Have Yourself A Merry Christmas with the Jackson 5 + The Ultimate Motown Christmas Collection

To continue the year long celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Motown, UMe announces the release of two Ultimate Christmas Collections:

Jackson 5: Ultimate Christmas Collection (Available Now)

Features 11 classic holiday songs by the Jackson 5 PLUS bonus material including a rare Michael Jackson Christmas song “Little Christmas Tree”, a new J5 Christmas Medley, as well stunning new a cappella and “stripped” mixes from the original album. As a special treat you’ll find spoken-word “Season’s Greetings” messages from Michael, Tito, Jackie and Jermaine, recently uncovered from the Motown vault. Listen to the snippets below, album available now at Amazon!

AUDIO: Season’s Greetings From Michael Jackson
http://ume.edgeboss.net/wmedia/ume/motown/christmas/mj_seasons_greetings.wax

AUDIO: Jackson 5 - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
http://ume.edgeboss.net/wmedia/ume/motown/christmas/jackson5_santa_claus_is_coming_to_town.wax

TRACKLIST

1. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
2. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
3. The Christmas Song
4. Up On The House Top
5. Frosty The Snowman
6. Little Drummer Boy
7. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
8. Christmas Won’t Be The Same This Year
9. Give Love On Christmas Day
10. Someday At Christmas
11. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
12. Season’s Greetings From Michael Jackson
13. Little Christmas Tree
14. Season’s Greetings From Tito Jackson
15. Up On The House Top (DJ Spinna Re-Edit)
16. Season’s Greetings From Jackie Jackson Jackie Jackson
17. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (Stripped Mix)
18. Season’s Greetings From Jermaine Jackson
19. Someday At Christmas (Stripped Mix)
20. Give Love On Christmas Day (Group A Cappella Version)
21. J5 Christmas Medley

The Ultimate Motown Christmas Collection (Available Now)

The FIRST and Only 2-CD Motown Christmas Set! The Ultimate Motown Christmas Collection unwraps 35 sparkling Motown renditions of seasonal favorites from just about every great Motown artist including The Supremes, The Temptations, Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, the Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Boyz II Men and more! The album set includes more than a dozen “Season’s Greetings” messages from Motown greats like Smokey, The Temptations, The Commodores, Martha & The Vandellas and more. Listen to select snippets below, album available now on Amazon!

AUDIO: Season’s Greetings from the Commodores
http://ume.edgeboss.net/wmedia/ume/motown/christmas/commodores_seasons_greetings.wax

AUDIO: Stevie Wonder - What Christmas Means To Me
http://ume.edgeboss.net/wmedia/ume/motown/christmas/stevie_wonder_thats_what_christmas_means.wax

TRACKLIST

Disc 1
1. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Jackson 5
2. What Christmas Means To Me - Stevie Wonder
3. Season’s Greetings From Eddie Kendricks
4. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Temptations
5. Season’s Greetings From The Supremes
6. My Favorite Things - The Supremes
7. Deck The Halls/Bring A Torch, Jeannette, Isabella - Smokey Robinson
8. Ave Maria - Stevie Wonder
9. Season’s Greetings From Thelma Houston
10. Joy To The World - The Supremes
11. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Smokey Robinson
12. Silver Bells - The Supremes
13. Someday At Christmas - Stevie Wonder
14. Season’s Greetings From Jr. Walker
15. Winter Wonderland - The Funk Brothers
16. Jingle Bells - Smokey Robinson
17. Season’s Greetings From The Commodores
18. My Christmas Tree - Temptations
19. White Christmas - The Supremes
20. Season’s Greetings From The Velvelettes
21. Merry Christmas Baby - Four Tops
22. Give Love On Christmas Day - Johnny Gill
23. Christmas In The City Marvin Gaye
24. Season’s Greetings From The Temptations
25. Silent Night - Temptations

