Category: country sort of

Time for the Star of God to get to work. Lead those magi, heeyaw.

‘We Three Kings’ references that point of brilliance leading them, and Phil Wickham has a lovely electronic re-imagining with “Star of Wonder.” It gets a bit percussive, so you’d better be prepared.

Kathy Mattea’s “Brightest and Best” features a star, the horizon adorning, that leads. That’s it’s whole deal. Let’s go. Thanks for the sort-of country updating, KM, ‘cuz the original hymn is a whole ‘nother deal.

So, what’s this star of JC doing at the first Christmas? Following the lyrics, we find mostly shining.

“Beautiful Star of Bethlehem” is a rite of passage for powerful country pipes. Who sings it best for Christmas?

Coming in at number 5, The Judds deliver unto us a sassy, sultry, nasal number. Kinda sexy.

Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys bring old time religion to make monotone holy.

Rhonda Vincent mixes real blue grass with rebellious youth for a knee splapper.

The Oak Ridge Boys blend together preachy and pure to reach group-power.

Emmy Lou Harris takes the halo despite the rushed strings. Her voice is perfect for this (and most everything else she does.)

The example from Christmas is not just to be good to God, but to each other. It’s peace on earth, goodwill on the porch. For all. Get it?

The Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” (a peace offering for Civil War firebrands) gets musical traction starting in the ’50s with Bing (preachy, I’d say The Carpenters did it better–more soulful). But you want something different in your novelty library, so check out Counting Crowns (a Christian chart-topper). Hey, that’s a different tune! Then check out Pedro the Lion who has all the time in the world to drag the song out for about a month of music. Except i can’t tell if that’s music back there. Even the bells are on 1/1 time.

The Ding Dong song “Caroling Caroling (Christmas Bells are Ringing)” was some cool cadences brought to you by mac daddy Nat King Cole, also in the ’50s. It’s so full of joy, you have to get some spirit–or else. So give it up for Tennessee Ernie Ford for blending his big booming intimidating baritone with the whole choir. Nice. For an oddity, try the syncopation of Reindeer Tribe. And finally, the electronica of House of Wires. Robo-glee.

I have a soft spot for the song that uses ten words or less, over and over and over. “Christmas Bells” by Sarah Winter is folk/pop church yippee-ness, but with its limited vocabulary doesn’t quite mention any carpenters.

Mary Chapin Carpenter reminds us when the “Bells are Ringing” that, no matter what you don’t have, peace is possible. It’s that kind of soft country that can move a body. Thank you.

Sleigh bells mean Christmas most exactly when they are attached to Santa’s ride. Say, now that you contention that… can’t say as i recall those pimp nodules extending from Big Red’s vehicular contraption. I mean, i can hear that sound–but, is it magic or music?

The Kelly Girls swing the answer with “Jingle Jingle, Mr. Kringle.”
Enter Santa, cue the bells. And dance!

Surely you recall “Jingle Jingle Jingle” from the 1964 Bass Rankin stop motion ‘Rudolph’. Stan Francis sings as Santa in a show tune way that has imprinted on many a child.

Most spell-binding is the gentle country folk of Isaac Stancill’s “Jingle Jingle Twinkle Twinkle.” Both a lullaby and a horrorshow, this midnight encounter with Master Claus will leave a lasting impression–or will it?

Oh the songs you could hear if you searched nothing-for-Christmas with the-one-you-love. I can’t bring myself to put you through all that. So let’s stick our toe into the muck just a millimeter. (I can do that to you.)

She can’t sing (or make English) but Nubia Rose shakes what her sugar daddy bought her with “I Want Nothing for Christmas,” a poor pop pooper of impropriety. Phbbt.

Group pop chanting from New Found Glory takes sappiness and bro-s it up into “Nothing for Christmas.” Men’s chorus hollering I got what I wanted just comes off creepy these days, guys. A more perky variant from the ABC Jugband, their “Nothing for Christmas” becomes a folk-pop plea to troth togetherness for the Advent, please. Love me some toy piano.

Another one of those my-gift-is-my-song numbers actually brightens the post with some nice backbeat. “Poor Excuse (Merry Christmas)” from The Silver Bells rocks lightly into our night.

I dig the party bop of “Nothing But the Bells On” from Fashionable Glasses. This late-night goth club ’90s bit o’ darkness refers to how this non-believer only wants You without the usual vestments… [see title].

Darren Parry jumps the shark on “Don’t Need Nothing Else This Christmas.” Not with the lounge-tastic country treacle here, but the fan-fueled video gifs strung together into an ah-may-zing video. Do they love the song/Are they making fun of the song?! Who cares!

Apparently coal in your Xmas Stocking is comparable to being broken up with. Something something metaphor no toys. I guess.

Rob Endo folks and rocks “Coal Stockings” with a fairly upbeat loneliness. It’s a party when you’re with someone else too.

Winner of a country station Xmas song “Coal in Your Stocking This Year” details the naughtiness of your breakup as told by Tyler Barham with such gentle tones it makes me wonder what happened to country music? It’s all Hallmark Channel saccharine now.

Walter Giblin launches us unto a genre collision of Santa Claus and the western laying of hands upon wild stock in order to get the travels accomplished. “Good Ole Santa’s Reindeer Ranch” is a folk beater of supposition to consider. The growling gets bluesy.

“Santa’s Roundup” encapsulates what we’re going for. Mary Kaye yodels into country pop to signal the mish mash of the fun here.

Track down that last stray calf, cowboys are heading home for Christmas.

The “Cowboy Christmas Dream” is a warm home, according to Michael Webb in what wanders from western past folk into almost garage. Bang the guitar slowly.

Mary Kaye’s back with the endearing “A Cowboy Christmas Tonight.” Lilting, uplifting, the poke’s amongst folk.