1992 Various – A Very Special Christmas Vol. 2

A Very Special Christmas 2 is the second in the A Very Special Christmas series of Christmas-themed compilation albums produced to benefit Special Olympics. The album was released on 20 October 1992, and production was overseen by Jimmy Iovine, Vicki Iovine and Robert Sargent Shriver for A&M Records. Tupac Shakur was supposed to be featured on the album but due to legal trouble his song was dropped.

On December 7, 2001, A Very Special Christmas 2 was certified Double Platinum for shipment of two million copies in the United States since its 1992 release.  As of November 2014, it is the twenty-first best-selling Christmas/holiday album in the United States during the SoundScan era of music sales tracking (March 1991 – present), having sold 2,200,000 copies according to SoundScan.

Tracks

1  Christmas All Over Again (Tom Petty) 04:14
2  Jingle Bell Rock (Jim Boothe; Joe Beal) 04:00
3  The Christmas Song (Mel Tormé) 04:29
4  Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Haven Gillespie; Fred Coots) 02:36
5  The Birth Of Christ (Traditional) 02:49
6  Please Come Home For Christmas (Charles Brown) 02:53
7  What Christmas Means To Me (Allen Story; Anna Gordy Gaye; George Gordy) 02:53
8  O Christmas Tree (Traditional) 03:34
9  Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree (Johnny Marks) 02:48
10  White Christmas (Irving Berlin) 03:39
11  Christmas Is (Darryl McDaniels; Joseph Simmons) 03:19
12  Christmas Time Again (Gary Cherone; Nuno Bettencourt) 05:06
13  Merry Christmas Baby (Johnny Moore; Lou Baxter) 04:32
14  O Holy Night (Traditional) 02:45
15  Sleigh Ride (Leroy Anderson; Mitchell Parish) 03:12
16  What Child Is This? (Traditional) 04:10
17  Blue Christmas (Billy Hayes; Jay Johnson) 03:48
18  Silent Night (Traditional) 03:03
19  I Believe In You (Bob Dylan) 05:38

Musicians

1 Christmas All Over Again

Bass Mike Campbell
Bass Jeff Lynne
Drums Stan Lynch
Drums Jim Keltner
Guitar Tim Pierce
Guitar Tom Petty
Acoustic Guitar Jimmy Ripp
Acoustic Guitar Kevin Dukes
Acoustic Guitar Robbie Blunt
Acoustic Guitar Todd Sharp
12 String Guitar Mike Campbell
Piano Benmont Tench
Synthesizer Scott Humphrey
Harp Gayle Levant
Harpsichord Mitchell Froom
Sax Joel Peskin
Sax Marty Krystall
Sax Michael Turre
Sax Phil Kenzie
Marimba Efrain Toro
Percussion Brad Dutz
Percussion Phil Jones
Background Vocals Jeff Lynne
Background Vocals Richard Todd
Vocals Tom Petty


2 Jingle Bell Rock

Bass Leland Sklar
Drums Steve Schaeffer
Guitar Tim Pierce
Acoustic Guitar Dennis Budimir
Pedal Steel Guitar Jay Dee Maness
Organ Steve Lindsey
Piano Jim Cox
Synthesizer Greg Mathieson
Percussion Lenny Castro
Background Vocals David Joyce
Background Vocals Donna Davidson
Background Vocals Randy Crenshaw
Background Vocals Susan Stevens
Vocals Randy Travis


3 The Christmas Song

Bass Neil Stubenhaus
Drums Tal Bergman
Guitar Doc Powell
Keyboards Randy Kerber
Sax Gerald Albright
Vocals Luther Vandross


4 Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

Bass Chuck Domanico
Drums Sol Gubin
Guitar Dennis Budimir
Piano Mike Lang
Vocals Frank Sinatra
Vocals Cyndi Lauper


6 Please Come Home For Christmas

Bass Richard Ruse
Drums Gregg Bissonette
Guitar Don Felder
Guitar Tim Pierce
Keyboards Benmont Tench
Background Vocals Harry Bowens
Background Vocals Sweet Pea Atkinson
Vocals Jon Bon Jovi


7 What Christmas Means To Me

Bass Jervonny Collier
Drums Buster Marbury
Guitar Randy Jacobs
Keyboards Tony Patler
Sax David McMurray
Trumpet Rayse Biggs
Background Vocals Donald Ray Mitchell
Background Vocals Harry Bowens
Background Vocals Sweet Pea Atkinson
Vocals Paul Young


8 O Christmas Tree

Bass Arni Egilsson
Bass Susan Ranney
Piano David Paich
Synthesizer Steve Porcaro
Conductor Marty Paich
Vocals Aretha Franklin