Disc 2
1. Season’s Greetings From Smokey Robinson
2. The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You) - Smokey Robinson & The Temptations
3. Children’s Christmas Song - The Supremes
4. Season’s Greetings From David Ruffin
5. The Little Drummer Boy - Temptations
6. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - Jackson 5
7. Season’s Greetings From Four Tops
8. Christmas Here With You - Four Tops
9. This Christmas - Diana Ross
10. Season’s Greetings From Willie Hutch
11. Christmas Cheer - Boys
12. Let It Snow - Boyz II Men
13. Season’s Greetings From The Spinners
14. Christmas Everyday - Smokey Robinson
15. One Little Christmas Tree - Stevie Wonder
16. Season’s Greetings From Martha & The Vandellas
17. Noel - Smokey Robinson
18. Purple Snowflakes - Marvin Gaye
19. Season’s Greetings From The Elgins
20. Wish You A Merry Christmas - Kim Weston
21. It’s Christmas Time - Smokey Robinson
22. Season’s Greetings From Shorty Long
23. Xmas Twist - The Twistin’ Kings
24. I Want To Come Home For Christmas - Marvin Gaye
25. Season’s Greetings From Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
26. A Child Is Waiting - Smokey Robinson

IT’S A MOTOWN CHRISTMAS!

Since Motown first gave holiday music a new sound in the sixties, the label’s Christmas albums have been as popular as brightly colored packages under the tree. Now, one of the all-time favorites, 1970’s The Jackson 5 Christmas Album, will be reissued with new packaging and 10 bonus tracks, and a new two-CD compilation will bring together the best Christmas songs from the greatest Motown artists.

The Jackson 5 Ultimate Christmas Collection (Motown/UMe), to be released October 13, 2009, features the original best-selling album plus a rare Michael Jackson Christmas song, “Little Christmas Tree,” and new mixes of several beloved tracks from the original LP. Created exclusively for this album are “stripped” mixes highlighting Michael on “Someday At Christmas” and the group on “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer;” a group a capella “Give Love On Christmas Day” spotlighting MJ and the Jacksons’ beautiful family harmony; DJ Spinna’s extended re-edit of the funky “Up On The Housetop”; and a radio-ready “J5 Christmas Medley.” A special treat is spoken-word “Season’s Greetings” messages from Michael, Tito, Jackie and Jermaine, recently uncovered in the vault.

The Ultimate Motown Christmas Collection (Motown/UMe), a two-CD set also to be released October 13, 2009, unwraps 35 sparkling selections spanning the decades, from the traditional to the contemporary, from Diana Ross & the Supremes’ “Joy To The World” to new “stripped” versions of “A Child Is Waiting” from Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and “Silent Night” from the Temptations. Interspersed throughout are vintage spoken-word “Season’s Greetings” from more than a dozen artists, including the Supremes, the Commodores, the Temptations, Four Tops, Martha & the Vandellas, and Smokey Robinson & the Miracles.

The Temptations also chime in with their now-classic renditions of “Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “The Little Drummer Boy” and “My Christmas Tree,” and partner with Smokey for a rare duet version of “The Christmas Song.” The Supremes can be heard on “My Favorite Things,” “Silver Bells,” “White Christmas” and “Children’s Christmas Song;” a solo Diana Ross performs a rare version of Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas.” Smokey Robinson & the Miracles also add, from their two Christmas albums, “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “Jingle Bells,” “Christmas Everyday,” “It’s Christmas Time,” “Noel” and the medley “Deck The Halls/Bring A Torch, Jeannette, Isabelle.”

Stevie Wonder contributes “What Christmas Means To Me,” “Ave Marie,” “Someday At Christmas” and “One Little Christmas Tree” while Marvin Gaye offers his rare seventies recording “I Want To Come Home For Christmas,” the instrumental “Christmas In The City” and “Purple Snowflakes.” The Four Tops present “Merry Christmas Baby” and are joined by their close friend Aretha Franklin for “Christmas Here With You.” The Jackson 5 contribute “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” and “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” and also included are Motown artists from across the decades: the Funk Brothers, Johnny Gill, The Boys, Kim Weston, and Boyz II Men with Brian McKnight.

Stay tuned for more info on the upcoming releases below!

Jackson 5: I Want You Back! Unreleased Masters (11/10)

Motown: The DVD (11/3)

www.classic.motown.com

Connect with other Motown Fans:
www.myspace.com/motownofficial
www.facebook.com/motownrecords
www.imeem.com/motown