Idol Stalker

39 opinions for Video: Clay Aiken and Anthony Callea - My Grownup Christmas List

• DeDeBe
  Dec 11, 2007 at 3:43 am

  I love Clay’s quiet, contemplative version of this song. How nice to see Andy Abad (guitar), Daniel Pearson (bass), and William Joseph (piano) in that clip. This was Christmas 2005.

  Anthony’s version is done very differently and its very nice. I’d like to hear him sing that song by himself because I do enjoy his voice.

  Jeanne, thanks again for all the youtube’s of idol Christmas songs!

• Di
  Dec 11, 2007 at 3:52 am

  Ive watched both of these and they are quite different, but I do prefer the richness on Anthony & Sylvie together. I found Clays performance laking something.

• Bev
  Dec 11, 2007 at 4:00 am

  Hi Jeanne, thanks for posting this. I love Anthony’s voice but would like to hear him sing it alone too.
  I have to go with Clay as its become one of his signature pieces. Here he is singing it 2 weeks ago on his Christmas tour.
  http://youtube.com/watch?v=K1c-MzbEv_0

• Kat
  Dec 11, 2007 at 5:03 am

  I don’t care for the duet but Anthony certainly has a nice tone to his voice.

  I love Clay’s version though. He sings it so beautifully. It is one of my favorites on Merry Christmas With Love.

• Phyllis
  Dec 11, 2007 at 5:05 am

  As much as I love everything Clay sings, and this version of MGUCL is no exception, I suggest that you replace this performance with one from his current tour. Here’s the one from South Bend, Indiana, performed on November 28, 2007. Be sure to listen all the way to the end so you can hear both the tenderness and the power in his wonderful voice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1c-MzbEv_0

• sinta
  Dec 11, 2007 at 5:19 am

  I’d prefer to hear Anthony sing it on his own too. Whilst Anthony duets extremely well, I don’t think he needs to duet with anyone. Nevertheless, I prefer his and Sylvie’s version of this song than Clay’s.

• Alice
  Dec 11, 2007 at 7:06 am

  I prefer Clay’s version of this song. His singing is so personal. It goes to the heart.

  Anthony’s voice is very good but on this particular song, the duet sounds more like a movie soundtrack than a wish.

• Jackie
  Dec 11, 2007 at 7:44 am

  I love Clay Aiken singing anything and everytime he sings the same song he changes it up and he ups himself.
  Anthony is also a wonderful singer but Clay sings to my heart.

• jean
  Dec 11, 2007 at 8:11 am

  I find these versions two different styles - Anthony has a nice voice, but is doing a production number of this song . Clay had a two tiny bobbles in this song in the begining, but sang it like a personal message to God, filled with the heartfelt meaning of the song.

• psbintl
  Dec 11, 2007 at 8:33 am

  Clay had me from the first note, however I must agree with the other poster.

  This video needs to be replaced with a current version of Clay singing this song. This video was in his early days and he has matured so much in the delivery of this song.

  I cannot compare until a more current version is put in.

  Please replace with a more current version as was provided above.

  But I love Anthony’s voice!

• GerriG
  Dec 11, 2007 at 8:38 am

  I loved both.

• Lea
  Dec 11, 2007 at 10:53 am

  Callea for me. Clay has a great voice technically, but there is something in Anthony’s voice that really appeals to me, the richness, the warmth, love it.

• Jeanne
  Dec 11, 2007 at 12:14 pm

  I’ve replaced the video but kept a link to the one I originally posted. You guys are so funny!

• Bev
  Dec 11, 2007 at 12:32 pm

  Jeanne. LOL
  I see what you mean, both of these talented singers fans have much in common and we are a lot alike.
  Thanks again for replacing the video of Clay.

• psbintl
  Dec 11, 2007 at 12:43 pm

  And Jeanne, you are so tolerant!

  LOL!!

• Dani
  Dec 11, 2007 at 12:46 pm

  It seems that Anthony couldn’t find the melody. I find it annoying to hear a song sung with so many wrong notes.

  Clay sang it as written and with so much tenderness and hope.

  I have to give this one to Clay. Hands down.

