For several years now I’ve been mentioning my annual search for new Christmas music. Last year that focused on new or compelling arrangements for familiar Christmas Carols. This year my search has been very informal, but I have put together a playlist for myself. I thought I’d share what’s on it and why. Feel free to leave your favorites as comments!
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Casting Crowns, Peace on Earth
I really love this recasting of the traditional carol. I like the way it uses some of the same rhythm as the popular melody, but with a whole new, more modern tension.
While You Were Sleeping (Christmas Version)
Casting Crowns, Peace on Earth
I like this one for the words –
Oh Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping
For God became a man
And stepped into your world today
Oh Bethlehem, you will go down in history
As a city with no room for its King
While you were sleeping
[deletia]
America, what will we miss while we are sleeping
Will Jesus come again
And leave us slumbering where we lay
America, will we go down in history
As a nation with no room for its King
Christmas Offering
Casting Crowns, Peace on Earth
This one is just good Christmas worship.
And Winter Came
Enya, And Winter Came
Enya is the artist who uses her voice as an instrument in some of the tracks from The Lord of the Rings and Gladiator, among others. She also does her own albums, and these several songs are from her Christmas album. This one is really more about winter than about Christmas, but I always fall for musical depictions of winter!
Journey of the Angels
Enya, And Winter Came
This is an original song, and while most Enya does not come across as particularly Christian, this one does.
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Enya, And Winter Came
The cool part about this one is the Latin.
Stars and Midnight Blue
Enya, And Winter Came
This one is just wintry and relationally and a little bluesy
Oiche Chiuin
Enya, And Winter Came
This one is ‘Silent Night’, in Celtic, I believe. Classic Enya
Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
Fernando Ortega, Christmas Songs
Just to fill out the list I threw in a couple of my favorites from last year’s Fernando Ortega album.
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Fernando Ortega, Christmas Songs
This was my absolute favorite off last year’s album
We Will Seek You
Sovereign Grace Ministries, SAVIOR: Celebrating the Mystery of God Become Man
Sovereign Grace Ministries produces lots of original music with a ‘reformed’ and somewhat ‘Puritan’ feel. This and the next one are typical in that they are so strongly Scriptural.
Wonderful Counselor
Sovereign Grace Ministries, SAVIOR: Celebrating the Mystery of God Become Man
Evacuating London
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
A Christmas album should be wintry – the soundtrack for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has several wintry moments.
The Wardrobe
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Main Title
Doctor Zhivago – MGM Studio Orchestra
Again, wintry, from one of the most wintry movies of all time.
The Last Christmas
Sixpence None the Richer, The Dawn of Grace
Hannah Jackson pointed this one out to me. The beauty of the song is the point of view of the singer – who is expecting, experiencing her last Christmas without her new baby.
The Beggar Who Gives Alms
Downhere, Ending is Beginning
This is not a Christmas song, but it’s one of my favorites off this (relatively) new album.
How Many Kings
Downhere, Ending is Beginning
This is a Christmas song, and I understand it’s getting quite a bit of play time. It deserves it! It’s been one of the highlights of my season.