9 Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree

Bass Bob Glaub
Drums Russ Kunkel
Guitar Danny Kortchmar
Acoustic Guitar Jon Bon Jovi
Organ Mitchell Froom
Piano Benmont Tench
Sax Michael Turre
Background Vocals Darlene Love
Background Vocals Edna Wright
Background Vocals Melodye Perry
Background Vocals Susie Tallman
Vocals Darlene Love
Vocals Ronnie Spector


10 White Christmas

Keyboard Randy Waldman
Vocals Michael Bolton


12 Christmas Time Again

Bass Pat Badger
Drums Paul Geary
Guitar Nuno Bettencourt
Keyboards Nuno Bettencourt
Background Vocals Pat Badger
Background Vocals Paul Geary
Background Vocals Nuno Bettencourt
Vocals Gary Cherone


13 Merry Christmas Baby

Bass Ruth Davies
Drums Gaylord Birch
Guitar Danny Caron
Piano Charles Brown
Sax Clifford Solomon
Vocals Bonnie Raitt
Vocals Charles Brown


14 O Holy Night

Bass Cliff Hugo
Drums JR Robinson
Keyboards John Gilutin
Harp Jo Ann Turovski
Synthesizer Bryce Cranston
Percussion Gary Coleman
Background Vocals David Pack
Background Vocals Lynn Davis
Background Vocals Lynn Mabry
Background Vocals Ricoh Cymone
Background Vocals Rodney Saulsberry
Background Vocals Sharon Celani
Vocals Tevin Campbell


15 Sleigh Ride

Bass Bob Glaub
Drums Jody Cortez
Drums Omar Hakim
Guitar Tim Pierce
Acoustic Guitar Robbie Blunt
Piano Jai Winding
Horns Beverly Dahlke-Smith
Horns Chris Mostert
Horns Gregory Smith
Horns Phil Kenzie
Percussion Brad Dutz
Background Vocals Darlene Love
Background Vocals Edna Wright
Background Vocals Melodye Perry
Vocals Debbie Gibson


16 What Child Is This?

Bass Ron Carter
Drums Duane Broadnax
Guitar Nick Moroch
Piano Fred McFarlane
Trombone Alex Lodico
Vocals Vanessa Williams


17 Blue Christmas

Bass Steve Allen
Drums Chris Leighthon
Guitar Nancy Wilson
Guitar Scott Olson
Pedal Steel Guitar Terry Lauber
Keyboards Nancy Wilson
Keyboards Scott Olson
Piano Nick Moore
Background Vocals Nancy Wilson
Background Vocals Scott Olson
Vocals Ann Wilson


18 Silent Night

Guitar Mike Landau
Keyboards Glen Ballard
Vocals Carnie Wilson
Vocals Chynna Phillips
Vocals Wendy Wilson


19 I Believe In You

Bass David Finck
Drums Chris Parker
Slide Guitar Charlie Mangold
Acoustic Guitar Charlton Pettus
Acoustic Guitar Charlie Mangold
Piano Richard Tee
Synthesizer David LeBolt
Vocals Sinéad O’Connor

