What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this two-disc set includes an
extensive selection of traditional and modern Christmas songs
-- almost everything that would be considered a must on your
family's holiday song list (except perhaps "Grandma Got Run
Over by a Reindeer"). If you celebrate Christmas and can handle
country music, there's nothing objectionable about this CD; the
whole family will love it.
Families can talk about Christmas music and country music, and how well the two genres blend together. Have you listened to lots of Christmas music before? How about country music? Do you enjoy both? Why or why not? Do the holiday songs you're familiar with sound different sung in a country style? Do you like the way Toby Keith sings them, or do you prefer to hear them sung in a more traditional manner? What do you like or dislike about his renditions?
Common Sense Media Review
You don't have to be a big country music fan for Toby
Keith's A CLASSIC CHRISTMAS CD to get you in a holly-jolly
mood. While the country star infuses 20 Christmas favorites --
half traditional and half contemporary -- with his Southern
twang and country-music stylings, his delivery of the songs
lets the words and beloved tunes come across clearly to leave
you with that warm, fuzzy holiday feeling. Keith's musical
style is a slightly better fit for the upbeat contemporary
songs ("Winter Wonderland," "Rockin' Around the Christmas
Tree," "Please Come Home for Christmas") than the traditional
ones, but his soulful voice makes most of the latter bunch ("O
Come All Ye Faithful," "Joy to the World," "Go Tell It on the
Mountain") work as well. Country music fans will love the extra
touches such as the twangy guitars, the occasional fiddle, and
the drum work. It's pleasant, classic holiday music for the
whole family.
If your kids are into a variety of music, including hip-hop, they might enjoy Yo, It's Christmas! . Ardent tweenage country music lovers should check out a couple of albums from big country stars: Lee Ann Rimes' Family and Keith Urban's Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
