Album #34: Christmas in the Heart

 Released October 13, 2009



It’s Christmas in July! I swear I didn’t plan this. 

Dylan recorded this very soon after Together Through Life was released. All the profits went to several charities addressing childhood hunger, including Feeding America. 

This album just makes me smile from beginning to end, which isn’t something you can say about many Dylan albums. There’s no irony here; as Dylan said at the time, “You have to play them straight.” The musicians are, as usual, excellent, and the backup singers are great as well. Dylan’s voice is very rough on this album, but he only strains on a few songs. 

My favorite song by far is “The Christmas Blues”. Dylan sounds totally comfortable with it; I wonder why? ;-) “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “Must be Santa” (a song I normally loathe, but this is a crazed polka version!) and “The Christmas Song” are also very good renditions. When asked why he included the introduction to “The Christmas Song,” which is often omitted, Dylan told Bill Flanagan “ I figured the guy who wrote it put it in there deliberately.” Of course! 

The Christmas Blues:

https://youtu.be/_p2ut8umatw?si=7FjHL_1bZVBYgrbB

Must Be Santa’s insane music video:

https://youtu.be/a8qE6WQmNus?si=t-m7ni_Ewj-bUkDL



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