It's the Thought...

It's the Thought... is a Christmas album and the seventh studio album and by Christian singer-songwriter Twila Paris, released in 1989 by Star Song Records.^[2][3][4] It was the last album that Paris collaborated with producer Jonathan David Brown. The album is not your typical Christmas record, aside from "White Christmas" used in medley form with "Whiter Than Snow". Paris wrote four original songs and her father Oren Paris II wrote "This World", about the change that the first Christmas had on the entire world. The album debuted and peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart.

It's the Thought...
Studio album by Twila Paris
Released	1989
Recorded	Johnny dB's Basement, Antioch, Tennessee
Genre	CCM, Christmas music, praise and worship
Length	42:29
Label	Star Song
Producer	Jonathan David Brown
Twila Paris chronology
For Every Heart (1988) It's the Thought... (1989) Cry for the Desert (1990)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Midwinter"	Christina Rossetti, Gustav Holst	4:31
2.	"Alleluia, Christ is Born"	Twila Paris	1:42
3.	"Glory to God"	T. Paris	1:49
4.	"Away in a Manger"	William J. Kirkpatrick, James Ramsey Murray	3:38
5.	"White Christmas/Whiter Than Snow"	Irving Berlin/Traditional	3:51
6.	"It's the Thought"	T. Paris	3:53
7.	"I Saw Three Ships"	William Sandys	4:39
8.	"This World"	Oren Paris II	4:07
9.	"Down in Yon Forest"	Traditional	1:20
10.	"O Holy Night"	Adolphe Adam, John Sullivan Dwight	5:00
11.	"Hallelujah Chorus"	George Frideric Handel	3:51
12.	"Wandering Pilgrim"	T. Paris	4:05

Personnel

• Twila Paris – lead vocals, backing vocals (3)
• Carl Marsh – keyboards, Fairlight III programming, arrangements
• Hal Brown – additional acoustic piano (5)
• Tom Hemby – acoustic guitars, mandolin
• Jerry McPherson – electric guitars
• Gary Lunn – bass
• Mark Hammond – drums
• Eric Darken – percussion
• Lisa Glasgow – backing vocals (1-3, 5, 7, 8)
• Tammy Jensen – backing vocals (1-3, 5, 7, 8)
• Marabeth Jordan – backing vocals (1)
• Tim Marshall – backing vocals (1)
• Leah Taylor – backing vocals (1-3, 5, 7, 8)
• Steven V. Taylor – backing vocals (1-3, 5, 7, 8), BGV arrangements (1-3, 5, 7, 8)
• Raymond Weaver – backing vocals (1-3, 5, 7, 8)
• Greg X. Volz – backing vocals (3)
• Jonathan David Brown – producer, recording, mixing
• Ken Love – mastering at MasterMix (Nashville, Tennessee)
• Karen Horner – art direction, design
• Toni Thigpen – art direction
• Jackson Design – design
• Paul Micich – illustration

Critical reception

Dacia A. Blodgett-Williams of AllMusic wrote "The ever popular Christian crooner Twila Paris shows the reason for her longevity with this holiday release. Strong vocals and stress-relieving accompaniment are trademarks of the album, and it includes a good mix of contemporary and traditional carols."

Charts

Chart (1989)	Peak position
US Inspirational Albums (Billboard)[5]	15

Radio singles

Year	Single	Peak positions
		CCM AC[6]
1989-90	"Wandering Pilgrim"	27