My Gift to You (Alexander O'Neal album) explained

My Gift to You
Type:	Studio album
Artist:	Alexander O'Neal
Cover:	My Gift to You (Alexander O'Neal album).jpg
Released:	November 11, 1988
Recorded:	1987–1988
Genre:	Christmas electronic R&B funk soul
Label:	Tabu
Producer:	Jimmy Jam Terry Lewis Foster & McElroy Tom Cartwright Steve Hodge Lee Blaskey
Prev Title:	All Mixed Up
Prev Year:	1987
Next Title:	All True Man
Next Year:	1991

My Gift to You is the first and only Christmas album by American recording artist Alexander O'Neal, released on November 11, 1988, by Tabu Records.

On release, the album was received favorably by the majority of music critics. However, it was not very successful, peaking at No. 149 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 54 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The album only launched one charting single in the UK. "The Christmas Song"/"Thank You for a Good Year" which peaked at No. 30 on the UK Singles Chart.^[1]

Critical reception

In a retrospective review, Jason Ankeny of AllMusic gave the album three out of five stars and wrote that "My Gift to You is plainly a product of its era, complete with thick synthesizers and programmed rhythms, and is best enjoyed by listeners still hoping Santa brings them acid-washed jeans and Members Only jackets regardless of the year in question."

Personnel

• Alexander O'Neal – arranger; vocal arrangement; vocals
• Jimmy Jam – arranger; associate producer; choir arrangement; drums; executive producer; horns; keyboard programming; keyboards; percussion; piano; producer; rhythm; string arrangements
  • Terry Lewis – arranger; associate producer; bass; choir arrangement; executive producer; guitar; horns; percussion; rhythm; string arrangements; backing vocals Thomas McElroy – drum programming; drums; keyboards; producer
• Denzil Foster – drum programming; keyboards
• Jellybean Johnson – guitar; percussion
• David Agent – guitar
• Ira D. Conley – bass; bass (vocal)
• Lee Blaskey – arranger; conductor; orchestra production
• Michael L. Bowens – saxophone (tenor); tenor (vocal)
• Robert Edwards – saxophone (tenor); tenor (vocal)
• Terrence Frierson – saxophone (tenor); tenor (vocal)
• Dorothy Cates – soprano (vocal)
• Shirley Marie Graham – alto; alto (vocals)
• Carrie M. Harrington – alto; alto (vocals)
• Gary Hines – choir arrangement; director
• Wendy Ingram – soprano; soprano (vocal)
• Valerie Johnson – soprano; soprano (vocal)
• Lisa Keith – arranger; vocal arrangement; backing vocals
• Jennifer L. – alto (vocals)
• Patricia Lacy – alto (vocals)
• Renee McCall – soprano; soprano (vocal)
• Otis Montgomery – saxophone (tenor); tenor (vocal)
• Jayn Bell Porter – soprano; soprano (vocal)
• Randy Ran – backing vocals
• Charles Robinson – bass; bass (vocal)
• Alecia Russell – alto
• Aleeta D. Russell – alto (vocals)
• Sounds of Blackness – choir; chorus
• Jennifer Whitlock – alto; alto (vocals)
• David B. Young – bass; bass (vocal)

Chart performance

Chart	Peak position
Swedish Albums Chart^[2]	26
UK Albums Chart^[3]	53
US Billboard Chart^[4]	149
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	54

Notes and References

1. Book: Roberts, David . Guinness World Records British Hit Singles . 15th . 2002 . Guinness World Records Ltd. . London . 0-85112-187-X., p.360
2. Web site: SWE Charts > Alexander O'Neal. Sverigetopplistan. 2012-05-26.
3. Web site: UK Charts > Alexander O'Neal. Official Charts Company. 2012-05-26.
4. [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p5056|pure_url=yes}} US Albums Charts > Alexander O'Neal]. Billboard. 2012-05-26.