written by David Foster & Linda Thompson

This 2012 holiday season brought to David Foster fans a wonderful surprise from Korea. It’s a gorgeous cover of Foster’s classic, “My Grown-Up Christmas List.” With lyrics written by the gifted Linda Thompson, “My Grown-Up Christmas List” has become a modern-day evergreen with countless renditions by legendary names like Barbra Streisand and Aretha Franklin.

This new version is part of a special work entitled “Hitman Project,” the brainchild of a very talented group of Korean music-makers, that will release in the near future more goodies from Foster’s unique songbook. This first fruit of their hard work  is beautifully sung by Ailee, a young and absolutely gifted singer, also from Korea. The arrangement is irresistible with lush orchestration, jazzy changes and clear references to Foster’s trademark work on the acoustic and electric piano. Big kudos to the producer, Hwang, Chan Lee for the top notch result. “My Grown-Up Christmas List” can be found on I-Tunes so why don’t you make yourself a gift and go and buy it? There’s also an instrumental version that showcases even more all the musicians’ noteworthy job.
Merry Christmas!

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/my_grown_up_christmas_list.mp3|titles=My Grown up Christmas List|artists=Ailee]

Lead Vocals: Ailee
Guitar: Hong, Joon Ho
Bass: Choi, In Seong
Drums: Ha, Hyung Joo
Strings: Yung Strings
Percussion: Lee, Su Hyeok
Acoustic Piano: Hwang, Chan Hee & Hong, So Jin
Electric Piano & Organ: Hong, So Jin
Chorus: Yang, Geun Young

Strings Arranged by Park, In Young

Produced by Hwang, Chan Lee

Lyrics

Do you remember mer
I sat upon your knee
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies

Well, I’m all grown up now
And still need help somehow
I’m not a child
But my heart still can dream

So here’s my lifelong wish
My grown up Christmas list
Not for myself
But for a world in need

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown up Christmas list

As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely
Wrapped beneath our tree

Well heaven only knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal
A hurting human soul

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown up Christmas list

What is this illusion called the innocence of youth
Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth
(there’d be)

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end, oh
This is my grown up Christmas list
This is my only life long wish
This is my grown up Christmas list

written by David Foster, Rod Stewart & Amy Foster

The fall of 2012 saw the release of Rod Stewart’s first seasonal album ever entitled “Merry Christmas Baby.” Produced & Arranged by The Hitman, David Foster, “Merry Christmas Baby” is the perfect soundtrack for this upcoming holidays. Foster, like he did on previous multi-platinum Christmas releases by Josh Groban, Michael Bublè and Andrea Bocelli, worked his magic on a number of evergreens adding his  smooth and elegant touch to Stewart’s unmistakable voice.

The UK superstar’s vocal performances are really impressive throughout the collection while the overall mood of “Merry Christmas Baby” is jazzy and lush with spectacular orchestrations and superior instrumental performances. There are several irresistible moments like the opener, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve” a virtual duet with Ella Fitzgerald, the gorgeous “We Three Kings” with special guest, Mary J. Blige and an acoustic, stripped down version of “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow” that already skyrocketed to the top of the Adult Contemporary chart. Stewart’s R&B side comes out on a couple of goodies like the title track and the newly written, “Red-Suited Super Man.” The first is an amazing duet with Cee Lo Green packed up with horns, guitar and an infectious beat in the best Motown tradition. The same retro feel is present on “Red-Suited Super Man” co-written by the singer with Foster and lyrics written by Foster’s daughter Amy. This tune also has strong echoes of the best soul music of the sixties. Both tracks feature the great Trombone Shorty while other big names like Chris Botti, Dave Koz, Dean Parks and Peter Erskine appear on various moments of this top notch recording. “Merry Christmas Baby” is already on its way to platinum status in the US but also selling like hot cakes in the UK and worldwide thus becoming the absolute winner of this holiday season.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/red_suited_super_man.mp3|titles=Red-Suited Super Man|artists=Rod Stewart]

Lead Vocal: Rod Stewart
Feat. Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews on trombone & Trumpet
Keyboards: David Foster
Guitars: Dean Parks
Percussion: Matt O’Connor
Baritone Saxophone: Dan Oestreicher
Tenor Saxophone: Tim McFatter
Saxophone Solo: Jimmy Roberts
Background Vocals: Bridget Cady, KimberlyJohnson & Dieyelle Reed

Strings Arranged by David Foster & Chris Walden
Horns Arrangement by David Foster
Produced & Arranged by David Foster

Lyrics

Listen!
The tree is ready and the stockings are all hung
The fire is blazing and the carols are all sung
Everybody’s waiting for a miracle, so
Santa bring some joy to us all

It’s the season to leave our troubles behind
How amazing if the world was giving and kind
It might be crazy, It might take a miracle
Santa bring some peace to us all

If anyone can do it, it’s Santa who can
He’s red suited super superman
He knows everybody, ‘got a list with all our names
And he rocks the whole world in that old fashioned sleigh

Come over here baby, let’s watch the snow fall
Check out the North star, didn’t it start it all?
It’s still shinin’,that’s a miracle
So Santa bring some hope to us all

He’s a red suited super superman
And he rocks the whole world in that old fashioned sleigh

I look around me, what else could I need?
All my friends and family, so I gotta believe
Life is a blessing for every boy and girl
So Santa bring some love to us all

I said Santa bring some love to us all
I mean Santa!,I said Santa!
Bring some love to us all

Oooh bring us, bring us
Just a little peace and love on this Earth

Santa, Santa, I believe in Santa
Oh yes I do, oh yes I do