According to music websites, Bob Dylan is set to release a Christmas album, which will feature the songs, ‘Here Comes Santa Claus’ and ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’, among others. Rumours about the album first cropped up on the ‘Isis’ magazine website, a site devoted to Bob Dylan. Later on, it reported that the songs was recorded last May in Jackson Browne’s studio, called Groove Masters, in Santa Monica in California. Los Lobos member David Hidalgo, who played accordion on the latest chart-topping Bob Dylan album, ‘Together through Life’, is said to be one of the musicians who took part in the sessions. “It is a personal project of Dylan himself rather than an idea put forward by his record company,” said Isis.
‘Billboard’ magazine confirms that the album exists. Other songs in the album include ‘Must Be Santa’ and ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas’. According to ‘Isis,’ the album was mixed and finished in June. Originally of Jewish faith, Dylan became a born-again Christian for three years (1979-1981), and released three religious-themed albums then. Scott Marshall, who has written the book ‘God and Bob Dylan: A Spiritual Life’, told bullypulpit.com, “At first glance it may sound bizarre, but I don’t think Dylan cares much about what his detractors might make of it. He’s both never renounced being Jewish or renounced his experience with Jesus some three decades ago,” Marshall added. The 68-year-old singer is currently in the United States doing a leg of his so-called Never Ending Tour.
Meanwhile, The UK’s ‘Uncut’ magazine poked fun at the project, making up Yuletide puns on Bob Dylan songs, like ‘Sleigh Lady Sleigh’, ‘A Hard Reindeer’s A-Gonna Fall’ and ‘Girl From The North Pole Country’.
