Christmas In Our Hearts

Christmas in Our Hearts
Studio album by Jose Mari Chan
Released	November 1990
Recorded	1990 (See recording locations)
Genre	Holiday
Language	English
Label	Universal
Producer	Jose Mari Chan
Jose Mari Chan chronology
Constant Change (1989) Christmas in Our Hearts (1990) Thank You Love {1994)
Singles from Christmas in Our Hearts
"Christmas in Our Hearts (with Liza Chan)" Released: November 1990 "A Perfect Christmas" Released: December 1990

Christmas in Our Hearts is the seventh studio album and the first Christmas album by Filipino singer-songwriter and balladeer Jose Mari Chan. It was released in November 1990 by Universal Records. The album sold over 600,000 units in the Philippines in 2006, certifying Double Diamond by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI).^[1] It is considered to be the first OPM album to surpass the Diamond status. It is currently the biggest-selling album in the Philippines, selling more than 800,000 copies to date.^[2]

Background

According to Chan, the title track and first single of the album, "Christmas in Our Hearts", has a unique history. It was originally titled as "Ang Tubig Ay Buhay" [The Water Is Life], based from the poem written by Chari Cruz. He incorporated music to the words to make it a Jubilee song for Assumption High School class ‘63. He described it as a very beautiful poem, that is why he was easily able to compose a musical arrangement for it.^[3] He stated "I felt it was the catchiest melody I had ever written. Too catchy to waste on a class jubilee song. I thought of giving the melody a new life–by using it in my first ever Christmas album".^[3] Before production started, Chan had attended mass at Sanctuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park when a lady knocked on the window of his car, introducing herself as Rina Cañiza, a songwriter. Cañiza later wrote the words of "Christmas in Our Hearts" using the melody that Chan incorporated to "Ang Tubig Ay Buhay".^[3]

Commercial performance

Christmas in Our Hearts is the best-selling album not only by Chan, but by an Original Pilipino Music (OPM) artist to date. Just weeks after the album was released, it was certified triple platinum by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI) in 1990.^[4] In December 2006, it was awarded with a Double Diamond certification by the PARI on GMA Network's SOP (Sobrang Okey Pare) for selling more than 600,000 units in the Philippines.^[1] It makes Chan the only Filipino artist to achieve the feat, with two Double Diamond albums—the other one being Constant Change.^[5] It makes the album the best-selling OPM Christmas album of all time, the best-selling OPM studio album of all time, and the best-selling OPM album of all time. In addition, it always tops album charts during Christmas season.^[6] The album has sold over 800,000 copies in the country to date.^[2]

Track listing

All tracks were produced by Jose Mari Chan.

1. "A Wish on Christmas Night" {Chan, Pinky Valdez)
2. "Do You Hear What I Hear?" {N. Regney, G. Shayne)
3. "Mary's Boy Child" {Jester Hairston)
4. "Christmas in Our Hearts" (with Liza Chan) {Chan, Rina Cañiza)
5. "A Christmas Carol" {Leslie Bricusse)
6. "A Perfect Christmas" {Chan)
7. "Give Me Your Heart for Christmas"
8. "This Beautiful Day"—Jaymie Magtoto {Bricusse)
9. "The Sound of Life" {Chan, Valdez)
10. "Christmas Children" {Chan)
11. "Little Christmas Tree"
12. "When a Child Is Born" {Zacar-Jay)
13. "It Is the Lord!" {Chan)
14. "The Lord's Prayer"
15. "Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep)"
16. "May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You" {Meredith Willson)

Personnel

Credits were taken from Titik Pilipino.^[7]

Production Dindo Aldaecoa - sound engineer Aperture 32, Inc. - album concept and design Jose Mari Chan - vocals, album producer Homer Flores - arranger Rey Magtoto - arranger Eddie Munji - arranger Emy Munji - arranger Willie Munji - sound engineer Alvin Nunez - arranger Louie Ocampo - arranger Jun Orenza - sound engineer Voltaire Orplano - sound engineer Monching Payumo - sound engineer Marvin Querido - arranger Ruben Remperas - sound engineer Jun Reyes - sound engineer Teddy Tan - photography

Recording locations Ad & Ad Recording Studio Audio Captain Recording Studio Greenhills Sound Cinema Audio, Inc. JR Recording

Certifications

Country	Provider	Certification	Sales
Philippines	PARI	20× Platinum (2× Diamond)[2]	800,000+[2]

See also

• List of best-selling albums in the Philippines

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Double Diamond". Philippine Daily Inquirer. March 10, 2006. http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/entertainment/entertainment/view/20061210-37336/Spin_City. Retrieved 2011-04-20. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} "Numbers". Philippine Daily Inquirer. December 18, 2010. http://services.inquirer.net/print/print.php?article_id=20101218-309715. Retrieved 2011-04-20. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} Ernie Pecho (September 14, 2003). "Isang class jubilee song ang "Christmas In Our Hearts"". The Philippine Star. http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=220416. Retrieved 2011-04-20. 
4. ^ Bong Godinez (April 7, 2008). "Filipino song composers of all time (Part 2)". pep.ph. http://www.pep.ph/features/extra/15639/filipino-song-composers-of-all-time-part-2. Retrieved 2011-04-20. 
5. ^ "Jose Mari Chan's "Christmas In Our Hearts": The Best-Selling OPM Christmas Album Of All Time!". Universal Records official blog. November 20, 2009. http://universalrecph.blogspot.com/2009/11/jose-mari-chans-christmas-in-our-hearts.html. Retrieved 2011-04-20. 
6. ^ Ernie Pecho (December 11, 2005). "Ano ang pinaka-mabentang Christmas album na lokal?". The Philippine Star. http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=311723&publicationSubCategoryId=96. Retrieved 2011-04-20. 
7. ^ "Christmas in Our Hearts - Jose Mari Chan". Titik Pilipino. http://www.titikpilipino.com/album/?albumid=138. Retrieved 2011-04-20. 

External links

• Christmas in Our Hearts on Titik Pilipino