On October 22, 1986, "The Animals’ Christmas," Art Garfunkel’s first Christmas album and his sixth solo studio album, was released. The year 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of its release. The album was created as a collaboration between Art Garfunkel, Amy Grant, and composer Jimmy Webb, telling the Christmas story from the perspective of the animals present at the birth of Jesus.

The idea for "The Animals’ Christmas" originated with Jimmy Webb. He wrote the music for this unusual holiday project, which avoids a traditional compilation of familiar Christmas carols. Instead, Webb developed a cohesive musical narrative in which animals become observers and figures in the Christmas story.

Art Garfunkel and Amy Grant handle the vocals. Their voices are complemented by a choir and orchestra, weaving different musical elements into a unified narrative. Among the participating musicians was the London Symphony Orchestra.

The album features twelve tracks. "The Annunciation" opens the musical story, followed by pieces such as "The Creatures of the Field," "Just a Simple Little Tune," "The Decree," "The Friendly Beasts," "The Song of the Camels," "Carol of the Birds," "The Frog," "Herod," and "Wild Geese." The individual songs pick up on various characters and scenes from the Christmas story, consistently giving the animals a voice of their own.

For Art Garfunkel, "The Animals’ Christmas" was a unique extension of his previous solo work. His characteristic, clear voice does not take center stage in a classic pop album here, but rather forms part of a musically narrated Christmas story. Together with Amy Grant, Jimmy Webb’s compositions, and the choir and orchestra, the result was an album with a distinct musical concept.

The subsequent television broadcast also continued the project. In 1986, Art Garfunkel, Amy Grant, and Jimmy Webb appeared in "Headin’ Home for the Holidays / Amy Grant’s Old Fashioned Christmas," where they presented songs from "The Animals’ Christmas." This included "World from an Old Spanish Carol / Carol of the Birds," a combination of two tracks from the album.

"The Animals’ Christmas" thus holds a special place in Art Garfunkel’s solo catalog. The album combines his voice with Amy Grant and Jimmy Webb’s musical vision, recounting the Christmas story from an unusual perspective.

On October 22, 2026, the release of "The Animals’ Christmas" reaches its 40th anniversary. Four decades after its debut, the album stands for a remarkable collaboration and a distinct chapter in Art Garfunkel’s musical career.