12 Plays of Christmas
by Gordon Walker
The sluggish nationwide supply chain is certainly the perpetrator, but there was a noticeable shortage of corn chips in the area recently. Not the type of news we all like to hear at the onset of Frito chili pie season.
Now for the good news.
There is no shortage of newly-recorded Christmas music. Just the type of news we all like to hear at the onset of Good News season.
One of the blessings of this pandemic (strangely, there are many) is that gifted writers and recording artists have been forced to slow down a bit like the rest of us. The result has been a deep list of meaningful music for those of us who find music to be a significant component of our daily worship.
With the Advent season here, a whole new set of Christmas recordings is to be found via your favorite music downloading options, with a nice balance of traditional carols along with brand new refrains. There are some amazing new releases for 2021. (My playlist has neared the 200 song mark. Inspect any of the albums below and you will see why.) In case you are looking for some refreshing and worshipful songs for your own list, here is a list of 12—along with the artist and album, ranked in no particular order—that you are sure to enjoy. Most have been recorded within the last two Christmas seasons.
You won’t find a partridge in a pear tree, but you will discover a worshipful 12 Plays of Christmas:
1) “O Holy Night,” Tommee Profitt, Tauren Wells and Svcina, The Birth of a King
2) “Here I Am to Worship,” Maverick City Music (featuring Naomi Raine, Todd Galberth and Mav City Gospel Choir), A Very Maverick Christmas
3) “Light of the World (Sing Hallelujah),” We the Kingdom, A Family Christmas
4) “Crown Him (Christmas),” Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman, Emmanuel: Christmas Songs of Worship (Live)
5) “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” Zach Williams, I Don’t Want Christmas to End
6) “Wonderful,” CAIN (featuring Steven Curtis Chapman), Wonderful
7) “The First Noel,” Tasha Cobbs Leonard
8) “Promised One,” River Valley Worship, Million Lifetimes
9) “Little Drummer Boy,” Carrie Underwood (featuring Isaiah Fisher), My Gift
10) “Silent Night,” Gabby Barrett
11) “Hush,” Passion (featuring Melodie Malone), Hope Has a Name
12) “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” for King and Country (with NEEDTOBREATHE), A Drummer Boy Christmas
Come let us worship the King! For He alone is worthy.
Author Bio
Gordon Walker and his wife, Beverly, serve as directors of the TBD Connection Class. They have been members at Council Road since 2008. During the week, they operate NightOWL Publications. Married for 32 years, they have three children: Brooks, (and wife, Dru), Memphis, TN; Annie, Yukon; and Clay, (1991-1997), Heaven. The family is quite fond of their 10-year-old yellow Lab, Nala.
Gordon would love to hear your Christmas-in-song favorites at gwalkernop@gmail.com and will share with you the songs he believes should have somehow made the list of 12.