For right-minded buyers of the reissued Muppet Christmas Carol soundtrack, the odds of disappointment are about as remote as Miss Piggy's chances with Kermit. If you loved the movie, you will love the loopy mayhem of the M... more »uppet Brass Buskers ("Good King Wenceslas"), the cartoonish malice of the black-hearted misanthropes Marley & Marley ("Marley & Marley"), and the hope-swollen harmonies of Tiny Tim and Family ("Bless Us All"), Muppeted here to hilariously humble effect. If, on the other hand, your interest in this disc has more to do with its inclusion in the way-narrow Christmas-record-for-kids category--if the spirit of the season doesn't extend, for you, to the magic of the Muppets--you may want to keep browsing, as it's a soundtrack first (overture, instrumentals, and all) and a Christmas CD second. That's not to suggest you're stuck with an un-fun disc should it land on your holiday stack without a prior screening, though. Miles Goodman's score sweeps and inspires, and certain tracks--"One More Sleep 'til Christmas" and "Fozziwig's Party"--are future classics. (Note to the right-minded: After a misstep on the original release, Martina McBride's version of "When Love is Gone" is back.) -Tammy La Gorce« less
For right-minded buyers of the reissued Muppet Christmas Carol soundtrack, the odds of disappointment are about as remote as Miss Piggy's chances with Kermit. If you loved the movie, you will love the loopy mayhem of the Muppet Brass Buskers ("Good King Wenceslas"), the cartoonish malice of the black-hearted misanthropes Marley & Marley ("Marley & Marley"), and the hope-swollen harmonies of Tiny Tim and Family ("Bless Us All"), Muppeted here to hilariously humble effect. If, on the other hand, your interest in this disc has more to do with its inclusion in the way-narrow Christmas-record-for-kids category--if the spirit of the season doesn't extend, for you, to the magic of the Muppets--you may want to keep browsing, as it's a soundtrack first (overture, instrumentals, and all) and a Christmas CD second. That's not to suggest you're stuck with an un-fun disc should it land on your holiday stack without a prior screening, though. Miles Goodman's score sweeps and inspires, and certain tracks--"One More Sleep 'til Christmas" and "Fozziwig's Party"--are future classics. (Note to the right-minded: After a misstep on the original release, Martina McBride's version of "When Love is Gone" is back.) -Tammy La Gorce
"Both the review below and the Amazon review above are incorrect -- Martina McBride's version of When Love is Gone was ALWAYS on the original album. The two songs not in the movie -- Chairman of the Board and Room in Your Heart For Love -- were ALSO on the original album. Hence, there's nothing actually "Special" about this particular release -- everything here was on the original album and there's nothing new added -- but it's great to have it finally back in circulation for those who have been yearning to have it :)"
Muppet Christmas Carol soundtrack...fabulous!
L. Genthe | Appleton, WI USA | 12/19/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've owned the soundtrack for about 5 years now, but I paid about three times as much for an original just because I loved the music so much! When I saw that a special edition was released, I thought I might have to buy it again, but while it is a special edition, the only difference I can see is that there is different cover artwork (but there's different artwork between the original dvd release and the new release too). Whoever thought to rerelease the soundtrack is nothing short of genius.
The score is just brilliant. I think that there is a great mixture of both fast and slow, happy and sad on this soundtrack. I really do like that there are two extra tracks, and that they were both put on the soundtrack in the place they were intended to be in the movie, rather than just stuck at the end as 'extras'. While I like the two tracks, I think they would have disrupted the movie and I'm glad they took them out but made them available on the soundtrack (now, extra footage for a hopefully better future dvd release, please?).
So, there's nothing different about the soundtrack quality-wise or quantity-wise, the same great music, the same amount of tracks, just different artwork - and a lot easier to get ahold of and a lot cheaper than scrounging on ebay...it was going for upwards of $60 last holiday season! Kudos to the studios for rereleasing a Christmas classic!"
The Muppets Christmas Christmas Carol
Shae L. Leonard | 01/30/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am a Muppets fan from WAY back! I own the DVD and watch it during every holiday season. Since I am such a big fan of the movie, I knew I would enjoy the soundtrack.
Shae Leonard"
I'm Glad to Finally Have This Soundtrack
Mark Baker | Santa Clarita, CA United States | 12/17/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I didn't see this movie until several years after it had been released, but I immediately fell in love with it. And one reason was the songs. But by the time I went looking for the soundtrack, it was long out of print and therefore very expensive. But when Disney rereleased it, I bought it as soon as I could.
There are two main reasons I wanted to get it - "One More Sleep 'til Christmas" as sung by Kermit and "It Feels Like Christmas" by the Ghost of Christmas Present. Both songs are warm and rich as they share about the joys of Christmas. Frankly, either work outside of the movie. I'm surprised I haven't seen more people covering them.
And there are a couple of songs that work well in the context of the movie, too. "Scrooge" is a wonderful introduction to the character. As sung by the cast, it tells us exactly what we need to know about the main character. "Marley and Marley" is surprisingly funny considering it's one of the scarier moments of the traditional story. But it gets the point across with some humor.
And, like all soundtracks, there are several instrumental pieces. I count 6 of the 18 tracks. Scattered throughout, they really do invoke the feel of the movie even if you aren't watching it.
Two of the tracks, "Room in Your Heart" and "Chairman of the Board" were cut by the time I saw the movie. Frankly, they are my least favorite tracks here, probably because I never saw them in any context.
This will be yet another honored part of my Christmas music collection for years to come. If you like the movie, get it before it disappears again."
Finest Muppets songs
Susan Talar | California | 11/18/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"In music I enjoy Méhdi"Christmas Treasures",Charlie Brown Christmas ,Mannheim Steamroller etc.and this a magnificent production that I also enjoy just as much.The song "Marley and Marley," sung by living dead versions of the heckling Waldorf and Statler, is humorous, eerie, and poignant, reminding the still living that "Freedom comes from giving love as prison comes with hate." "Bless Us All," sung by Tiny Tim and his family, is a tender prayer that really captures the spirit of Christmas quite perfectly, but "It Feels Like Christmas," sung by the Ghost of Christmas Present and the cast (and also sung by the Muppets family on a 1992 television tribute to Ed Sullivan), takes the prize for one of the first and finest Muppets songs to come about in years."