{"id":1179,"date":"2016-12-25T08:07:52","date_gmt":"2016-12-25T14:07:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jarchives.com\/site\/?page_id=1179"},"modified":"2017-12-17T17:33:02","modified_gmt":"2017-12-17T23:33:02","slug":"feature-christmas-songs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/jarchives.com\/site\/feature-christmas-songs\/","title":{"rendered":"Feature: Christmas Songs"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
\nNavigation:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Christmas Songs: A History<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Christmas Discography<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Video: Making Christmas Songs<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Guitar Tutorials<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Christmas Pageant<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Media<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Christmas Songs: A History<\/strong>
    \nBy Aaron Forney<\/em><\/p>\n

    \u201cWe wanted to make a Christmas record that had room for both nostalgia and cultural critique. To simply focus on the warmth of friends and family, and the mystery of Santa Claus, and the health rebellion of eggnog, would be an incomplete telling of the Christmas story. But simply to focus on the reality of perpetual war and human violence would make for a dark and sobering listening experience. We knew a balance had to be created.\u201d – Dan Haseltine<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Jars of Clay was at a crossroads. Their most recent release was both critically acclaimed and embraced by fans. Their opportunities for the future had just been vastly broadened. And yet before the next major album would be released, they would first look back to what shaped their identity.<\/p>\n

    The Drummer Boy EP was first released in 1995. It was re-released in 1997 with an altered tracklist.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    There are two moments in Jars of Clay’s history that would fit this description. Clearly the first is 1995. Riding on the massive wave of their first album’s success, they followed it up with a 4-track Christmas EP, Drummer Boy<\/em>.<\/p>\n

    The other, perhaps less obvious, came 12 years later in 2007. After releasing 7 studio albums accompanied by a number of EPs, singles, and contributions to compilations, Jars of Clay’s contract with Essential Records had been fulfilled and they opted to continue creating music under their own label, Gray Matters. Their first move as an independent band was to tackle a project that had long been rumored to one day be part of the Jars of Clay catalog: a Christmas album.<\/p>\n

    Integral to understanding the history of Jars of Clay, both Drummer Boy<\/em> and Christmas Songs<\/em> have been part of many Christmases since their respective releases. But to truly find the roots of the importance of Christmas music for Jars of Clay, the major Christmas releases found in Jars’ discography offers only a small glimpse. Join us as we dig a little deeper to uncover the true meaning of Christmas – or at least, the true history of Christmas Songs<\/em>.<\/p>\n

    THE EARLY YEARS<\/strong>
    \nContrary to popular belief, the Drummer Boy<\/em> EP was not Jars of Clay’s first foray into Christmas music. In fact, while all of the songs from Frail<\/em> eventually made it onto commercial releases, there is one early Jars of Clay song that was never released – possibly never even recorded! The song was called “Na Na Na,” but like another infamous unreleased Jars song (that shall remain unnamed, but we won’t blame you for guessing), it was never finalized. Eventually it was transformed into a \u201cChristmas novelty song\u201d known as \u201cKiss Me Slow (Beneath the Mistletoe).\u201d Jars of Clay performed the song at     one show in 1995<\/a> and it was never heard again. T0 read more about this historic concert (which was also Aaron Sands’ first performance with Jars of Clay), check out the concert review for 12\/10\/1995 in Issue 9 of Earthen Vessels<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Two other songs that were played at that same concert were the focus of Jars\u2019 first Christmas release, Drummer Boy<\/em>. The title track and \u201cGod Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen\u201d were both given the acoustic guitar-driven treatment featured prominently on Jars’ self-titled album. The EP was rounded out with an acoustic version of \u201cHe\u201d and a remix of \u201cDrummer Boy\u201d. (A revised version of the EP was released in 1997, dropping \u201cGentlemen\u201d and “He” for a remix of \u201cBlind\u201d and the instrumental track, “Wicker Baskets.”)<\/p>\n

    Jars of Clay also performed an acoustic version of \u201cO Little Town Bethlehem,” given a modern reworking from their college friend Byron Keith. Keith, who did bookkeeping for Jars at the time, had created the arrangement during his freshman year at Greenville College<\/a>. Stephen and Dan provided guitar and engineering skills for Keith when he recorded his own version with Sarah Jahn on vocals. After Jars had moved to Nashville, they asked to use it in their shows, which Keith permitted. This acoustic version became a staple of Jars of Clay’s shows throughout the Christmas season for many years.<\/p>\n

    BRINGING THE JOHN DENVER<\/strong>
    \nJars of Clay’s relationship with Christmas didn’t end with the Drummer Boy<\/em> EP.\u00a0 One of Jars’ earliest and most beloved Christmas songs is their tribute to Nirvana and Rudolph (yes, you read that correctly). Highlighting Jars\u2019 signature humor, \u201cSmells Like Rudolph\u201d was a light-hearted song about a \u201ctiny reindeer and a fat guy\u201d that meshed Seattle grunge and North Pole glitter. In other words, they sang “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” to the tune of “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”<\/p>\n

    Despite Charlie Brown\u2019s despair over the consumeristic nature of Christmas, Coca-Cola has firmly placed itself as Santa\u2019s Christmas beverage of choice. And while Charlie Brown\u2019s path wouldn\u2019t cross Jars\u2019 for another 11 years, Jars were tapped to provide a holiday jingle for the soft-drink company in 1996. The song\u2019s music was from another self-titled era song that was never finished, called \u201cThe Healing\u201d.<\/p>\n

    Sure, there’s another Christmas album from John Denver…but we find the artwork for this one more compelling.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    A few years later, the band began covering Bill Withers\u2019 \u201cAin\u2019t No Sunshine\u201d as a part of the tours supporting If I Left the Zoo. Intentional or not, the song\u2019s familiar bass line would influence a contribution to the City on a Hill<\/em> Christmas album. \u201cBethlehem Town\u201d was released on It’s Christmas Time<\/em> in 2002. A few years later, the band also recorded a cover of \u201cIt Came Upon a Midnight Clear\u201d for the 2005 compilation album Come Let Us Adore Him: A Christmas Worship Experience<\/em>.<\/p>\n

    Both Dan and Matt cite John Denver as an important part of musically framing their Christmas season while growing up (Dan would joke in a December 2014 Stage-It concert about getting the group to cover some of Denver\u2019s songs: \u201cI bring the John Denver\u201d). So when the band took a turn towards a more folk\/Americana approach on Who We Are Instead<\/em>, it\u2019s no surprise that they turned to Denver\u2019s work for Christmas offerings. \u201cChristmas for Cowboys\u201d was recorded and released on Maybe This Christmas Tree in 2004. They also recorded \u201cPlease Daddy (Don\u2019t Get Drunk This Christmas),\u201d which was never given a proper release (perhaps because its content wasn’t deemed “safe for the whole family”). It eventually appeared on a very rare sampler put out by Nettwerk in 2005.<\/p>\n

    A MAJOR RELEASE<\/strong>
    \nJars of Clay had made a name for themselves with acoustic guitars, and when the season finally came to create a full-length Christmas album, Dan expected that same tone to drive the album. In an     interview with John DiBiase<\/a> of Jesus Freak Hideout, Dan remarked, \u201cInitially I thought we’d make this super acoustic, beautiful kind of Christmas record\u2026 and I just found that most of my influences for Christmas music weren’t acoustic at all, with the exception of some of the John Denver stuff.” Still, the albums that shaped their childhood Christmases would also, in Matt’s words, \u201cshape some of the aesthetic we were going for\u2026 a little bit of that kind of real classical, whimsical sort of Christmas.”<\/p>\n

    According to Matt, the song selection for 2007\u2019s Christmas Songs came easily, and the eclectic nature of Jars\u2019 influences, as well as their desire to feature songs that were \u201ca little bit off the beaten path\u201d (not unlike their aim for 2005\u2019s Redemption Songs) led to a track list of original songs as well as reimagined covers of Paul McCartney, Shawn Colvin, Vince Guaraldi, and Sting. Keith’s version of \u201cO Little Town of Bethlehem\u201d was also at last given a proper release. The final version featured significantly more programming than the band’s early performances; an acoustic version was released as a bonus track for those who missed their original arrangement.<\/p>\n

    Additionally, for the first time since the Frail<\/em> demo, instrumental tracks were incorporated into a Jars of Clay release. \u201cThe Gift of St. Cecilia\u201d and \u201cEvergreen\u201d were described by Charlie as \u201chav[ing] a real longing in them\u201d, which fit neatly into the overall thematic vision of the album. Dan described the tracks as \u201ctry[ing] to capture this idea of peace in a time of chaos, peace in a time of war.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The closing track on Christmas Songs, which aims directly at wrapping up that theme, had its roots in Redemption Songs. The then-head of marketing for Provident Distribution suggested \u201cI Heard the Bells on Christmas Day\u201d be included on the 2005 hymn-centric album; however the record was already stuffed at that point. When planning for Christmas Songs, Jars found a place for it and used it to bring hope that \u201cthe wrong shall fail, the right prevail with peace on earth, goodwill to men.\u2019<\/p>\n

    Feeling that Christmas Songs itself was getting too heavy, the band opted to publish an accompanying book, titled Peace is Here: Christmas Reflections<\/em><\/a>, to share more of their thoughts on the importance of Christmas. Audio recordings of many of these reflections were made available via a tour-exclusive USB stick, and eventually a full audiobook<\/a> was released as well.<\/p>\n

    \u201cDrummer Boy\u201d and \u201cGod Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen\u201d were also reimagined for Christmas Songs, and some of the string players who created the lush sounds of the self-titled album were invited back to record for Christmas Songs. Additionally, Christine Dente<\/a> of Out of the Grey provided vocals for three of the tracks: \u201cI Heard the Bells on Christmas Day\u201d, \u201cChristmastime is Here\u201d, and the original song \u201cHibernation Day.\u201d<\/p>\n

    SONGS ON SONGS ON SONGS<\/strong>
    \nClearly Christmas songs have been an ongoing part of Jars of Clay\u2019s career, but it was a pleasant surprise when a 3-song EP entitled More Christmas Songs<\/em> was released in 2011.<\/p>\n

    More Christmas Songs was released in 2011 alongside Reinvent, Remember, Replay, a precursor to the “20” album.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Featuring 2 covers and a string-heavy original track, More Christmas Songs was a slightly lighter-hearted release than its predecessor. While not included on the EP, it was around this time that the band reimagined \u201cIn the Bleak Midwinter\u201d as a more upbeat, acoustic version than the string- and horn-centric version found on Christmas Songs.<\/p>\n

    The beauty in the Christmas season is found in the deeper meanings \u2013 understanding the underlying aspects of the Christmas story, knowing the history behind a family ornament, or knowing the source of a song lyric. And while Christmas Songs is an integral part in many fans holiday preparations, it\u2019s the deeper parts of the Christmas portions of the Jars catalog that truly paint the full picture of how Jars of Clay used the influence that Christmas music had on them to create an endearing place in Christmas playlists.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Navigation: Christmas Songs: A History Christmas Discography Video: Making Christmas Songs Guitar Tutorials Christmas Pageant Media Christmas Songs: A History By Aaron Forney \u201cWe wanted to make a Christmas record that had room for both nostalgia and cultural critique. To simply focus on the warmth of friends and family, and the mystery of Santa Claus, … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1179","page","type-page","status-publish"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/jarchives.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1179","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/jarchives.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/jarchives.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jarchives.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/jarchives.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1179"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"http:\/\/jarchives.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1179\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1255,"href":"http:\/\/jarchives.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1179\/revisions\/1255"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/jarchives.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}