The Chieftains - The Bells of Dublin

Gosh ! What can I say about this rare gem...
I'll only state that it features one my my fave from all the (not so) ingenue yule tunes fromall times: Jackson Browne's The Rebel Jesus
take a look at the lyrics...

All the streets are filled with laughter and light
And the music of the season
And the merchants' windows are all bright
With the faces of the children
And the families hurrying to their homes
While the sky darkens and freezes
Will be gathering around the hearths and tables
Giving thanks for God's graces
And the birth of the rebel Jesus

Well they call him by 'the Prince of Peace'
And they call him by 'the Savior'
And they pray to him upon the seas
And in every bold endeavor
And they fill his churches with their pride and gold
As their faith in him increases
But they've turned the nature that I worship in
From a temple to a robber's den
In the words of the rebel Jesus

Well we guard our world with locks and guns
And we guard our fine possessions
And once a year when Christmas comes
We give to our relations
And perhaps we give a little to the poor
If the generosity should seize us
But if any one of us should interfere
In the business of why there are poor
They get the same as the rebel Jesus

Now pardon me if I have seemed
To take the tone of judgement
For I've no wish to come between
This day and your enjoyment
In a life of hardship and of earthly toil
There's a need for anything that frees us
So I bid you pleasure
And I bid you cheer
From a heathen and a pagan
On the side of the rebel Jesus

All songs traditional, except as indicated.

1. "The Bells of Dublin/Christmas Eve" (with the bell-ringers of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin) (Paddy Moloney)
2. "Past Three O'Clock" (with The Renaissance Singers)
3. "St. Stephen's Day Murders" (with Elvis Costello) (P. Moloney, E. Costello)
4. "Il Est Né/Ca Berger" (with Kate and Anna McGarrigle)
5. "Don Oiche Ud I mBeithil" (with Burgess Meredith)"I Saw Three Ships A Sailing" (with Marianne Faithfull)
6. "A Breton Carol" (with Nolwen Monjarret)
7. "Carols Medley: O the Holly She Bears a Berry/God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/The Boar's Head"
8. "The Wexford Carol" (with Nanci Griffith)
9. "The Rebel Jesus" (with Jackson Browne) (J. Browne)
10. "Skyline Jig" (P. Moloney)
11. "O Holy Night" (with Rickie Lee Jones)
12. "Medley: 'The Wren! The Wren!'/The Dingle Set - Dance/The Wren in the Furze/A Dance Duet - Reels/Brafferton Village/Walsh's Hornpipe/The Farewell" ("Wren in the Furze" by Kevin Conneff)
13. "Medley: Once in Royal David's City/Ding Dong Merrily on High/O Come All Ye Faithful" (with The Renaissance Singers)

Download: The Chieftains - The Bells of Dublin