Friends for Christmas

Synopsis

It is Farnham's first Christmas album in 46 years, when billed as "Johnny" he released album Christmas Is Johnny Farnham in 1970, and although whilst it is Newton-John's fourth, the most recent was in 2012 being This Christmas (2012) and recorded with her Grease co-star, John Travolta. Farnham and Newton-John promoted the album in Australia in November.

Artists press statements

Farnham said: "I have always loved working with Olivia. To record a Christmas album seemed like the right, almost inevitable thing to do. I hope everyone enjoys listening to it as much as we loved recording it together." Newton-John said: "It was such a joy singing these beautiful holiday songs with my favourite singer and good mate John Farnham. The holidays are about family and friends and having this chance to sing these classics with John was pure fun from beginning to end!"

John Farnham and Olivia Newton-John have performed together in concert numerous times, and have released two ARIA number-one albums: Highlights from The Main Event in 1998, from the The Main Event Tour, also featuring Anthony Warlow and more recently Two Strong Hearts Live in 2015.

Critics reception

Cameron Adams and Mikey Cahill from news.com.au gave the album 3 1/2 out of 5 and said: "In a sea of corporate Christmas albums, this has a welcome quality missing from most: authenticity. First, they’re actual friends and Farnsey insisted on them recording together, eye-to-eye." They added: "Everything here is turned into a duet (and) producer Chong Lim hasn’t done much except capture the voices and add choirs and orchestration to make it as lush as you’d expect."

Samantha Jonscher from The Music gave the album 2 1/2 out of 5, writing: "If you are the music programmer for David Jones this Christmas season then this is the Yuletide album for you. The Broadway smiles one imagines plastered across their faces may not be contagious, but the "cheer" will certainly be heard over even the most frantic Christmas eve shopper's pounding, desperate heartbeat."

Track listing

CD/DVD

1. "Let It Snow" – 2:35
2. "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" – 2:49
3. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" – 4:10
4. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" – 2:40
5. "The Christmas Song" – 3:27
6. "Winter Wonderland" – 2:54
7. "Baby, It's Cold Outside" – 3:18
8. "Silent Night" – 3:11
9. "White Christmas" – 3:34
10. "Little Drummer Boy" – 4:33
11. "Silver Bells" – 2:58
12. "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" – 2:35

Charts

Friends for Christmas debuted a number 3 and reached number 1 in its fifth week of charting on 19 December 2016. It became the tenth No. 1 album for Farnham and the fifth for Newton-John.