This year’s collection of Other Christmas Carols. As usual a highly arbitrary sample of inspiring and reflective tunes. I find the lyrics of the Bach Motette „Jesu, meine Freude“, BWV 227, as performed by the Collegium Vocale Gent particularly befitting: „Trotz dem alten Drachen / trotz des Todes Rachen / trotz der Furcht dazu! / Tobe, Welt, und springe / ich steh hier und singe / in gar sichrer Ruh!“

I do not own the rights to any of these songs. Go and buy them. Last years‘ lists are archived here. The list is available on Spotify (here and below) and can also be found on my YouTube channel. More images from the trip through the South of the United States in March and April of 2024, particularly from the region where the cover image was taken, are in this slide show.  Enjoy.

01 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen | Stan Kenton
02 Buttertango | Marie Spaemann and Christian Bakanic
03 Nebel | Klaus Trabitsch
04 Jesu, meine Freude, BWV 227: Trotz dem alten Drachen | Collegium Vocale Gent
05 Simmerdim | Merlyn Driver
06 In Stride | MGT feat. Wolfgang Muthspiel, Slava Grogoryan & Ralph Towner
07 You Send Me (2018 Mono Remaster) | Aretha Franklin
08 Please Send Me Someone To Love | Joe Zawinul
09 Ade | Caterina Valente und Manfred Krug
10 passepied | Jean-Michel Blais
11 Outro Lugar | Toco
12 Come With Me | Myriam Alter
13 How Can I Be Sure | Shelby Lynne
14 L’Amor | Arianna Savall
15 Games People Play | Mel Tormé
16 Hope | Gregoire Maret and Edmar Castaneda
17 Sacrilege | Yeah Yeah Yeahs
18 Sleeping on the Blacktop | Colter Wall
19 Life Goes On: Life Goes On | Carla Bley · Andy Sheppard · Steve Swallow
20 Merry Christmas Baby | Elvis Presley

Compiled by Oliver Cyril Lehmann | Winter 2024
Cover location: Bridge over Black Bayou, a tributary of the Little Tallahatchie River, Glendora, Mississippi, USA | March 31, 2024, 3.21pm