Let me go on record and state this: Ann-Margret is the ONLY woman on the planet that I would leave my wife and kids for. She has more sex appeal in one eyelash than any of the current sex symbols in Hollywood, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.In January 2005, I discovered she released a Christmas album for the 2004 season that I completely missed. Upon learning this, I immediately went into a coma that lasted several weeks.
FINALLY - to spend Christmas with Ann-Margret!
It took a long time to gather my strength back after the initial shock. Actually order the CD was a bit of an ordeal. I would visit Amazon.com and start placing the order until I caught site of the cover you see above. The room would always get blurry, I would sink to my knees like a sugar diabetic that desperately needs a chocolate bar, and eventually pass out.
This went on for several months. I tried to gather my strength; I watched "Viva Las Vegas" and "Kitten With A Whip" almost daily - listened to my copy of "Let Me Entertain You" and the Japanese import copy of the "Tommy" film soundtrack that I've owned since the early 1990s. It took me almost a year after this album was released but I finally was ready.
This album arrived early this week... and I almost spontaeously combusted. I thought the front cover was delicious - the back cover was orgasmic! Three vintage Christmas pictures of Ann! What greets you when you open the CD booklet? FIVE more vintage pictures! I was going to post scans of these pix... however if you want to see them, do yourself a favor and purchase this album yourself.
As for the music... the voice is still fresh, breathy (be still my heart), and delicious as ever. Her arrangements can be a little hokey but Ann rises above it all and delivers. On several tracks, she hooks up with the Jordannaires - the same Jordannaires who backed up a pre-Army Elvis! Their presence is an extra blast of air on an album that is already bursting at the seams.
How good is this album? This good:
Shortly after our wedding in 1997, my wife and I were expecting our first child. We were excited heading into the holidays that year until a fateful night in December. We rushed to the hospital where we lost our first child. That year, I dedicated Martin Denny's version of "What Child Is This?" on my Christmas tape to our child. Since then, I haven't been able to listen to that song without thinking about that horrible experience in my life.
By the time I reached "What Child Is This?" on this album, I didn't mind at all. For the first time in nearly a decade, I listened to that song and smiled. For that and the rest of your album, thank you Ann-Margret.
On to the next new Christmas CD in my collection...
Capt
