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Release Info
We began releasing Xmas singles in 2016 and continued until 2022. The aim was to end up with a body of work that would neatly congregate into one nicely themed album. That time is now. Not everything is here, though; just the most choice quality cuts! The normal length Good King Wenceslas and the full band Silent Night have been omitted to keep this album nice and lean and to avoid repetition..
Everything has been remastered and some parts re-recorded to give you the best possible listening experience.
Broadly speaking, about 30% of what you hear is based on the original versions of the songs with the remaining 70% being my compositions and arrangements. I am super proud of the last 6 minutes or so of Joy to the World: it’s a wonderful orchestrated thing!
| Sources and Inspirations: AKA History Lesson |
|---|
| God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Based on an old English tune from around 1650 |
| In The Bleak Mid Winter – Loosely based on an English poem by Christina Rossetti with music originally composed by Gustav Holst |
| Hark! The Herald Angels Sing – Derived from the work of prolific English hymn-writer Charles Wesley, 1739 |
| It Came Upon A Midnight Clear – Based (again, very loosely) on a poem and carol by Edmund Sears, written around 1849 |
| Joy To The World – Based on a work by English minister and hymn writer Isaac Watts, circa 1979 |
| Sad Tidings – Based on an Austrian tune, circa 1818 |
| Good King Wenceslas – Based on an 1853 translation of a Czech poem |
| Silent Night – Inspired by an Austrian tune, circa 1818. Same source as Sad Tidings |
All of the above works are in the public domain and no copyrights have been knowingly infringed. My interpretations feature little bits of the above works wrapped up in new harmony and lashings of original music.
| Label | Cat No | Year | Format | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proximity Records | ECD 20231201-10 | 1st Dec 2023 | CD Album | Buy the CD |
| Proximity Records | EDD 20231201-10 | 1st Dec 2023 | Download | Buy the Download |
Tracks
- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (03:42)
- In The Bleak Mid Winter (03:43)
- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (06:07)
- It Came Upon A Midnight Clear (04:18)
- Joy To The World (10:51)
- Sad Tidings (04:38)
- Good King Wenceslas (Extended) (05:29)
- Silent Night (Quietly Does It) (03:38)
Line Up
Steven McCabe – Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drums, Flute
With:
Maurizio Antonini – Drums on ‘Sad Tidings’
Farah Rogers – Vocals on ‘Silent Night (Quietly Does It)’
Credits
Recorded, mixed and mastered between 2016 and October 2023. Art design, production and engineering by Steven McCabe
©2023 Steven Michael McCabe. All rights reserved.