With the recent release
of Kate Rusby's latest Christmas album, Holly Head, five albums
of the stuff are now available, a colossal 59 tracks. Each album
follows the same format of beautiful arrangements, plenty of brass
and accordion, an occasional banjo and always that wonderful voice.
While Shepherds
watch appears, amazingly, on five of the albums, twice on the 2008
album Sweet Bells
Carols
are the staple for these albums- Hark the herald (two versions), Hark, hark what news, Awake arise Good Christians, Bleak Mid-winter, Hark Hark, Joy to the
World, Little Town Of Bethlehem, Lu Lay, Salute the Morn, Rolling Downward, Shepherds
Arise, See amid the winter's snow, Yorkshire Three Ships.
All
hail the power of Jesus name to Diadem is a hymn not necessarily
associated with Christmas. Something similar could be said of
Holmfirth Album.
The
Wren is a Boxing Day song.
Christmas
songs include Deck the Halls, Drive the Cold Winter Away, Kris
Kringle, Let it Snow, Rocking Carol and Winter wonderland.
Then
there are folk songs about Christmas, First Tree in the Greenwood, I am Christmas, The Holly and the Ivy, Mistletoe Bough, Seven Good Joys, Sunny Bank and The Dilly Carol. The unusual Poor old Horse refers to the tradition of what in Wales is called the Mari Lwyd. Candlemas Eve is again a little different, as is Serving girl's holiday and The miner's dream of home.
The
wassailing songs are Here We Come A-Wassailing and Cornish wassailing, put together by Kate herself, and Yorkshire Merry Christmas.
Among
the comic songs are The Christmas Goose, The Ivy and the Holly, Hippo
for Christmas, Santa never brings me a banjo (along with the all too
brief banjo, banjo) and two Brave Bill songs.
Lots
of songs refer to bells. As well as two versions of While Shepherds
there are Let the Bells Ring by Kate herself and Hark to the Bells to
Bradfield,
Two
or three songs on each album are Kate Rusby originals - Home, The Frost is all over, The Holly King, etc.
