You are not very likely to hear “Christmas Must Be Tonight” playing in shopping malls or sung at holiday concerts during the Christmas season.
But the three-minute, 38-second track from the Band’s 1977 Islands album is our Christmas Day choice for Sharp Notes Monday.
The song tells the Christmas story from a different perspective – that of a shepherd who sees a manger, a newborn baby and wise men from the East and concludes: “This must be Christmas, must be tonight.”
Robbie Robertsons’ lyrics are akin to a journalist reporting the birth of Christ. The song is a third-person narrative with all the detail, color and significance of a well-written and researched news story.
Even if the journalism perspective doesn’t pique your interest, Rick Danko’s vocals alone make “Christmas Must Be Tonight” worth a listen.
As part of our “Sharp Notes, Sharp Thoughts” music and social media project, we share a song every Monday to start your week.
View previous Sharp Notes Monday selections.
Categories: Jandoli Institute, Music and Social Justice, Sharp Notes Monday, Sharp Notes Sharp Thoughts
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