The franchise continued in 2001, keeping a number of previous participants and adding a selection of modern artists to keep things up to date. Like Volume 4, most of the tunes were taken from a live concert in 2000 at the White House. Macy Gray kicks things off with her version of "This Christmas," Wyclef Jean mixes it up by rapping over Stevie Wonder's "Merry Christmas Baby" and taking the lead on a medley of "Little Drummer Boy/Hot Hot Hot" (really!). Jon Bon Jovi does the Elvis version of "Blue Christmas," Stevie Nicks reprises her "Silent Night" from Volume 1, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers put a holiday spin on "Little Red Rooster" and Sheryl Crow joins the Heartbreakers for "Run Run Rudolph." A highlight, for me anyway, is Powder's version of "Christmas Don't Be Late (The Chipmunk Song)"; see, Vonda Shepard, you had dibs and you let it slip away. SR-71 does Billy Squier's "Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You" and Eve 6 do "First Noel," B.B. King and John Popper trade riffs on "Back Door Santa" and Darlene Love does a note-perfect version of her "White Christmas" from the Spector album. Dido is on here too with her own "Christmas Day" from the Nettwerk album. UPDATE: Another addition to the series was A Very Special Acoustic Christmas in 2003, but as it was made with all country and bluegrass artists, I took a pass on it.
A Very Special Christmas 5, various artists (A&M)
The franchise continued in 2001, keeping a number of previous participants and adding a selection of modern artists to keep things up to date. Like Volume 4, most of the tunes were taken from a live concert in 2000 at the White House. Macy Gray kicks things off with her version of "This Christmas," Wyclef Jean mixes it up by rapping over Stevie Wonder's "Merry Christmas Baby" and taking the lead on a medley of "Little Drummer Boy/Hot Hot Hot" (really!). Jon Bon Jovi does the Elvis version of "Blue Christmas," Stevie Nicks reprises her "Silent Night" from Volume 1, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers put a holiday spin on "Little Red Rooster" and Sheryl Crow joins the Heartbreakers for "Run Run Rudolph." A highlight, for me anyway, is Powder's version of "Christmas Don't Be Late (The Chipmunk Song)"; see, Vonda Shepard, you had dibs and you let it slip away. SR-71 does Billy Squier's "Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You" and Eve 6 do "First Noel," B.B. King and John Popper trade riffs on "Back Door Santa" and Darlene Love does a note-perfect version of her "White Christmas" from the Spector album. Dido is on here too with her own "Christmas Day" from the Nettwerk album. UPDATE: Another addition to the series was A Very Special Acoustic Christmas in 2003, but as it was made with all country and bluegrass artists, I took a pass on it.
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