In fact, I mostly hate it. Not because it's Christmas music, but because it's all.the.same. They play and replay the same canned music, some of which never should have been recorded in the first place. And some of it was good, but it was 60+ years ago, and every yahoo with a soundboard goes and sings it again for their obligatory Christmas album and then America gets subjected to listening to it in every department store, restaurant and car radio for the month of December. Just no.
Anyway, once in a while, there's a good song. A good album comes out, with someone who spent the time to re-think a classic and even better, wrote a thoughtful song. I have a little list of albums that fall into that category for me. One of them is Bebo Norman's. He has some nice arrangements using folk instruments that you don't hear too often in mainstream music. Also he has a couple of new ones. And then this cover of Jackson Browne's song "The Rebel Jesus".
Listen to it and see if it changes how you think about your Christmas time. We say it's about Jesus, but we don't always let it change our lives year round. It's a non-traditional Christmas carol that leaves you feeling uncomfortable more than the usual "Yay! Jesus! Happy!" that people love about Christmas. I don't know if Jackson Browne professes faith in Christ, but either way, the "heathen and pagan" sees something that some of us might be missing. The song probably rubs a lot of people the wrong way. I like it because it rubs people the wrong way.
“The Rebel Jesus,” by Jackson Browne
All the streets are filled with laughter and light
And the music of the season
And the merchants’ windows are all bright
With the faces of the children
And the families hurrying to their homes
While the sky darkens and freezes
Will be gathering around the hearths and tables
Giving thanks for God’s graces
And the birth of the rebel Jesus
And the music of the season
And the merchants’ windows are all bright
With the faces of the children
And the families hurrying to their homes
While the sky darkens and freezes
Will be gathering around the hearths and tables
Giving thanks for God’s graces
And the birth of the rebel Jesus
Well they call him by ‘the Prince of Peace’
And they call him by ‘the Savior’
And they pray to him upon the seas
And in every bold endeavor
And they fill his churches with their pride and gold
As their faith in him increases
But they’ve turned the nature that I worship in
From a temple to a robber’s den
In the words of the rebel Jesus
And they call him by ‘the Savior’
And they pray to him upon the seas
And in every bold endeavor
And they fill his churches with their pride and gold
As their faith in him increases
But they’ve turned the nature that I worship in
From a temple to a robber’s den
In the words of the rebel Jesus
Well we guard our world with locks and guns
And we guard our fine possessions
And once a year when Christmas comes
We give to our relations
And perhaps we give a little to the poor
If the generosity should seize us
But if any one of us should interfere
In the business of why there are poor
They get the same as the rebel Jesus
And we guard our fine possessions
And once a year when Christmas comes
We give to our relations
And perhaps we give a little to the poor
If the generosity should seize us
But if any one of us should interfere
In the business of why there are poor
They get the same as the rebel Jesus
Now pardon me if I have seemed
To take the tone of judgment
For I’ve no wish to come between
This day and your enjoyment
In a life of hardship and of earthly toil
There’s a need for anything that frees us
So I bid you pleasure
And I bid you cheer
From a heathen and a pagan
On the side of the rebel Jesus
To take the tone of judgment
For I’ve no wish to come between
This day and your enjoyment
In a life of hardship and of earthly toil
There’s a need for anything that frees us
So I bid you pleasure
And I bid you cheer
From a heathen and a pagan
On the side of the rebel Jesus
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