Mandisa’s Little Drummer Boy is an excellent reworking of the children’s classic! I totally love it. The gospel choir near the end, the clapping, the party atmosphere, everything about it works!

Before this, my favorite Little Drummer Boy version was by Carnie and Wendy Wilson, but Mandisa’s Little Drummer Boy may very well best it. It’s really really good!

It’s Christmas, Mandisa’s full-length Christmas album now in stores. Get your copy!

Jennifer Hudson has claimed a number one hit! Woot! Spotlight has moved one notch from #2 to #1 on the Billboard Hot Adult R&B Airplay, bumping Eric Benet’s You’re the Only One down to #2.

On the Billboard Hot R&B/HipHop Songs chart, Hudson’s Spotlight rebounds 4-3, matching its previous peak. The same chart trajectory for Spotlight follows on the Billboard Hot R&B/HipHop Airplay chart; Spotlight is the highest-placed female vocal on the chart, third only to T.I.’s Whatever You Like and T-Pain’s Can’t Believe It. T-Pain guests on Hudson’s self-titled debut album, now out in stores.

On the big chart, the Billboard Hot 100, Spotlight finally enters the Top 40, moving up five generous notches to #36 from #41. On the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, Spotlight falls to #22 from #19. Jennifer Hudson’s debut single peaked at #8 on this chart (still a Top 10 hit, not bad at all for a debut single!).

Fred Bronson also writes about Jennifer Hudson this week in Chart Beat. (He also ever so briefly mentions Mandisa!) He says:

‘SPOTLIGHT’ SHINES: Speaking of “American Idol” finalists, Jennifer Hudson gives the franchise its 203rd No. 1, counting all national, domestic charts compiled by Billboard. Hudson’s “Spotlight” (Arista) captures first place on the Adult R&B survey.

From the time the popular TV series had its first Billboard No. 1 (Kelly Clarkson’s “A Moment Like This” topped the Hot 100 the week of Oct. 5, 2002), it took almost four years to amass 100 No. 1s. The 100th “Idol” No. 1 also belonged to Clarkson; her single “Walk Away” topped the Hot 100 Recurrents chart the week of Aug. 12, 2006. It has taken just over two additional years for those 100 “Idol” No. 1s to double and pass the 200 mark.

“Spotlight” is Hudson’s third chart entry on Adult R&B and her first No. 1. In March 2007, her version of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from the “Dreamgirls” soundtrack peaked at No. 3. In July 2007, “Leaving Tonight,” credited to Ne-Yo featuring Jennifer Hudson, went to No. 26.

Here’s how the 203 No. 1s by “Idol” contestants are distributed among seven seasons worth of vocalists:

Kelly Clarkson 45
Carrie Underwood 33
Chris Daughtry (Daughtry) 24
Fantasia 21
Ruben Studdard 15
Clay Aiken 11
Kimberley Locke 8
Josh Gracin 7
Mandisa 6
Jordin Sparks 6
David Cook 4
Taylor Hicks 3
Jennifer Hudson 3
Elliott Yamin 3
American Idol Finalists 2
David Archuleta 2
Bo Bice 2
Kellie Pickler 2
Paris Bennett 1
Bucky Covington 1
Diana DeGarmo 1
Tamyra Gray 1
Chris Sligh 1
William Hung 1

American Idol Season Five finalist and Contemporary Christian star Mandisa is releasing her second full-length album, a holiday stocking stuffer titled It’s Christmason October 14, 2008.

Some of the songs from Mandisa’s 2007 Christmas EP Christmas Joy are featured in the album. She will also air a Christmas TV special on TBN titled Mandisa & Friends Christmas Special sometime in November 2008. My girl Mandisa is HOT.

Track list after the jump.
Read more

Mandisa’s God Speaking gets a reworking courtesy of Alvin and the Chipmunks. Even when sped up 30 times, Mandisa still sounds spectacular!

I’m so happy! I used the US$25 Amazon gift certificate I won from Toni’s birthday contest to buy four CDs. That’s one for each of us in the family.