• Jackie
  Dec 11, 2007 at 1:21 pm

  Thank you for giving us this version as it is so recent and so beautiful. ‘Even though I loved Clay’s first video the new one is his grown up version. He is always changing up.

• Wendy
  Dec 11, 2007 at 1:32 pm

  Anthony literally came of the plane from Europe the day before this perfomance and had the opportunity for only ONE rehearsal, so to compare this performance with one of Clay’s where Clay has had time to learn and perfect the song is a little unfair.

  That being said, I honestly prefer Anthony’s version, I love the tone of his voice.

• psbintl
  Dec 11, 2007 at 1:37 pm

  Wendy,

  Point well taken.

  That being said, it has become well known that when Clay performs a concert with an orchestra these days, he uses a different local orchestra for each performance, and only gets to rehearse that day of the performance, one time, with said orchestra.

  Both tend to be at a disadvantage, yet both deliver beautifully.

  Clay is the ultimate vocalist of our time, IMHO, however I enjoy Anthony’s voice as well.

• faith
  Dec 11, 2007 at 1:39 pm

  Oh but Clay had only rehearsed 1 day for this concert himself so I beg to differ that its an unfair comparison.
  THAT being said, they both do a beautiful version of this song. For me, Clay has the upper hand.

• tessa
  Dec 11, 2007 at 2:12 pm

  WOW, thanks for the different Clay vid. I liked the first one but in this one He looks and sounds fantastic. Not liking the other guy so much. shouild I know who that guy is, another Idol person? meh.

• Wendy
  Dec 11, 2007 at 2:14 pm

  psbintl and faith…my point was that the performances being compared are the first time Anthony ever performed the sing, and version of Clay’s where he had already learned the song and had performed it numerous times. :)

  Anthony was singing it off the music sheet the day before…Clay knew the song backwards and forwards :)

  That being said, they *both* do have truly amazing voices….Idol, and we, are lucky to have found them. :)

• Heather
  Dec 11, 2007 at 2:18 pm

  The Anthony and Sylvia duet for my vote. That is a truly rich blending of voices. Great tempo. I love it. Also it was staged as a ‘big’ number as it was an outdoor concert for around 20,000 - 30,000 people - so it’s not done for an intimate audience.

  By-the-way, what is a bizarro?

• SuziQ
  Dec 11, 2007 at 2:35 pm

  I imagine that there are many different versions of Clay singing MGUCL, and he does a wonderful job.
  Anthony has sung this once and once only and as others have said he learnt it 24 hours before after landing back in Australia.
  They are both quite different versions, one being a duet, so it isn’t a really fair comparison, but there is just something very magical about our National Carols By Candlelight and I just love this performance by Anthony and Sylvie, they work well together. They also sang Song of Joy together that night.

• dedebe
  Dec 11, 2007 at 2:48 pm

  The first video that Jeanne put up of Clay’s performance was the first time he performed that song in public. It was during his Christmas tour in 2005, at which time one of his back up singers was performing that song with a very different arrangement. He has since recorded it (All Is Well, Songs for Christmas available on iTunes) and performed it in concert last year and this year.

• Susanna
  Dec 11, 2007 at 5:19 pm

  Really wish Anthony had sung alone. She overpowered him, as her voice is so much stronger.
  His performance version was just ok - not a great outing for him, in my opinion. I am sure he can sing better than this, and he is a cute guy.

  Clay’s voice is just mesmerizing, and his range and tone are unmatched. He sings from his heart to mine, and that’s the plain truth. I have never heard him off pitch at all.

• Donna
  Dec 11, 2007 at 9:09 pm

  I agree with some others — the first video used for Clay was the FIRST time he had EVER sung the song and it was beautiful. Yes, he has since recorded it and now sings it in concert. The way he sings it this year is different than he has sung it before. It’s truly like the prayer that Daivd actually wrote it to be, not something most singers scream through. Anthony is a good singer — I don’t especially like the direction or way he performed this song. It is much to beautiful to be sung any way other than wistfully as a prayer IMO.

