Christmas Spirituals
Christmas Spirituals | ||||
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Studio album by Odetta | ||||
Released | 1960 | |||
Recorded | Carnegie Hall | |||
Genre | Spirituals, Gospel, Christmas | |||
Length | 29:06 | |||
Label | Vanguard | |||
Producer | Rachel Faro | |||
Odetta chronology | ||||
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Alternative cover | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Christmas Spirituals is the name of two albums recorded by the American folk singer Odetta. The first was released in 1960 on Vanguard Records. The second, a new recording of mostly the same songs, produced by Rachel Faro at White Crowe Audio in Burlington, Vermont, was originally released in 1987 on Alcazar Records and was reissued digitally in 2007 on Ashe Records. Both albums have Bill Lee, Spike Lee's father on double bass. The cover of the second Christmas Spirituals album, by the artist Coleen Patterson, depicts a Black Madonna by the River Jordan with the Three Kings in attendance. Odetta said that these songs were traditional spirituals that emerged from the sufferings of slavery as a catharsis for the terrible wrongs that were committed.
1960 track listing
- "Virgin Mary Had One Son" – 2:44
- "Somebody's Talking About Jesus" – 2:49
- "Ain't That A-Rocking" – 2:04
- "Mary Had A Baby" – 1:47
- "Go Tell It On The Mountain" – 2:07
- "Beautiful Star" – 2:42
- "Poor Little Jesus" – 2:23
- "Shout For Joy" – 1:42
- "Oh, Jerusalem" – 1:27
- "Rise Up Shepherd And Follow" – 1:49
- "If Anybody Asks You" – 2:35
- "What Month Was Jesus Born In?" – 2:04
- "Children, Go Where I Send Thee" – 6:59
1987 track listing
All songs traditional unless otherwise noted.
- "Rise up, Shepherd, and Follow" – 1:45
- "What Month Was Jesus Born In?" – 2:25
- "Mary Had a Baby" – 1:52
- "Somebody Talking 'Bout Jesus" – 2:05
- "Virgin Mary Had One Son" – 3:08
- "Go Tell It on the Mountain" – 2:01
- "Shout for Joy" – 2:31
- "Poor Little Jesus" – 1:56
- "O Jerusalem" (with new lyrics by Rachel Faro) – 2:51
- "Ain't That A-Rockin'" – 3:20
- "If Anybody Asks You" (Odetta Gordon) – 2:00
- "Beautiful Star" (Gordon) – 2:54
- "Children Go Where I Send Thee" – 2:45
Personnel
- Odetta – vocals, guitar
- Bill Lee – double bass
- Lincoln Goines * – bass guitar
- Jeff Salisbury * – percussion, drums
- Carol Steele * – percussion
- Helge Sasse * – executive producer
(* denotes 1987 personnel)
References
- ^ Allmusic review
- v
- t
- e
- The Tin Angel
- Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues
- At the Gate of Horn
- My Eyes Have Seen
- Ballad for Americans and Other American Ballads
- Christmas Spirituals
- Odetta and the Blues
- Sometimes I Feel Like Cryin'
- One Grain of Sand
- Odetta Sings Folk Songs
- It's a Mighty World
- Odetta Sings of Many Things
- Odetta Sings Dylan
- Odetta
- Odetta Sings the Blues
- Odetta Sings
- Blues Everywhere I Go
- Looking for a Home
- Odetta
- The Best of Odetta
- The Best of Odetta: Ballads and Blues
- The Best of the Vanguard Years
- Livin' with the Blues
- Absolutely the Best
- The Tradition Masters
- Best of the M.C. Records Years 1999–2005
- Vanguard Visionaries