The first CD I bought - for Nicki - was Veggie Tales’ Bob & Larry’s Sunday Morning Songs. We had a cassette copy of this album back in the day, but I can’t find it, and even if I could, I’d have to have it converted to CD, which would cost me a minimum of PHP350, without the CD booklet and everything… it just made more sense to buy it from Amazon (despite its being almost US$2 cheaper on MusiChristian.com, which won’t let me buy these CDs thanks to EMI; thanks a lot, EMI!). This album is a real keeper, with more than 15 Sunday morning songs that Nathan already enjoys, including Give Me Oil in My Lamp and I’ve Got the Joy Down in My Heart. I’m sure Nicki will enjoy it just as much.

The second CD, this one for Nathan, is also a Veggie Tales album: Veggie Tales: On the Road With Bob & Larry. This looks like a great CD: 15 tracks of songs one can sing along with while driving in the car! I confess I’m not too familiar with the songs - just one, actually, The Surrey With the Fringe on Top - but the reviews were great and I want some sing-along music with Nathan there. Also, there are backing tracks so we can sing without Bob and Larry. He he he.

The third CD is for Cathy: Vanessa Williams’ The Sweetest Days. This is one of her favorite albums, and she only has a copy, cassette pa. It contains The Sweetest Days and Constantly, one of her favorite songs of all time.

Finally, I wanted to reward myself as well, so tadah, early Christmas present: Mandisa’s Christmas Joy EP! Hahaha, I’ve wanted this since last year! (Her new album, Freedom, is being recorded right now, and word has it she’s recording a new Christmas CD; yeah, girl, you go and be the Kimberley Locke of gospel! Make Christmas singles every year!) Total cost of CD haul: a little less than US$30. So I spend only US$5 extra (because the entire purchase qualified for free shipping! Whee!

Special thanks to Toni again for the wonderful gift and to my best friend Raft3r, to whom I’m shipping these CDs in the US and who will be coming home with them. Now there’s even more reason to celebrate my best bud’s return!

(Listen to Lose My Soul by TobyMac featuring Mandisa and Kirk Franklin. You may also read the TobyMac Lose My Soul lyrics on this post. GannsDeen.com does not offer TobyMac mp3’s for free download or paid downloads. If you like what you hear, please leave a comment in the Comments box. Come back to GannsDeen.com for the latest and best in Christian, country, and pop music.)

Lose My Soul has a very special place in my heart. It was the very first post-American Idol recording for Season Five finalist Mandisa, who, as my regulars know, is one of my favorite Contemporary Christian artists of all time. After Mandisa was unceremoniously booted off the show, I thought she was done for, but she soon recorded Lose My Soul, and soon thereafter released True Beauty, which has since gone on to sell almost a hundred thousand copies and spawn three hit singles on the Contemporary Christian charts.

For some strange reason, Lose My Soul has been released to Christian AC radio only now. This is extremely odd for three reasons: 1) Portable Sounds, the TobyMac album on which Lose My Soul may be found, is more than two years old; it’s way past its single-release prime; 2) Lose My Soul wasn’t up FYC to radio during that time, despite its near-universal acclaim; and 3) You’d think Lose My Soul would’ve been released during last year’s Dove Awards, during when it was performed as the opener to the televised broadcast.

Not that I’m complaining. Lose My Soul is a perfect single. With Kirk Franklin and TobyMac trading rhymes, Mandisa blasting full-sonic on the bridge, and, of course, that perfect perfect perfect sing-along chorus, I’m surprised Lose My Soul wasn’t released sooner. Radio, pick this one up!

Listen to TobyMac’s Lose My Soul mp3
Lyrics to Lose My Soul by TobyMac, Mandisa, and Kirk Franklin after the jump. Read more

Today is starting out to be a great day. Witness, to wit:

I won Toni’s birthday contest! I entered a birthday contest from my good friend Toni at her website Wifely Steps, and to my utter surprise and glee, I won the randomly selected lottery contest! I never win at these things! Thank You, God! Thank you, Toni! (Now, how shall I spend my US$25 Amazon GC? Mandisa or Avalon? Argh, decisions, decisions!)

