The Carol of the Bells, a Ukrainian folk song written by Mykola Leontovych with lyrics by Peter Wilhousky, has always been one of my favorites of those Christmas carols that you are more likely to hear than sing. There are so many fabulous variations that never fail to delight, and the tune has been adapted to reflect so many different cultures (where drums, for instance, in an African version performed at my daughter’s middle school recently). So it was to my great delight to come across two more versions that I thought were, well, just really cool. The first, from the creative talents at North Point Church in Atlanta, appeals to my geeky...

Sometimes it takes an outsider to remind you of who you are and what you should be about. It helps, of course, if that outsider is keenly observant, a generous critic, and gifted with words and, in this case, musical notes. Such is the case with this week’s Unlikely Christmas Carol, “The Rebel Jesus,” by Jackson Browne. Let’s start with Browne as keen observer. A day after describing Mary’s Magnificat as a “rebel song,” I can’t help but appreciate Browne’s perception that her son came to question the status quo, challenge the authorities and customs of the day, and generally turn things upside down. But Browne isn’t...

I should probably admit up front that I’ve been a huge James Bond fan ever since my older brother took me to see Live and Let Die at the age of nine. (I’m still not sure if my parents ever knew that.) So over Thanksgiving weekend, my wife and I planned an evening out and caught supper and the latest Bond flick, Skyfall. I should probably also admit that I think Daniel Craig is the best Bond since Sean Connery created the character 50 years ago. Along with most critics, I thought Skyfall was terrific, one of the better films in the franchise. No small part of that was the evolution of Bond. As in Casino Royale (Quantum of Solace,...

I’ve said before – more than a few times, actually ☺ – that I love just about everything about Advent and Christmas, and that I especially love the music of the season. Ancient and modern, sacred and secular, I love them all. (Well, not all, but a whole lot!) So in the spirit of the season I want to share a few of my favorite Christmas songs, some of which you may know, others that perhaps are less familiar, but all of which representatives of what that I like to call “unlikely Christmas carols.” They’re unlikely not because there is something wrong or inappropriate about them. Indeed I find each one points out something...