With Glowing Hearts: “O Holy Night” By John Denver

John Denver’s “Christmas in Concert” features joyous renditions of many Christmas classics and a touching “O Holy Night.”

Denver Christmas Concert

I have a pretty broad collection of Christmas music that expands every year. One of the albums I’ve been listening to this year is John Denver’s Christmas in Concert (2001). And one of the highlights of the album is Denver’s rendition of “O Holy Night.”

The live album was recorded in Washington, D.C. in December 1996, so the Christmas spirit throughout is real, unlike Christmas albums recorded in July. Denver sticks to a holiday theme throughout the performance, with the exception of giving the audience a handful of Denver classics at the end. For listening purposes, it is refreshing that the non-holiday songs are at the end rather than mixed with the holiday songs.

The album’s holiday songs range from several classics like a fun version of “Jingle Bells” to the odd “Please Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas).” The latter’s awkward happy chorus, accompanied by a children’s choir, would unlikely make the cut today. And even in 1996, Denver introduces the song that had appeared on his 1975 album Rocky Mountain Christmas in a way that recognizes he was reassessing the song he recorded as a younger man (Denver did not write the song). Finally, unlike on many Christmas performances, Denver also embraces more religious-based classics like “Away in a Manger.”

On Christmas in Concert, Denver is backed on various songs by the World Children’s Choir and the National Symphony Orchestra. But it is often Denver’s voice that is the star, an that is most true on his performance of “O Holy Night.” When we think of Denver, I often overlook what a wonderful tenor voice came out of the man. And when he gets to the high notes of “O Holy Night,” it can make believers out of the most cynical.

Below is a 1996 performance of Denver playing “O Holy Night.” While it is not the same one from the album, this tribute clip appears to be from a Today Show appearance he mentions on the album.

“O Holy Night” comes from an 1843 poem by Placide Cappeau, set to music in 1847 by Adolphe Adam (with the English version is by John Sullivan Dwight). It remains one of the most religious of the Christmas classics, and one that carolers may avoid due to being more difficult to sing than other Christmas songs. 

Denver on October 12, 1997, so the album captures Denver during his last Christmas, reminding us we can never know which will be our last. So, check out the John Denver Christmas in Concert album this holiday season, during a time when we all could use some faith in something or someone who knows our needs and is not a stranger to our weaknesses.

Or at least we can settle for a short respite. Wishing love, faith, hope, comfort, and good health to you and yours.

Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    The Pines at Night (Matthew Ryan) Releases Full Album,”A Year of Novembers”

    As The Pines at Night, Matthew Ryan releases an excellent full-length contemplative album, “A Year of Novembers.”

    Matthew Ryan November

    Perhaps no artist has been as prolific as Matthew Ryan in creating art reflecting the mood of the last few years as our country and the world have struggled through difficult times. Earlier this year, he released the maxi-single “A Song for a Hard Year” under a new name to reflect the collaborative nature of his music, The Pines at Night. Now, under the new name The Pines at Night (and apparently with a new name also as songwriter, “Ryan C. Webb”), he has released a full album through Bandcamp called A Year of Novembers.

    The release on November 7 marked an important 50th birthday for Ryan. Although in the last year he retreated largely from social media to find a quieter peace in our crazy world, he now gives us another generous gift with music that captures the atmosphere of the times, what one writer has called a “hopeful dark moodiness.”

    The acoustic songs on A Year of Novembers are quieter than other full-album releases from Ryan in recent years like Hustle Up Starlings and Boxers. But in releasing several online EP’s or “maxi-singles” in recent years, Ryan’s music has been focused on the contemplative (although that always has been true of his music to a large extent).

    As a general matter, the music is quiet, largely electric guitar or piano based with a dash of harmonica and additional non-intrusive bass, cello, Vox, and percussion. It’s all the better to keep the focus on the lyrics and a certain mood captured in the album’s title (although not all tracks have lyrics with To Be Young and In Love In America in November” being an improvised instrumental with David Henry).

    From the opening track, “Peace and Love,” Ryan’s raspy voice draws you in, asking what starts as a familiar rock question that then takes a left turn, “What’s so funny about peace and love? Peace and love and murder?”

    The songs from the album are not currently on YouTube, but the demo for “Peace and Love” (then called “Peace, Love & Murder”) originally appeared as an extra on Ryan’s release of an acoustic version of his album Hustle Up Starlings (2017), called Starlings Unadorned (2018). Below is the demo.

    I loved the demo, yet I’m thrilled that the song found a new life on the new album. The completed version of the song on A Year of Novembers, not surprisingly, takes the song to a different level with fuller instrumentation that highlights the vocal and lyrics even more than the acoustic demo. Musicians, in addition to “M. Ryan,” adding to the album include Doug Lancio, Neilson Hubbard, and David Henry.

    The opening song also tells us that “the heart is a ruthless plow,” which may sum up much of the album’s explorations. There are references to hearts throughout the album, and there is love’s redemption waiting everywhere. Yet, there also are other themes too.

    The album ends with “The Day After the End of the World,” continuing Ryan’s recent trajectory of beautiful and amazing doomsday songs like “On Our Death Day” and “The Last Event” on recent releases. Here, with some “sha la la’s,” he tells us to “shake off the night” and assures us “we’re gonna be alright . . . for a while.”

    I believe his reassurances that we are going to be okay, at least as long as he keeps providing us with the most essential soundtrack for these crazy times.

    Head over to Bandcamp to listen to and, if you like it, buy the album (naming your own price), supporting Ryan’s continuing work. The album cover above, entitled “Last November,” was taken by Ryan. Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    Local News Coverage of Bruce Springsteen in 1978

    See how local news stations covered a young Bruce Springsteen after the release of “Darkness on the Edge of Town.”

    Many of us are so used to Bruce Springsteen being a rock icon that it can be easy to forget a time before Springsteen and the E Street Band attained legendary status. Therefore it is interesting to look back at local news coverage of the band early in Springsteen’s career.

    The following video features a couple of local television news interviews with the young Bruce Springsteen starting off his Darkness on the Edge of Town tour. The interviews feature some cool concert footage too, as “the kid from Asbury Park” talks about “the most important” night of his life. Check it out.

    Backstreets Presents: The Darkness Television Interviews from Backstreets on Vimeo.

    The video was put together by the people at Backstreets. Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    Elvis Presley’s Funny Take on “Are You Lonesome Tonight” in Omaha in 1977

    In 1977, near the end of his life and in poor health, Elvis Presley had a laugh with Charlie Hodge during “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”

    Elvis Lauging

    There are a number of instances of Elvis Presley cracking up while performing the monologue in “Are You Lonesome Tonight.” For example, on August 26, 1969 in Las Vegas, Elvis could not keep it straight as the soprano backing vocals from Cissy Houston (Whitney’s mom) made him start laughing. Another gem occurred near the end of his life while performing in 1977, apparently in Omaha on June 19, 1977.

    The Omaha performance was filmed for a CBS TV Special. Reporters noted that the the ailing and puffy-looking Presley gave a subdued performance that lacked the enthusiasm of his earlier shows. But there were still flashes of energy and the King’s charm.

    In the clip below, Charlie Hodge comes out to hold the microphone while Elvis plays guitar and sings “Are You Lonesome Tonight.” Hodge often held the microphone for the King, but the proximity of the men during the touching song and the spoken-word segment leads them both to cracking up.

    One may point out that it is near the end of Elvis’s life when he appeared not to be in good health. In fact, in a little more than two months, the King would be dead. But still, especially considering his condition during this period, his charisma and voice comes through to make an entertaining performance.

    As for the man holding the microphone, Charlie Hodge was a man of many talents beyond holding a microphone. He was a singer, musician, arranger, and close confidant of Presley. As a member of Elvis’s “Memphis Mafia,” he helped Elvis in a number of ways, including with music arranging. As you can tell from the video, the two men were very close, with Hodge living at Graceland for seventeen years. After Elvis’s death, Hodge continued to help promote the legacy of the King.

    Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    On the Hill Where Angels Sing: John Prine and Justin Townes Earle Singing “Far From Me”

    John Prine and Justin Townes Earle, who both passed away in 2020, shared the stage in 2015 on Prine’s song, “Far From Me.”

    John Prine Justin Townes Earle

    During a year of much loss, it was sad to lose such beauty with John Prine and Justin Townes Earle both dying in 2020. They were both unique talents, and brought such humanity with their songs, often touching on sad parts of life, but with love and a touch of humor. Five years before their death, they shared a stage in Houston and performed Prine’s song, “Far From Me.”

    In “Far From Me,” the singer recounts the ending of a relationship as the singer realizes it is coming to an end and cannot do anything about it. He sees things are different between the two of them, even as he tries to maintain the relationship the way it once was.

    And the sky is black and still now
    On the hill where the angels sing
    Ain’t it funny how an old broken bottle
    Looks just like a diamond ring
    But it’s far, far from me.

    Justin Townes Earle did a beautiful cover of the song on the John Prine Tribute album, Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows, The Songs of John Prine. And on May 15, 2015, the two men appeared on stage together in Houston, Texas at the Cullen Performance Hall to perform “Far From Me” together. Check it out.

    What is your favorite cover of a John Prine song? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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