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| | Come Darkness Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas | | | Music Artist : | | Mary-Chapin Carpenter | | Music Style : | | General | | Record Label : | | Zoe Records | | Release Date : | | 2008-09-30 | | Store Price : | | $17.98 | | Artistopia's Price: $13.49 | | Usually ships in 24 hours | | |
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CD Tracks/Songs
Disc 11. Once in Royal David's City
2. Hot Buttered Rum
3. Still, Still, Still
4. On a Quiet Christmas Morn
5. Come Darkness, Come Light
6. Christmas Time in the City
7. Candlelight Carol
8. The Longest Night of the Year
9. Thanksgiving Song
10. Bells Are Ringing
11. Christmas Carol
12. Children, Go Where I Send Thee
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Other Artist Albums
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Customer Reviews of This Album/CD |
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 christmas
Submitted on: 2009-09-27 |
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I ask for this CD as I like christmas songs not well-known.And Mary Carpenter sings gently...it is good for soul. |
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A very original, mellow Christmas album
Submitted on: 2009-09-07 |
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Despite being in the business for about twenty years at the time she recorded this album, Mary had never before recorded a Christmas album. She'd actually recorded an original Christmas song, Bells are ringing, which she co-wrote and which originally appeared in 1999. A re-recording of that song is included here, along with several other original songs and some covers of songs that rarely appear on American Christmas albums.
The set opens with Once in royal David's city, which is an extremely popular Christmas carol in Britain but (it seems) not so popular in America. It's not the only carol that Brits love but which rarely appears on American Christmas albums. Mary could have filled a whole album with them, beginning with While shepherds watched, but she's recorded an outstanding version of Once in royal David's city, so I'm happy about that.
Mary follows this with the Christmas love song Hot buttered rum, which I don't remember hearing before but might have done so. Then comes the traditional carol Still still still. I don't remember hearing this in English before, but I've heard versions on German Christmas albums. Again, it's a great choice by Mary. A cover of On a quiet Christmas morn (a song written by Robin and Linda Williams) marks the end of the opening covers sequence.
The next seven songs include five original songs, one outside cover (of Candlelight carol, written by John Rutter) and a re-recording of Bells are ringing. All are well worth a listen. They tell us about Mary's thoughts about the Christmas season. In the last of these songs, simply titled Christmas carol, Mary expresses her twin desires for snow at Christmas and for peace throughout the world, but leaves nobody in any doubt that peace is what really matters to her.
The final track is a cover of Children go where I send thee, in which Mary performs the complete twelve verses. Coincidentally, I simultaneously bought Joan Osborne's Christmas means love, so two covers of this song arrived in the same parcel, but Joan only bothered with the first four verses. So if you love this song, Mary's album is the one with the full-length version.
I love this album, but it definitely isn't a party album. You need to take the time to appreciate this album - and if you do, you'll be well-rewarded. To help you along, the booklet includes full lyrics for all the songs. If you enjoy mellow folk-country Christmas music that steers clear of all the obvious songs, you'll love this album.
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MCC at her best
Submitted on: 2009-05-07 |
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| My wife and I have been hoping for years that MCC would release a Christmas album. When Come Darkness, Come Light was released, we were not disappointed. Through her songcraft, MCC has created a winter/holiday album that we will be listening to throughout the entire year. Even our children have adopted the album for a sing-a-long treat on car rides, by a warm fire in the living room, or even while cleaning up the dishes after dinner. This is truly another wonderful creation by MCC that has been worth the wait. |
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Mary Chapin Carpenter
Submitted on: 2009-02-18 |
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| Come Darkness, Come Light is a beautiful collection of original and time-honored Christmas music. The title piece brings tears to my eyes every time I listen to it. This is a quintessential Carpenter treatment of Christmas - gentle in presentation, comfortable to listen to and powerful in the message and emotion. |
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Wonderful cd!!
Submitted on: 2009-02-06 |
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| I love this cd, MCC has selected and written beautiful songs, different than the usual holiday fare. As always, her vocals are excellent, and with her, John Jennings, and Jon Carroll, the music is perfection. This cd has been in my Bose and played daily since the day it was released. It's calming and uplifting. Thank You Mary Chapin Carpenter for yet another musical gem!!! |
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