The dulcimer intro on "We Three Kings" took me by surprise. How classy is that?? Dolly manages to take an album of covers (technically) and makes the songs uniquely hers. For the country fan, there's lots of twang which seemed to stand out on her Columbia albums, not to mention a slant toward gospel. This album is a nice mix of secular and non-secular music. With Dolly's strength, I would have loved to hear her tackle more difficult songs in the way of "O Holy Night" or "Ave Maria." Dolly has taken standards like "I Get A Kick Out Of You" and turned it into bluegrass romp. Maybe a bluegrass holiday album might be in the not too distant future and Dolly will take on more difficult fare. In the meantime, Dolly's in fine voice and it's clear she had a great time making this cd.

The only mis-step is the spoken intro at the beginning of the album and the congregation style choir and preacher on "The First Noel" and again spoken verse on "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer." Outside of these teeny details, this is a fine album to play as you hang your ornaments on the tree.

Happy Holidays!!

This is one Christmas album to own. Even if you are not a Dolly fan it does not matter. Dolly's voice oozes Christmas joy. The album is a collection of joyful hardcore Christmas songs such as "The First Noel" and "We Three Kings" and Contempory such as "Rudolph" and "Santa is Coming to Town." We these songs she brings along children to sing with her, creating the childlike magic of Christmas. There are some very powerful singing on these album that bring to the heart the joy and amazement that Christmas songs can bring. "The First Noel" and "Joy to the World," Dolly used to unquie voice to raise the standards by which these songs have been sung to new heights. "The Little Drummer Boy" is also done with breathtaking vocal power. And "I'll Be Home for Christmas" is by far the most beautifully sung song on the album. Now no song on this was written by Dolly but if you want to hear some Dolly originals, listen to Dolly and Kenny "Once Upon a Christmas."

Any initial disappointment I felt when I discovered that this album was filled was standards didn't last long. The songs have all been covered many times before - some more than others, though Dolly was careful not to repeat any of the songs that appeared on her first Christmas offering, Once upon a Christmas, which she recorded with Kenny Rogers.

Dolly's exuberant personality makes itself evident on such joyous songs as Jingle bells, which never sounded so much fun. I really want to jingle thos bells when I hear Dolly sing that song. With a country church congregation on First Noel and Joy to the world, and a children's chorus on Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer and Santa Claus is coming to town, Dolly brings many elements to this Christmas album. We three kings is another stand-out track here and (along with Jingle bells) is my favorite.

Dolly clearly loves Christmas and enjoyed making this very upbeat album. With so many familiar songs full of Christmas cheer, this is a great party album.

For anyone who enjoyes Kenny & Dolly's 1984 "Once Upon A Christmas" album, you will surely love this solo collection by Dolly. Recorded in the summer of 1990, Dolly brings the listener into a world of holiday magic! The album features Dolly performing holiday standards such as "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and "The First Noel". Standout tracks-- Go Tell It On The Mountain, The First Noel, We Three Kings, and O Little Town Of Bethlehem.

This cd will always bring you back to the 1st songs that you learned when you where little. Or Christmas songs you learned in Church are on there. If you like Christmas songs you should by this cd.