Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Christmas Spirituals

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Released
  
1960

Producer
  
Rachel Faro

Release date
  
1960

Place recorded
  
Carnegie Hall

Length
  
29:06

Artist
  
Odetta

Label
  
Alcazar Productions

Christmas Spirituals httpsimagesnasslimagesamazoncomimagesI5

Christmas Spirituals (1960)
  
Odetta and The Blues (1962)

Genres
  
Spiritual, Christmas music, Folk music

Similar
  
Odetta albums, Folk music albums

Odetta performs go tell it on the mountain german public tv 1989


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. She says these songs are traditional spirituals that emerged from the sufferings of slavery as a catharsis for the terrible wrongs that were committed.

Contents

1960 track listing

  1. "Virgin Mary Had One Son" – 2:44
  2. "Somebody's Talking About Jesus" – 2:49
  3. "Ain't That A-Rocking" – 2:04
  4. "Mary Had A Baby" – 1:47
  5. "Go Tell It On The Mountain" – 2:07
  6. "Beautiful Star" – 2:42
  7. "Poor Little Jesus" – 2:23
  8. "Shout For Joy" – 1:42
  9. "Oh, Jerusalem" – 1:27
  10. "Rise Up Shepherd And Follow" – 1:49
  11. "If Anybody Asks You" – 2:35
  12. "What Month Was Jesus Born In?" – 2:04
  13. "Children, Go Where I Send Thee" – 6:59

1987 track listing

All songs traditional unless otherwise noted.

  1. "Rise up, Shepherd, and Follow" – 1:45
  2. "What Month Was Jesus Born In?" – 2:25
  3. "Mary Had a Baby" – 1:52
  4. "Somebody Talking 'Bout Jesus" – 2:05
  5. "Virgin Mary Had One Son" – 3:08
  6. "Go Tell It on the Mountain" – 2:01
  7. "Shout for Joy" – 2:31
  8. "Poor Little Jesus" – 1:56
  9. "O Jerusalem" (with new lyrics by Rachel Faro) – 2:51
  10. "Ain't That A-Rockin'" – 3:20
  11. "If Anybody Asks You" (Odetta Gordon) – 2:00
  12. "Beautiful Star" (Gordon) – 2:54
  13. "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)

    Songs

    1Rise Up Shepherd And Follow1:46
    2What Month Was Jesus Born In?2:26
    3Mary Had A Baby1:53

    References

    Christmas Spirituals Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA