Bob Dylan Celebrates Traditional Christmas Music in Christmas In the Heart

When I heard last year that Bob Dylan was releasing a Christmas album, I was intrigued, but I had misgivings - especially when I saw the title Christmas In the Heart and learned that the album would include only traditional music. I mean, Dylan is one of the greatest names in American folk music, but that’s because of his ingenious songwriting skills. Skills that, I would think, would allow him to come up with a less cliched title. Skills that don’t so much extend to his voice. The way I see it, he absolutely has the right to sing his own songs, but I’m not going to feel too guilty about generally preferring covers of Dylan’s work. Why release an album that is more likely to highlight his weaknesses than his strengths? And I confess the thought crossed my mind... Is he making a mockery of this?

I put Christmas In the Heart on hold at the library, unsure whether a Dylan Christmas album would really be something I’d want to listen to repeatedly, but as a result, I was in for a bit of a wait. Two or three months passed before I finally got it. The upside was that in the meantime, I’d read an interview with Dylan by Bill Flanagan of the North American Street Newspaper Association that satisfied me as to the sincerity of his intentions. I especially liked his response to Flanagan’s comment that one critic said the album wasn’t irreverent enough: “Isn’t there enough irreverence in the world? Who would need more? Especially at Christmas time.”

That, coupled with the fact that the album’s proceeds would benefit the hungry, was enough to convince me that it wouldn’t be distasteful. Nonetheless, there was still Dylan’s harsh, gargling-with-sandpaper voice to consider. I might appreciate the spirit in which the album was created, but would I actually enjoy listening to it? Somewhat to my surprise, the answer was a resounding yes.

Here Comes Santa Claus - This song gets things off to a cheery start, and a chorus does quite a bit of the singing here. It’s very old-fashioned sounding replete with jingle bells, while the twangy guitar solo gives it almost a Hawaiian feel.

Do You Hear What I Hear? - This is one of my absolute favorite Christmas songs. The definitive version for me is Vanessa Williams’ African-tinged rendition, but I found myself startled by how swept away I was by this version. With its steady march beat and increasingly lush instrumentation, it has a regal sound to it, and Dylan sings with the relish of a seasoned balladeer. After all, this song, written at a time when the threat of nuclear war hung heavy in the air, probably fits in better with his own repertoire than any other on the album, and the weathered tone to his voice merely adds to the impression of wisdom. Probably my favorite track.

Winter Wonderland - Another song that feels like a throwback to the mid-1900s, especially with that chorus of female singers who get things started and chime in again toward the end.

Hark the Herald Angels Sing - The women are back here, providing harmonies on the first verse and singing on their own in the harmonious, very slow-paced second verse. There’s something a tad uneven about this one, but it’s an interesting track.

I’ll Be Home for Christmas - Piano is the prominent instrument on this slow rendition of the mournful classic, while a deep-voiced chorus and some jazzy percussion increases the nostalgic flavor.

Little Drummer Boy - Dylan flourishes best on these narrative-heavy tracks. This one is another standout. I love the steady rum-pa-pum-pum of the drums in the background, and just as Do You Hear What I Hear? feels like a Dylan-esque plea for peace, this one seems to tap into his desire to honor the holiday with his music.

The Christmas Blues - The only song on the album I’d never heard before. An appropriately bluesy track complaining about how Santa only brought “those brightly packaged, tinsel-covered Christmas blues,” with some nice harmonica thrown into the mix.

O Come All Ye Faithful - This one starts off with Dylan actually singing in Italian, which is interesting to hear. He kinda sounds to me like he learned the thing phonetically; I wouldn’t say he sounds too fluent. But it’s kind of a neat touch, followed by the more expected English rendition.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - The rhythm on this one is strange, with some phrases sounding very different than usual, but that uniqueness adds to the song’s appeal.

Must Be Santa - Accordion craziness! This one just makes me giggle. At every moment, he seems in danger of a major derailing as he loses track of the words fleetly escaping his lips, but it never quite happens. In the VeggieTales Silly Song The Dance of the Cucumber, Bob mentions his uncle Louie’s polka party; I imagine it must sound something like this raucous number.

Silver Bells - When it comes to Christmas nostalgia, this song tops the list for me. It’s Anne Murray’s version that sends me instantly hurtling back to the age of two, but I quite like this rendition as well. Nothing very distinctive about it, but it’s just rather nice.

The First Noel - Another narrative one, so we get to hear Dylan in his element again. Quite a nice track.

Christmas Island - For some reason, Bob Dylan and sunny shores don’t really seem to me to go together, so this one is another that makes me chuckle. Of course, it’s a bit of a silly song to begin with, combining stereotypical Christmas images with tropical island ones, so I suppose that’s fitting.

The Christmas Song - Dylan sings an introduction I’ve never heard before, which gives this very familiar song a distinct stamp, as does some unusual phrasing.

O Little Town of Bethlehem - Dylan ends on a note of solemn reverence with this beloved carol, right down to the drawn-out “Amen” at the end.

I’m still not wild for Bob Dylan’s voice, but I don’t mind it so much when I’m listening to this album. If you like Christmas music with a folkie flavor, give Christmas In the Heart a chance.