Christmas in the Heart

by Bob Dylan

Overview

After the initial shock fades, the existence of Christmas in the Heart seems perhaps inevitable. After all, the thing Bob Dylan loves most of all are songs that are handed down from generation to generation, songs that are part of the American fabric, songs so common they never seem to have been written. These are the songs Dylan chooses to sing on Christmas in the Heart, a cheerfully old-fashioned holiday album from its Norman Rockwell-esque cover to its joyous backing vocals. Apart from the breakneck "Must Be Santa," which barrelhouses like a barroom, Dylan doesn't really reinterpret these songs as much as simply play them with his crackerjack road band, dropping in a little flair -- restoring "we'll have to muddle through somehow" to "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," singing the opening of "O Come All Ye Faithful" in its original Latin -- but never pushing tunes in unexpected directions. Many would argue having Dylan croon these carols is unexpected enough and, true, there are times his gravelly rumble is a bit pronounced, but nothing here feels forced, it all feels rather fun, provided you're on the same wavelength as latter-day Bob, where the sound and swing of the band is as important as the song, where there's an undeniable nostalgic undertow to all the proceedings. And, of course, there's no better time for celebratory sound, swing, and nostalgia than the holidays, which may be why Christmas in the Heart is a bit of a left-field delight. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	10/06/2023
Label:	Sony Music
UPC:	0196587896812

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Bob Dylan   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Harmonica,Piano (Electric)
Walt Harrah   Vocals
Patrick Warren   Organ,Piano,Celeste
Randy Crenshaw   Vocals
David Hidalgo   Guitar,Violin,Mandolin,Accordion
Tony Garnier   Bass
Donnie Herron   Violin,Trumpet,Mandolin,Guitar (Steel)
Abby DeWald   Vocals
Amanda Barrett   Vocals
George Recile   Drums,Percussion
Phil Upchurch   Guitar
Robert Joyce   Vocals

Technical Credits

David Bianco   Engineer,Mixing
Hal Moore   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Bob Dylan   Arranger
Buck Ram   Composer
Henry Onorati   Composer
David Spreng   Engineer
Walter Kent   Composer
Felix Bernard   Composer
Jay Livingston   Composer
Katherine K. Davis   Composer,Lyricist
Ralph Blane   Composer
Oakley Haldeman   Composer
Harry Simeone   Composer
Sammy Cahn   Composer
Bobby "BW" Wells   Composer
Kim Gannon   Composer,Lyricist
Gene Autry   Composer
Lyle Moraine   Composer,Lyricist
Mel Torme   Composer
Noel Regney   Composer
Ray Evans   Composer
Bob Wells   Composer
Gloria Shayne Baker   Composer