1989 Various – A Very Special Christmas

A Very Special Christmas is the first in the A Very Special Christmas series of Christmas-themed compilation albums produced to benefit Special Olympics. The album was released in 1987, and production was overseen by Jimmy Iovine for A&M Records. A Very Special Christmas has also raised millions of dollars for the Special Olympics. The cover artwork was designed by Keith Haring.

On January 16, 1998, the album was certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipment of four million copies in the United States.

As of November 2014, A Very Special Christmas is the nineteenth best-selling Christmas/holiday album in the United States during the SoundScan era of music sales tracking (March 1991 – present), having sold 2,520,000 copies according to SoundScan

Tracks

1  The Pointer Sisters – Santa Claus Is Coming To Town 3:24
2  Eurythmics – Winter Wonderland 3:37
3  Whitney Houston – Do You Hear What I Hear? 3:34
4  Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – Merry Christmas Baby 4:56
5  The Pretenders – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 4:30
6  John Cougar Mellencamp – I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus 2:41
7  Sting – Gabriel\’s Message 2:15
8  Run D.M.C – Christmas In Hollis 3:01
9  U2 – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) 2:22
10  Madonna – Santa Baby 2:36
11  Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – The Little Drummer Boy 3:33
12  Bryan Adams – Run Rudolph Run 2:45
13  Bon Jovi – Back Door Santa 4:30
14  Alison Moyet – The Coventry Carol 3:26
15  Stevie Nicks – Silent Night 4:38

Media

Musicians

1 Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

BassTM Stevens
DrumsSteve Jordan
GuitarDavid Freeman
GuitarMike Landau
PianoRoy Bittan
SaxClarence Clemons
VocalsPointer Sisters


2 Winter Wonderland

Drums (programming)Dave Stewart
Drums (programming)Richard Feldman
KeyboardsRichard Feldman
KeyboardsJohn van Tongeren
KeyboardsAnnie Lennox
VocalsAnnie Lennox


3 Do You Hear What I Hear?

BassJimmy Johnson
DrumsRichie Hayward
GuitarSteve Lukather
PianoJai Winding
SynthesizerCharles Judge
PercussionBobbye Hall
Background VocalsEdna Wright
VocalsWhitney Houston


5 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

BassTM Stevens
DrumsBlair Cunningham
GuitarRobbie McIntosh
KeyboardsRupert Black

 

6 I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

BassCoby Myers
DrumsKenny Aronoff
GuitarLarry Crane
GuitarMike Wanchic
AccordionJohn Cascella
ViolinLisa Germano
Background VocalsCrystal Taliefero
Background VocalsPat Peterson
VocalsJohn Cougar Mellencamp


11 The Little Drummer Boy

BassChris Campbell
DrumsDon Brewer
GuitarNils Lofgren
GuitarRick Vito
KeyboardsDavid Ervin
PianoCraig Frost
SaxAlto Reed
Background VocalsAndrea Robinson
Background VocalsDarryl Phinnessee
Background VocalsDonny Gerrard
Background VocalsDorian Holley
Background VocalsJohn Townsend
Background VocalsLaura Creamer
Background VocalsRosemary Butler
VocalsBob Seger


12 Run Rudolph Run

BassDave Taylor (2)
DrumsMickey Curry
GuitarBryan Adams
GuitarKeith Scott
KeyboardsJohnny Blitz
Background VocalsKeith Scott
VocalsBryan Adams


15 Silent Night

GuitarWaddy Wachtel
PianoRoy Bittan
Background VocalsRobbie Nevil
Background VocalsSharon Celani
VocalsStevie Nicks

Liner Notes

Producer – Jimmy Iovine
Mastered By – Stephen Marcussen

Artwork – Keith Haring

Mastered At – Precision Lacquer
Mastered At – Sheffield Lab Matrix