The legendary gospel group, The Blind Boys of Alabama, in collaboration with Jay Buchanan (frontman of The Rival Sons) sounds like a match made in heaven. So, does I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day deliver on its promise or is it a nightmare before Christmas?
Jay’s style fits really well with the Blind Boys of Alabama so, even before I heard this song, I had high hopes for it. for the most part, Jay takes the lead vocals for the verse and the Blind Boys of Alabama add their weight in the choruses and links between verses. I say, “for the most part”, for reasons that I’ll explain below.
The song does not draw on images of jolly-holly, Christmas trees and tinsel but focusses on the deeper meaning of the season. There is a strong rhythm that does not suggest sleigh bell and jingle bells, but rather large church bells tolling out the good news that it is Christmas day. It is based on a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow that was written over 150 years ago. The poem repeats the line “peace on earth, good-will to men!” at the end of every verse but, given that it was written in the middle of the American Civil War, Longfellow knew all to well the reality of violence and strife. Although the poem is over 150 years old, the issues it grapples with are as relevant today as they were then: it seems that everywhere we look in the world, there are wars and rumours of wars. This song, follows the poem in asking, what does “peace on earth, good-will to men!” really mean? As Jay asks this question, he sings:
“And in despair I bowed my head‘There is no peace on Earth’, I saidFor hate is strong and mocks the songOf peace on Earth, good will to men”
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It is at this point that the Blind Boys of Alabama take over and add, with the full weight of many decades of singing gospel music:
“When men repent and turn from sin,
The Prince of Peace then enters in,
And grace imparts within their hearts,
His peace on earth”
Jay is lifted from despair and is able to sing again: “good will to men”, and the song draws to a close with the Blind Boys of Alabama repeating, in the way that only they can, a joyous refrain of good will and peace.
If it is not clear from what I’ve said above, let me state: I love this song. At Christmas time, there is a place for merry tunes and jolly times but that is not everyone’s experience and it is right that we have songs like this, to look beyond the more commercial aspects of Christmas.
“I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day” is out now.
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Header image by Cole Weber
Blind Boys of Alabama: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | spotify | youtube
Jay Buchanan: official | facebook | twitter | instagram
