This Is Christmas (Luther Vandross album)

This Is Christmas
Studio album by Luther Vandross
Released	October 18, 1995 (US)
Recorded	1994–1995
Studio	Camel Island Studios (Los Angeles, California) Clinton Recording Studios (New York City) Sterling Sound (New York City) The Hit Factory (New York City) The Power Station (New York City)
Genre	R&B, soul, Christmas
Length	48:21
Label	Epic
Producer	Luther Vandross (also executive), Marcus Miller, Nat Adderley, Jr.
Luther Vandross chronology
Songs (1994) This Is Christmas (1995) Your Secret Love (1996)
Alternative cover
Home for Christmas cover

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Entertainment Weekly	B−[2]
Rolling Stone	(unfavorable)[3]

This Is Christmas is the tenth studio album and first Christmas album by American singer Luther Vandross released by Epic Records on October 18, 1995. The album received mixed to negative reviews from music critics. Sony Music Special Products reissued the album on January 15, 2002 as Home for Christmas with an altered order of tracks, and again in October 2012 as part of The Classic Christmas Album line with additional tracks. The two editions of the album has sold a combined total of 1,147,000 copies as of December 2012.^[4] This is Christmas lent its name to a syndicated television special Vandross hosted which aired in November and December 1995, and featured songs from this album, as well as performances by his special guests.

Track listings

Original

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"With a Christmas Heart"	Luther Vandross, Skip Anderson	4:04
2.	"This Is Christmas"	Vandross, Reed Vertelney	4:45
3.	"The Mistletoe Jam (Everybody Kiss Somebody)"	Vandross, Ivan Hampden, Jr.	4:45
4.	"Every Year, Every Christmas"	Vandross, Richard Marx	5:06
5.	"My Favorite Things"	Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II	5:58
6.	"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"	Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane	5:05
7.	"I Listen to the Bells" (duet with Darlene Love)	Vandross, Fonzi Thornton	6:07
8.	"Please Come Home for Christmas"	Vandross, Anderson	3:37
9.	"A Kiss for Christmas"	Vandross, Hampden	4:12
10.	"O' Come All Ye Faithful"	John Francis Wade, Frederick Oakeley	4:19

Home for Christmas

1. "O' Come All Ye Faithful" - 4:19
2. "My Favorite Things" - 5:58
3. "What the World Needs Now" - 5:19
4. "With a Christmas Heart" - 4:05
5. "I Listen to the Bells" - 6:07
6. "Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)" - 4:43
7. "Please Come Home for Christmas" - 3:38
8. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - 5:05

The Classic Christmas Album

1. The Christmas Song
   • Originally released on A Very Special Christmas 2
2. My Favorite Things
3. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
4. The Mistletoe Jam (Everybody Kiss Somebody)
5. With A Christmas Heart
6. I Listen To The Bells (Duet with Darlene Love)
7. A Kiss For Christmas
8. Every Year, Every Christmas
9. This Is Christmas
10. Please Come Home For Christmas
11. O' Come All Ye Faithful
12. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Live Duet with Chaka Khan)
    • previously unreleased commercially
13. May Christmas Bring You Happiness
14. At Christmas Time
    • Tracks 13 and 14 originally released as one-off single (DSKO 78, Atlantic, 1976) - accredited as "Luther"

Charts

Chart (1995)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard 200	28
U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	4

Year-end charts

Chart (1996)	Position
US Billboard 200	175

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/Sales
United States (RIAA)[5]	Platinum	1,000,000^^
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. link
2. link
3. the original album guide.
4. Grein, Paul (December 19, 2012). "Chart Watch Extra: Christmas Albums, From Bing To Buble". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
5. "American album certifications – Luther Vandross – This Is Christmas". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH