The McGarrigle Christmas Hour
Encyclopedia
The McGarrigle Christmas Hour is a 2005 album by Kate and Anna McGarrigle
. A sequel to their 1998 album The McGarrigle Hour
, the album features a program of Christmas
music recorded by the McGarrigles, their family and a number of friends and collaborators. It was also the last album to be released by the duo before Kate's death in 2010.
Performers on the album include Kate's son and daughter Rufus
and Martha
, Anna's husband Dane Lanken
and their children Lily
and Sylvan, and Kate and Anna's sister Jane
, as well as Emmylou Harris
, Chaim Tannenbaum, Pierre Marchand
, Joel Zifkin
, Brad Albetta, Teddy Thompson
and Beth Orton
.
Kate and Anna McGarrigle
Kate and Anna McGarrigle, were a pair of Canadian singer-songwriters from Quebec, who performed as a duo until Kate McGarrigle's death on January 18, 2010.-Profile:...
. A sequel to their 1998 album The McGarrigle Hour
The McGarrigle Hour
The McGarrigle Hour is a 1998 album by Kate and Anna McGarrigle.The album was recorded at a family gathering, including Kate's former husband Loudon Wainwright III, their son and daughter Rufus Wainwright and Martha Wainwright, Anna's husband Dane Lanken, their son and daughter Sylvan Lanken and...
, the album features a program of Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
music recorded by the McGarrigles, their family and a number of friends and collaborators. It was also the last album to be released by the duo before Kate's death in 2010.
Performers on the album include Kate's son and daughter Rufus
Rufus Wainwright
Rufus McGarrigle Wainwright is an American-Canadian singer-songwriter. He has recorded six albums of original music, EPs, and tracks on compilations and film soundtracks.-Early years:...
and Martha
Martha Wainwright
Martha Wainwright is a Canadian-American folk-rock singer-songwriter. She is the daughter of American folk singer and actor Loudon Wainwright III and Canadian folk singer-songwriter Kate McGarrigle...
, Anna's husband Dane Lanken
Dane Lanken
Dane Lanken is a Canadian journalist.He was a film critic for the Montreal Gazette from 1967 to 1977, and has since been a freelance journalist who writes regularly for Canadian Geographic, among other publications....
and their children Lily
Lily Lanken
Lily Lanken is a Canadian pop vocalist.Born in Montreal, she is the daughter of Anna McGarrigle and Dane Lanken. She graduated in 2006 from Concordia University with a bachelor's degree in fine arts...
and Sylvan, and Kate and Anna's sister Jane
Jane McGarrigle
Jane McGarrigle is a Canadian songwriter and musician.She is the elder sister of Kate and Anna McGarrigle, and has written and performed several songs with the duo. She produced their album Love Over and Over. Songs she co-wrote have been recorded by Nana Mouskouri and by Emmylou Harris...
, as well as Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
, Chaim Tannenbaum, Pierre Marchand
Pierre Marchand
Pierre Marchand is a Canadian songwriter, musician and record producer.Pierre Marchand is known for his ongoing collaboration with Sarah McLachlan, having produced all of her albums since Solace...
, Joel Zifkin
Joel Zifkin
Joel Zifkin is a Canadian musician and songwriter born in Montreal on April 14, 1954. He is best known as a session and live musician for artists such as Kate and Anna McGarrigle and Richard Thompson...
, Brad Albetta, Teddy Thompson
Teddy Thompson
Teddy Thompson is a British folk and rock musician. He is the son of folk-rock musicians Richard and Linda Thompson and brother of singer Kamila Thompson...
and Beth Orton
Beth Orton
Beth Orton is a BRIT Award–winning English singer-songwriter, known for her 'folktronica' sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica. She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit and the Chemical Brothers in the mid 1990s. However, these were not Orton's first...
.
Track listing
The tracks chosen for the album are primarily traditional Christmas carols or pop standards, although several original Christmas-themed songs written by the participants were included as well. Each song's songwriting credit is noted below.- "Seven Joys of Mary" (4:51) - traditional
- "Old Waits Carol" (2:36) - traditional
- "O Little Town of BethlehemO Little Town of Bethlehem"O Little Town of Bethlehem" is a popular Christmas carol. The text was written by Phillips Brooks , an Episcopal priest, Rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia. He was inspired by visiting the Palestinian city of Bethlehem in 1865. Three years later, he wrote the poem for his...
" (3:58) - Brooks/Redner - "Il est né/Ça berger" (4:35) - traditional
- "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" (3:02) - Frank LoesserFrank LoesserFrank Henry Loesser was an American songwriter who wrote the lyrics and scores to the Broadway hits Guys and Dolls and How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, among others. He won separate Tony Awards for the music and lyrics in both shows, as well as sharing the Pulitzer Prize for...
- "Rebel Jesus" (4:10) - Jackson BrowneJackson BrowneJackson Browne is an American singer-songwriter and musician who has sold over 17 million albums in the United States alone....
- "Some Children See Him" (3:56) - Burt/Hitson
- "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" (4:07) - Martha WainwrightMartha WainwrightMartha Wainwright is a Canadian-American folk-rock singer-songwriter. She is the daughter of American folk singer and actor Loudon Wainwright III and Canadian folk singer-songwriter Kate McGarrigle...
- "Counting Stars" (3:19) - Ian Vincenzo Dow/Kate McGarrigleKate McGarrigleKate McGarrigle, CM was a Canadian folk music singer-songwriter, who wrote and performed as a duo with her sister Anna McGarrigle....
/Anna McGarrigleAnna McGarrigleAnna McGarrigle, CM is a Canadian folk music singer/songwriter who wrote and performed as a duo with her sister, Kate McGarrigle, until Kate's death in 2010.-Musical career:... - "Spotlight on Christmas" (3:23) - Rufus WainwrightRufus WainwrightRufus McGarrigle Wainwright is an American-Canadian singer-songwriter. He has recorded six albums of original music, EPs, and tracks on compilations and film soundtracks.-Early years:...
- "Wise Men" (4:02) - Kate McGarrigleKate McGarrigleKate McGarrigle, CM was a Canadian folk music singer-songwriter, who wrote and performed as a duo with her sister Anna McGarrigle....
/Anna McGarrigleAnna McGarrigleAnna McGarrigle, CM is a Canadian folk music singer/songwriter who wrote and performed as a duo with her sister, Kate McGarrigle, until Kate's death in 2010.-Musical career:... - "Port Starboard Sox" (3:27) - Pat DonaldsonPat DonaldsonPat Donaldson is a bass guitarist.The 2i's Coffee Bar in Old Compton Street, Soho was a legendary hang-out for early rock artists of Britain. It was here that Tommy Steele, Cliff Richard and Terry Dean played. Albert Lee and Pat Donaldson played here while they were members of Bob Xavier and the...
/Dane LankenDane LankenDane Lanken is a Canadian journalist.He was a film critic for the Montreal Gazette from 1967 to 1977, and has since been a freelance journalist who writes regularly for Canadian Geographic, among other publications....
/Kate McGarrigleKate McGarrigleKate McGarrigle, CM was a Canadian folk music singer-songwriter, who wrote and performed as a duo with her sister Anna McGarrigle....
/Anna McGarrigleAnna McGarrigleAnna McGarrigle, CM is a Canadian folk music singer/songwriter who wrote and performed as a duo with her sister, Kate McGarrigle, until Kate's death in 2010.-Musical career:... - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (3:27) - traditional
- "Blue ChristmasBlue Christmas"Blue Christmas" is a Christmas song written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson. The heart-broken tale of unrequited love during the holidays had long been considered a Christmas staple of country music, having been recorded first by Doye O'Dell in 1948 and popularised by Ernest Tubb the next year...
" (3:36) - Hayes/Johnson