Phineas and Ferb Holiday Favorites – CD Review

 

The creators of Phineas and Ferb bring their unique personalities and humor to the new album “Phineas and Ferb Holiday Favorites” The album begins with a number of songs from their 2009 holiday special that were previously available as a digital album only including Candace’s “What Does He Want?” and Doofenshmirtz’ “I Really Don’t Hate Christmas”

As the album continues, the cast of Phineas of Ferb perform classic Christmas tunes as only they can. To me, the key to any novelty Christmas album is their rendition of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. The creators of Phineas and Ferb didn’t fail me with this cast recording hitting the right balance of holiday cheer and the show’s humor. The lyrics are adapted to the cast and instead of the traditional “my true love gave to me” the singers are requesting “that Santa bring to me” a growing list of items appropriate to each character with Phineas seeking a jet powered rocket ski, while Baljeet wants a kiss from a girl, and the ever indecisive Doofenshmirtz constantly re-evaluates his request as the song continues. Even Perry the platypus and Ferb offer their gift wishes but I’ll leave most of the list for you to discover as that’s part of the fun, isn’t it? 

In a side note, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s high-energy big band number “Christmas Is Starting Now” is one of the songs featured in this year’s Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. It was fun to see a couple dancing away to the tune among the twinkling lights and WDW magic “snow”

Among my favorite album moments are the debate regarding the use of the word o’er by Major Monogram and Carl the Intern as they sing Perry Saves christmas (tune: Frosty the Snowman) and the tuneful exposition of the historical context of the carol “Good King Wenceslas” by Baljeet and Buford. The album also features classic Christmas songs sung traditionally by the show’s characters. Isabella’s beautifully sweet voice is the perfect choice for “Let it Snow”, the precocious Phineas rocks out with “Run Rudolph Run”, Doofenshmirtz’ emo teen daughter Vanessa soulfully sings “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an open fire)”, and the show-created 80’s or 90’s band (from episode “Dude, We’re Getting the Band Back Together) Love Händel performs a hard-rockin’ rendition “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.”  In the album’s cleverly crafted concluding song “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” the various characters including Phineas, Isabella, Major Monogram, Perry, Dr. Doofenshmirtz and others offer their intentions or wishes for the new year.

So, as they sing in the album’s first track “Winter Vacation”, “..stick with us, ’cause Phineas and Ferb are gonna spread some Christmas cheer”

Complete Track Listing

1. Winter Vacation Performed by Bowling For Soup 

2. What Does He Want? Performed by Candace 

3. That Christmas Feeling Performed by Olivia Olson 

4. I Really Don’t Hate Christmas Performed by Dr. Doofenshmirtz 

5. Where Did We Go Wrong? Performed by the cast of Phineas and Ferb 

6. Danville for Niceness Performed by the cast of Phineas and Ferb 

7. Christmas Is Starting Now Performed by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy 

8. Thank You Santa Performed by Mitchel Musso 

9. The Twelve Days of Christmas Performed by the cast of Phineas and Ferb 

10. Good King Wenceslas Performed by Baljeet and Buford 

11. Frosty the Snowman (Recorded as “Perry Saves Christmas”) Performed by Major Monogram and Carl the Intern 

12. Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow Performed by Isabella 

13. Run Rudolph Run Performed by Phineas 

14. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) Performed by Vanessa 

15. Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town Performed by Love Händel 

16. We Wish You a Merry Christmas Performed by the cast of Phineas and Ferb