My boys agree...
Posted on 10/13/2009 6:01:52 AM PDT by La Lydia
This Christmas season, parents will introduce their children to a legendary sage from northern climes renowned for his unsettling facial hair and unmistakable voice. This man is, of course, Bob Dylan. His first-ever holiday album, "Christmas in the Heart," arrives today, with the 68-year-old ripping through a gaggle of jaunty Christmas carols as if they were so much gift wrap...it's a bizarre and bewildering collection that embodies the rough-hewn traditionalism and forehead-slapping surrealism that's defined Dylan's career. The man's serrated croon isn't just jarring -- it actually gives these chirpy old chestnuts a sense of menace.
And it is awesome.
The arrangements on "Christmas in the Heart" are both overtly cheerful and staunchly by-the-numbers, making Dylan's beleaguered croak sound both maddening and sentimental, kinda like the Christmas season itself.
He throws down the gauntlet immediately with the twinkling pep of "Here Comes Santa Claus," one of the most annoying carols ever written. "Here comes Santa Claus/Here comes Santa Claus/Right down Santa Claus lane," Dylan rasps, making yuletide glee feel more like lunacy. "Must Be Santa" ramps up the insanity to even dizzier levels, with accordions moaning and cymbals crashing away at the speed of polka.
...the slower carols feel creepy...the sparse "I'll Be Home for Christmas" sounds like a reason to bolt your doors...
So...don't let Dec. 25 pass you by without hearing Dylan's take on Mel Torme's beloved "Christmas Song."
As ever, chestnuts are roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost is nipping at your nose -- but this time, the man behind the microphone sounds as if he's trying to dislodge a piece of tinsel from his throat: "Although it's been said many times, many ways, Merry Christmas to you."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Joe, except for the enya, which i haven’t heard, those are my favorite
christmas cd’s. i particularly love the loreena mckennit
and the chieftains. i often give these as christmas presents.
i have a cd i recommend called Fezziwig’s christmas.
It was back in the early 80’s I believe. He even recorded a whole album of Christian-themed songs back then.
I remember that, and I remember his Christian-era music getting prominent playtime on the Christian stations, but he later unconverted.
From adherents.com:
A mysterious period in the late seventies saw Dylan's conversion to Christianity, but he was back to the Jewish faith by 1983.
His reversion made the news at the time, but not in a big way. His music disappeared from the Christian stations pretty quickly after that.
Nothing will ever approach the sublime yuletide spirit and artistic achievement of “Barking Dogs Jingle Bells”.
The only problem with the Loreena Mckennit CD is it’s way too short!
He did but I think he unconverted later.
My boys agree...
OMG.........I didn’t make it through the first minute of it...........that was awful.
isn’t that one of the signs of the Second Coming, Jews singing Christmas Carols? Because I know that pro hockey in Nashville has to be another one...
Ha! The Brett Favre of pop music/religion...
See #43.
I am off to the local music store to get it! Bye!
You don’t download?
The review is hilarious. I am not planning on buying the album (or CD, I guess) any time soon.
You know it’s has been time when a rocker puts out a Christmas album. Reminds me of some old geezer.
Reminds me of Elvis. I do an excellent impression of him singing “Blue Christmas.”
At least Elvis had a record of singing gospel music early on in his career, not at the end of it. I am not defending Elvis but he wasn't a socialist exploiting the Christians to make a fast buck during the holidays.
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