Spotlight’s breaking out! Jennifer Hudson’s Spotlight bows at #96 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, three notches ahead of fellow Oscar winner Meryl Streep (Mamma Mia) and one notch behind fellow Oscar winner Jamie Foxx (Please Excuse My Hands, on which he and The Dream are featured artists with rapper Plies). Three Oscar winners, including Jennifer Hudson, all debuting on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time? This is the kind of chart news I really enjoy! Go, J-Hud! Go Spotlight!

Oh, and for this week, here are Jennifer Hudson’s Spotlight Billboard rankings:
Hot 100: #96 (debut)
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: #16, up four notches (bullet)
Adult R&B Airplay: #12, same as last week (bullet)

I just played Lazer Tag! Some of the pastors and staff visited Lazer Xtreme at Market! Market! for 15 minutes of lazer tag. OMG, such fun! It was my first time to play, and I finished a more than respectable 5th out of 12. More importantly, Pastor Joey Bonifacio, who trash-talked me like there was no tomorrow, finished dead last. Hahaha, take that, Sir! (Just kidding. Please don’t fire me.)

Do you feel like a winner today?

(Listen to We Sing Jesus Christ by  Adam Paul Williams. You may also read the  Adam Paul Williams We Sing Jesus Christ lyrics on this post. GannsDeen.com does not offer  Adam Paul Williams mp3’s for free download or paid downloads. If you like what you hear, please leave a comment in the Comments box. Come back to GannsDeen.com for the latest and best in Christian, country, and pop music.)

I learned about Adam Paul Williams when I saw his new single, We Sing Jesus Christ, listed as one of last week’s gainers on RadioandRecords.com’s Inspo chart. After I visited his MySpace page, I was struck by the pureness and range of his voice. What I found even more impressive is that Adam Paul Williams dared take on my favorite worship song of all time, Unrestrained, and, for the most part, holds his own against the versions of vocal powerhouses Calvin Nowell, Myron Butler, and Mandisa. (I’m sorry, but the countrified version of Tony Sutherland, co-writer of Unrestrained, doesn’t do it for me.)

Williams has a Hymns album, but it’s not clear to me right now whether or not We Sing Jesus Christ is on that album. Nevertheless, it’s a straight-to-the-point worship song in the vein of Don Moen, with shades of Sandy Patti and Twila Paris. We Sing Jesus Christ has the makes of a classic song tailor-made for Inspo, and is perfect for that market.

Listen to  Adam Paul Williams We Sing Jesus Christ mp3
Lyrics to We Sing Jesus Christ by Adam Paul Williams after the jump. Read more

(Listen to The Right Thing by Mandisa off the original sountrack album of Big Idea’s The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything. You may also read the Mandisa The Right Thing lyrics on this post. GannsDeen.com does not offer Mandisa mp3’s for free download or paid downloads. If you like what you hear, please leave a comment in the Comments box. Come back to GannsDeen.com for the latest and best in Christian, country, and pop music.)

I am a huge Mandisa fan, and when I heard that Mandisa was going to sing a Matthew West-penned song for the VeggieTales movie The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything, I basically flipped out. I love Mandisa, I love Matthew West, and I love VeggieTales, so this is my dream come true! (Kulang na lang, Avalon singing backup!) Months later, I finally grab hold of a copy of The Right Thing, and it is everything I dreamed it would be. It’s got a message of positivity and faith that Jesus Christ can provide the strength we need to do the right thing. The Right Thing has got a killer sing-along chorus and an awesome vocal delivery. Mandisa delivered the goods yet again, and my homeboy Mathwesta (long story here) has penned yet another home run! Two thumbs and ten toes dancing!

Listen to Mandisa The Right Thing mp3
Lyrics to The Right Thing by Mandisa after the jump. Read more

Will Needtobreathe notch a second week on this week’s Billboard’s Christian singles charts? Will my current #1 song, Chris Sligh’s Empty Me, finally rise above #16? Access the usual Billboard Christian chart roundup after the jump. Read more