[October 12 1987] Madonna contributed her cover version of the Eartha Kitt classic, "Santa baby" to the first in a series of "A Very Special Christmas" Christmas-themed compilation album.

Released back in 1987 when a pop Christmas album was the exception rather than the rule, this compilation-for-charity set a standard that still is pretty hard to beat today. How many charity albums can you name that had heavyweights like U2, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, etc, while also introducing people to rap's first Christmas song courtesy of Run DMC? To show it's significance compare the album to its sequels; by the time AVSC 5 came out in 2001 the album was filled with the likes of Eve 6, City High, SR-71(?), and so on; not quite the same A-listers. Not to mention AVSC's songs have become classics over the years; U2's Christmas (Please Come Home), Eurythmics' Winter Wonderland, Stevie Nicks' Silent Night, etc. all get regular airplay every Christmas.
Madonna does a excellent job on "Santa Baby," all the while using her voice to convey subtle (and maybe not so subtle) romantic innuendos. Eartha Kitt still rules for "Santa Baby" but Madonna's interpretation is a very close second place winner. Great flute on "Santa Baby," too.

In a bit of revisionist history, Bon Jovi's live pop-metal version of Back Door Santa was replaced in later editions by the gentler and more melodic I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas; it's inclusion actually fits in better as the original song was probably the weak point of the album.

The songs have scattered to various collections in the two decades since; if you've bought Christmas compilations over the years chances are you'll own some of this music already. But if you want the first and best Christmas cd from where these songs originated, this is a must for your holiday collection.

                                                                                                                                                                           Artwork was designed by Keith Haring.

Track Listings

1. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - The Pointer Sisters

2. Winter Wonderland - Eurythmics

3. Do You Hear What I Hear? - Whitney Houston

4. Merry Christmas Baby - Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

5. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas -The Pretenders

6. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - John Cougar Mellencamp

7. Gabriel's Message - Sting

8. Christmas In Hollis - Run-D.M.C.

9. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - U2

10. Santa Baby - Madonna

11. The Little Drummer Boy - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band

12. Run Rudolph Run - Bryan Adams

13. I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas-Bon Jovi

14. The Coventry Carol - Alison Moyet

15. Silent Night - Stevie Nicks