Born In A Manger, Humble And Low

Cotton Top Mountain Sanctified Singers “Christ Was Born On Christmas Morn” – I try not to revisit the same record too frequently, but how can I resist putting up another track from Dust To Digital’s wonderful Where Will You Be Christmas Day compilation? It’s a goldmine of vintage Christmas music, plain and simple. This jaunty singalong dates back to 1929, and features a charismatic lead vocal performance from Frankie “Half Pint” Jaxon, a lovely cooing backing vocal, and an inspired instrumental section played on the cornet. (Click here to buy it from Dust To Digital.)

Richard Reagh “No One Really Wants To” – This isn’t Christmas music, but it’s most certainly music for the winter, which officially begins today in spite of the weather being pretty damn cold for the past several weeks. Reagh captures a very specific gradation of melancholy on this track, lingering aimlessly in a zone where doubt, resignation, blankness, lethargy, and lovesickness mingle to create a general seasonal malaise. It’s not a fun track, but it’s very pretty. (Click here for the official Richard Reagh site.)