• Jeanne
  Dec 11, 2007 at 9:52 pm

  You’re welcome, guys. I love a good Anthony/Clay post. I can’t wait to see if there’s one in the next season of American Idol that I can add. The three way debates will be out of control ;)

• Robin
  Dec 11, 2007 at 10:53 pm

  I listened to both of Clay’s videos and to Anthony’s. I do like Anthony’s voice very much. I have been very impressed with him since having been introduced to his music.

  But, with this song. Clay just sings this so much better. In both videos. The first one, which was the first time Clay ever sang it, he brought me to tears. Because he had so much passion and feeling. This second video.. Clay has grown so much with this song. He’s really made it his own. It’s gorgeous.

  Anthony does sing it very well. His voice sounds very nice. But, I just feel like with the delivery, that he doesn’t get the meaning behind the song. And, maybe he does get it, but that’s not what his delivery perceives. It’s very showy, and with the way he and the woman look at eachother throughout, it’s almost like they are singing a love song. Anthony sings the words very well, but he does not convey the message of the song.

  Clay for me wins this hands down. He sings it with the most gorgeous voice, backed up with feeling and passion. It’s wonderful.

• nikki
  Dec 12, 2007 at 2:04 am

  I love Clay’s version of this song. It’s a beautiful song with a beautiful message and Clay does not oversing it all while I found the duet a little over the top.

• Trent777
  Dec 12, 2007 at 11:23 am

  Anthony - Absolutely magnificent - No one can sing Carols like Anthony. Loved it loved it loved it.

• Bec
  Dec 12, 2007 at 2:14 pm

  Beautifully done Clay. I’m going Anthony.
  He is such a good singer. And I like how his duet worked out. It might be good to hear him solo. But he has done enough. YER??
  I had never actually heard Clay sing till then. and it doesn’t really matter. He is another good singer cheers to him. =]=]!!

• Remus
  Dec 12, 2007 at 9:37 pm

  I’ve been a fan of Clay since AI2 in 2003 and only “discovered” Anthony this past year. I enjoy the singing of both, however, regarding their respective versions of “Grown-Up Christmas List”, I gotta say I prefer that of….. Natalie Cole. ;)

  Some comments about Clay’s and Anthony’s renditions:

  * The more recent performance of Clay posted above is far superior to the one done earlier in his career.
  * Anthony’s duet here was also from early in his career (2005). At that stage, I suspect he still wasn’t as used to singing duets as he is now. Susanna, if you felt Sylvie Paldino overpowered Anthony, it certainly wasn’t because “her voice is so much stronger”. It may have been the quality of this audio recording or Anthony was holding back a bit, not wanting to overpower HER. Check out Anthony on YouTube and you’ll see for yourself what a powerhouse of a voice he has. Everything you said about Clay really applies equally well to Anthony.

• nonnapat
  Dec 12, 2007 at 10:33 pm

  Definately Anthony - Clay is good but Anthony has a smooth rich beautiful tone to his voice that compares to no other.
  Anthony puts so much feeling into this and every song he sings.
  This is one of my favourite Christmas Carols and there is nobody better to sing it than Anthony.
  I just wish Anthony would record a whole album of Christmas songs. That would be the ultimate.
  I really love Anthony’s version.

• Kaz
  Dec 12, 2007 at 11:08 pm

  Anthony all the way! He is definitely one of a kind!

• Taz
  Dec 13, 2007 at 10:21 am

  Callea for me.

• Australian Idol Anthony Callea and Tim Campbell Dating
  Feb 12, 2008 at 11:48 am

  […] Video: Clay Aiken and Anthony Callea - My Grownup Christmas List […]

• cookie
  Jul 3, 2008 at 3:05 am

  I’ve come to the conclusion that it is entirely a matter of taste. I like that tenor voice with a range from the basement to almost soprano and thats Clay Aiken. This videos sound didn’t do him justice. If you hear him sing this inperson,he almost brings himself to tears. That was at West Point N.Y. 2006. I would compare Anthony more to David Archuleta. Same type singers,nice voices and they pretty much stay in the same range. Clay not only has a beautiful voice but he pulls you into each song,he tells the complete story. He’s just a very rare performer. I rest my case.

• cookie
  Jul 3, 2008 at 3:06 am

  You have to admit when Clay is involved you certainly receive enough feedback. I get a kick out of that-

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