W. Smith. Released in October 2007, this epic album is Smith's third album of Christmas music and features four choirs and a 65-piece orchestra.[2] About half the album is instrumental pieces, including "What Child is This", "Audrey's Gift", and "It's a Wonderful Christmas". Vocal numbers such as "The Promise" and "Christmas Angels" reflect Smith's trademark personal touch and evoke his previous Christmas albums, Christmas (1989) and Christmastime (1998). Smith utilizes the full sound of the orchestra and choirs to produce an album that exudes a "mastery of the adult contemporary sound" and adds "so richly to the Christmas songbook."[2]
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Michael W. Smith, except where noted.
| Album release | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Christmas Angels" | 3:50 | |
| 2. | "It's a Wonderful Christmas" | Michael W. Smith, David Hamilton | 5:05 |
| 3. | "The Promise" | 5:05 | |
| 4. | "Song for the King" | 4:19 | |
| 5. | "Christmas Day" (featuring Mandisa) | 3:20 | |
| 6. | "A Highland Carol" | 2:18 | |
| 7. | "Sing Noel, Sing Hallelujah" | 3:40 | |
| 8. | "What Child Is This?" | Traditional | 4:48 |
| 9. | "Son of God" | 2:53 | |
| 10. | "Audrey’s Gift" | 1:49 | |
| 11. | "All Year Long" | 2:39 | |
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Total length:
|
39:46 | ||
Credits
- Music
- Michael W. Smith: vocals (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11), piano (1-5, 8, 9, 10), arrangements
- The London Session Orchestra: orchestra
- Perry Montague-Mason: concertmaster
- Orchestra contractors: Isobel Griffiths & Charlotte Matthews
- David Hamilton: string conductor, orchestra arrangement (1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 11), choir arrangement (1, 3, 5, 7, 9), rhythm track arrangement (11), Hammond B3 organ (5), piano (11), synthesizer (1, 5), celeste (5)
- Ronn Huff: orchestra arrangement (6)
- Carl Marsh: orchestra arrangement (1, 5)
- Adam Lester: electric guitars (1, 5)
- Skip Cleavinger: Highland bagpipes and penny whistle (6), low whistle (8)
- David Davidson: violin solo (4)
- James Gregory: bass guitar (1, 5)
- Craig Nelson: upright bass (11)
- Sam Bacco: Scottish snare drum and bass drum (6)
- Paul Leim: drums (1, 5, 11)
- Mandisa: vocals (5)
- Bonnie Keen: backing vocals (11)
- The Choristers of Reigate St. Mary's: boychoir (3, 9); John Tobin: choirmaster
- The Nashville Choir: choir (1, 3, 7, 9); John Coates: choir director
- Children's Choir (1, 5); Sandy Hamilton: choir director, assisted by Kathy Goodrich and Marie Morris
- New Cumberland Choir: choir (3, 7, 9); Greg Thomas: choir contractor
- Production
- Producers: Michael W. Smith and David Hamilton
- Executive producers: Michael Blanton and Michael W. Smith
- Production manager: Ken Johnson
- Librarian and production assistant: Melissa Leonelli
- Music preparation: Mike and Lori Casteel, Ric Domenico and Eberhard Ramm
- Orchestra and Boychoir recorded in Studio One at Abbey Road Studios (London, England)
- Orchestra recorded by Humberto Gatica and Andrew Dudman
- Boychoir recorded by Andrew Dudman, assisted by Dominic Christie and Scrap Marshall
- Rhythm section recorded by Ronnie Brookshire at Blackbird Studios (Nashville, TN), assisted by Mark Petaccia
- Vocals recorded by Dave Dillbeck at Deer Valley and Paragon Studios (Franklin, TN)
- Mandisa's vocal recorded by Derik Lee at Legacy Recording Studios (New York, NY)
- Additional piano recorded by Humberto Gatica and Andrew Dudman at Abbey Road Studios; Fred Paragano and David Schober at Paragon Studios
- New Cumberland Choir and Highland bagpipes recorded by Bill Whittington at Blackbird Studios, assisted by Lowell Reynolds
- The Nashville Choir and Children's Choir recorded by Doug Sarrett at Brentwood Baptist Church (Brentwood, TN), assisted by Steven Beers
- Violin solo (4) recorded by Jeff Pitzer
- Digital editing by David Hamilton, Jeff Cain and Dave Dillbeck
- Mixed by David Schober at Paragon Studios, assisted by Brian Calhoon
- Mastered by Andrew Mendelson at Georgetown Masters (Nashville, TN)
- Art direction, stylist: Stephanie McBrayer
- Art direction: Tim Parker
- Photography: Allen Clark
- A&R production: Michelle Box
- A&R coordination: Jason McArthur
- Hair and make-up: Michealle Vanderpoolhair
Reception
It's a Wonderful Christmas sold 12,759 copies in its first week, 6,000 of them digital. The album has since sold 39,000 copies.[5]
The album was a critical success, receiving 4 stars out of 5 with every critic. However, Billboard gave the album mixed reviews.
In 2008, the album won a Dove Award for Christmas Album of the Year at the 39th GMA Dove Awards.[6]
Charts
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 | 54 |
| US Billboard Top Christian Albums Chart | 2 |
| US Billboard Top Pop Catalog Albums | 15 |
| US Billboard Top Holiday Albums (2007) | 4 |
| US Billboard Top Holiday Albums (2010) | 2 |
References
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