Liner Notes

Producer – Jeff Lynne, Jimmy Iovine, Mike Campbell, Tom Petty (Track 1)
Producer – Richard Perry (Track 2)
Producer – Quincy Jones (Track 3)
Producer – Phil Kaffel (Track 4)
Producer – Nathan Morris, Shawn Patrick Stockman (Track 5)
Producer – Jimmy Iovine (Tracks 6, 9, 13, 14, 15)
Producer – Don Was (Track 7)
Producer – David Paich, Marty Paich (Track 8)
Producer – Danny Kortchmar (Track 9)
Producer – David Foster, David Reitzas, Michael Bolton (Track 10)
Producer – Jam Master Jay, Larry Smith, Run D.M.C. (Track 11)
Producer – Nuno Bettencourt (Track 12)
Producer – Jai Winding, Omar Hakim (Track 15)
Producer – Gerry E. Brown, Vanessa Williams (Track 16)
Producer – Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Scott Olson (Track 17)
Producer – Glen Ballard (Track 18)
Producer – Phil Ramone, Sinéad O’Connor (Track 19)
Producer (Vocals) – Jerry Hey (Track 14)
Producer (Vocals) – Carnie Wilson (Track 18)
Producer (Associate) – Rob Von Arx (Track 16)
Producer (Executive Vocals) – JoAnn Tominaga
Arranged By – Jerry Hey (Track 3)
Arranged By – Aretha Franklin, Marty Paich (Track 8)
Arranged By – Johnny Mandel, Randy Waldman (Track 10)
Arranged By – Fred McFarlane, Gerry E. Brown (Track 16)
Arranged By (Choir) – Jerry Hey, Gene Page, JoAnn Tominaga (Track 14)
Arranged By (Orchestra) – Axel Stordahl (Track 4)
Arranged By (Strings) – Jesse Levy (Track 16)
Conductor – Marty Paich (Track 8)
Conductor – Gene Page (Track 14)
Conductor (Choir) – Jerry Hey (Track 14)
Directed By – Axel Stordahl (Track 4)
Engineer – Thom Panunzio (Tracks 1, 6, 9)
Engineer – Phil Kaffel (Tracks 1, 15)
Engineer – Richard Dodd (Track 1)
Engineer – Paul Brown (Track 3)
Engineer – Ed Cherney (Tracks 4, 13)
Engineer – J.E. Van Horne Jr (Track 5)
Engineer – Obie O’Brien, Phil Kaffel(Track 6)
Engineer – Steve Jackson (Track 7)
Engineer – Al Schmitt (Track 8)
Engineer – David Reitzas (Track 10)
Engineer – Norman Bullock, Troy Hightower (Track 11)
Engineer – Bob St John (Track 12)
Engineer – Mark Mancini (Track 14)
Engineer – Gary Tole, Gerry E. Brown (Track 16)
Engineer – Ed Brooks, Tod Lemkuhl (Track 17)
Engineer – Francis Buckley (Track 18)
Engineer – Gary Chester (Track 19)
Engineer (Vocals) – Frank Filipetti (Track 4)
Engineer (Vocals) – Paul Brown (Track 14)
Engineer (Assistant) – Brian Scheuble (Tracks 1, 6)
Engineer (Assistant) – Randy Wine (Track 9)
Engineer (Assistant) – Eric Rudd, Keith Kresge (Track 10)
Engineer (Assistant) – Tom Size (Track 13)
Engineer (Assistant) – Greg Goldman (Track 14)
Engineer (Assistant) – Andy Smith (Track 16)
Engineer (Assistant) – Aaron Kropf, Tommy Civello, Yvonne Yedibalian (Track 19)
Mixed By – Richard Dodd (Track 1)
Mixed By – Erik Zobler (Track 2)
Mixed By – Paul Brown (Track 3)
Mixed By – Humberto Gatica (Tracks 4, 14)
Mixed By – Jim Hinger (Track 5)
Mixed By – Mick Guzauski (Tracks 6, 9, 15)
Mixed By – Ed Cherney (Tracks 7, 13)
Mixed By – Al Schmitt (Track 8)
Mixed By – David Reitzas (Track 10)
Mixed By – Norman Bullock, Troy Hightower (Track 11)
Mixed By – Gary Tole, Gerry E. Brown (Track 16)
Mixed By – Ed Brooks, Tod Lemkuhl (Track 17)
Mixed By – Francis Buckley (Track 18)
Mixed By – Lolly Grodner (Track 19)
Orchestrated By – Doug Katsaros (Track 19)
Recorded By – Al Schmitt (Track 8)
Recorded By (Vocals) – Frank Filipetti (Track 4)
Recorded By (Vocals) – Mike Accapelli (Track 8)
Recorded By (Additional) – John Jessel (Track 8)
Technician – Chris Fogel (Track 18)
Technician (Studio Assistant) – Richard Duarte (Track 13)
Technician (Vocal Restoration) – Paul DeCarli, Scott Humphrey (Track 4)

Artwork – Keith Haring
Design – Brian Johnson, Command A Studios Inc

Engineered At Right Track Recording
Engineered At Chase Productions, Burbank
Engineered At Devonshire Studios
Engineered At Apollo Theater, NYC
Engineered At Westlake Audio
Engineered At The Hit Factory
Engineered At Edison Studios
Mixed At M.C. Studios
Mixed At Ocean Way Recording
Mixed At Westlake Audio
Mixed At Ground Control Studios
Mixed At Studio 54, Philadelphia
Mixed At Devonshire Studios
Mixed At Conway Studios
Mixed At Apollo Theater, NYC
Mixed At Courtlen Recording
Mixed At A&M Studios
Mixed At The Village Recorder
Mixed At The Hit Factory
Mixed At Power Station
Recorded At A&M Studios
Recorded At Ocean Way Recording
Recorded At Westlake Audio
Recorded At Capitol Studios
Recorded At Right Track Recording
Recorded At Rainbow Recording Studios
Recorded At The Town House
Recorded At United Sound Systems
Recorded At Passion Studios
Recorded At Devonshire Studios
Recorded At Courtlen Recording
Recorded At Fantasy Studios
Recorded At The Village Recorder
Recorded At The Hit Factory
Recorded At Bad Animals
Phonographic Copyright Special Olympics International Inc
Copyright Special Olympics International Inc