Category: folk

Is it retinal burn? Parallax? Why so many points of light Christmas night? Shouldn’t there just be one?

The Star in the East gets a shout out, but “Great Big Stars” seems to elvate all elements of the first Christmas Eve to heavenly hyperbole. Elizabeth Mitchell swings this old folk song.

Piggybacking off ‘Twinkle Twinkle’ come The Peter Pan Christmas Players with “Praise Him All Ye Singing Stars.” That’s right, the stars all sing to HIm.

“Stars of Glory” might be hinting that every star is an angel, not just the one that spotlit the Baby J. I’m a fan of The Lower Lights folking up this gospel.

Also better unplugged, “Stars were Gleaming” which paints a landscape of that night, achieves divinity from simplification by Nancy Hanson & Kevin Corbett.

So, is that star over Bethlehem just hanging out? Is it just there, like passively looking? Or is it watching? Check it.

A busy busy “Star” from Liz Vandervelden is asked to come, watch; then shines, guides (to the tree). It’s like a nine-year-old wrote this catchy kidsong!

Johnny Reid’s “Winter Star” gets country jiggy with the folk stylings, calling out the light of love and peace for agency. Lead us home.

The Star is the medium and the message. Good news, everyone!

Vanquishing the gloom, “In the Heavens Shone a Star.” Pete Feltman gently gospel-rocks us with the happy heralding of this announcer,

“One Star” from The Orient was bearing those glad tidings with folk austerity. The New Christy Minstrels make it playful, but portentous.

Did the Star of Jesus move, or just stick in the black velvet of Israel’s roof?

Sufjan Stevens does that minimalist folkrock thing he does so well with “Star of Wonder.” It takes a bit to start, but it won’t end. Mesmerizing.

Shine on, you crazy star of Christmas.

“The Shepherd’s Star” usually leads or guides or caused to lie down, but those songs will roll in later. This centuries old chorale has the star shine (beaming refulgent) as it focuses on those guardians of the chosen acknowledging the Lord. That should be enough. Most recordings of this hymnal are echo-y from inside a great cathedral. I like the Early Music New York rendition, for its in-yo-face voices.

May it shine its light on you, Nicolette Larson hopes in “One Bright Star.” from 1985. Power pop galloping into gospel.

Junior Walsh twangs out the country about the “Christmas Eve Star” shining only on him. It hits him like a guitar solo, he’s the luckiest country singer on the face of the earth. Good news’ll do that if you listen.

The stars come out when the song is just right. 1954’s “The Star Carol” again makes a fuss over the baby god, and mentions the shedding its light star. Peggy Lee psychoanalyzes it. Aaron Neville fears it. Tennessee Ernie Ford solemnizes it. But Simon and Garfunkle cuddle it. Aww.

Let the world know, Jay-by born! Twelve Twenty-five is the announcement of Christianity, some God in avatar walking around down here to see what is what.

Nearly as old as the Nativity, Edison Concert Band brings us (the wax cylinder of) “Ring Out the Bells.” The Holy Child arrives to what sounds like a Souza march for temperance.

Birth announcement! Fred Bogert sermonizes with declarative folk to cue you with “Christmas Bell.” Quite tinkly.

Starting with a doorbell Patch the Pirate leads the kids in churchsong: “Christmas Bell.” Angelically high-pitches that won’t last.

Travis Cottrell wants Emmanuel, himself, to “Ring the Bells” to get the story started. Country gospel, when done right like this is awful pretty.

A cappella gospel to some good old classical music, “Ring Christmas Bells” features Morning Star Quartet prettily waking us up to the Devine.

Brief gravelly folk from Lower Lights makes the “Christmas Bells” ringing for the Bethlehem manger morning a serious event.