I'll be focusing on Christmas - not traditional Christmas songs or carols, but the reason and meaning behind Christmas. I'll try to be helpful and explain these things as best I can without getting preachy, so I hope you'll allow me to do that, and enjoy the musical selections I have planned for you.
Kansas
- Reason To Be (Monolith)
When Jesus was born, he was born for a reason. That's true of everyone - God has a plan for all of us - but Jesus'
Reason To Be is so monumentally important, we can't simply gloss over that fact.
Return To Forever - Flight Of The Newborn (No Mystery)
Christmas celebrates the coming of Jesus as a newborn. In one way, Jesus "flew" from heaven to be born in Bethlehem. In another way, Jesus "flew" back to heaven roughly 33 years later, after his death and resurrection.
Ten Point Ten - Good Tidings (12 25)
This one depicts the angels who appeared "to certain poor shepherds" and their announcement that the Messiah had been born...
Ten Point Ten - Messiah, He Is Born (12 25)
...and this one depicts the shepherds' response and visitation to the manger on that special night.
Medeski Martin & Wood
- Is There Anybody Here That Love My Jesus (Shack Man)
Love is one of Jesus' strongest and most widely known characteristics, and he said that if we love him, we will follow his commandments. He then commanded us to love one another. Our world would be a different place if we only followed that one.
Tony Palacios - First Born (Epic Tales of Whoa!)
In Hebrew tradition, the first born son has all the rights and privileges that the father has, and Jesus has all the same rights and privileges that God his Father has.
Simon Apple - A Reason Why... (River To the Sea)
Jesus is the reason for the season.
Simon Apple - River To The Sea (River To the Sea)
These two Simon Apple tunes go together on the CD, even though neither one is really Christmass-y. However, this one does point to Jesus. See if you can catch how.
Passport - Cross-Collateral (Cross-Collateral)
The Cross is the reason Jesus came. The entire point of Jesus coming was so that he could die on the cross and make a way for us to get to heaven.
David Fitzgerald - Christchild (Eternal Light)
We don't know too much about Jesus as a child, only about his birth and later ministry. We do know however that Jesus even as a child was already the Christ (Messiah). It's not something he grew into, it was always part of him.
Iona - Virgin and Child (The Book of Kells)
Just a beautiful musical picture here from Iona, taken right out of an illustration in the Book of Kells.
Soulive - Jesus Children (live) (Turn It Out)
I've actually never heard the original Stevie Wonder tune, so I have no idea if there are lyrics or what they are about. (edit: it does have lyrics. I'm not completely sure of his meaning on just a cursory inspection.) Regardless, this seems to point to children who follow Jesus more than Jesus as a child. Still, it's a cool rendition from Soulive.
Phil Keaggy - Fairest Lord Jesus (Hymnsongs)
This is Phil's instrumental arrangement of the classic hymn. It's not really a Christmas hymn, but if you know Jesus, you've got to admit that he's quite beautiful, so it fits.
Phil Keaggy - Jesus Loves The Church (Phil Keaggy)
Another explanation of the "why" Jesus came and died. Jesus loves his people, the church, regardless of the way we treat him. The lyrics to this one get me. They're so true.
Tony Williams - The Night You Were Born (Wilderness)
I don't know who Tony was talking about here, but the title seems to fit in to the Christmas theme and the music features the stellar lineup of Pat Metheny, Stanley Clarke, Michael Brecker, Herbie Hancock, and ... Tony Williams!
Uz Jsme Doma - Dítě (Child) (In the Middle of Words)
Again, I don't know what child (dítě in Czech, apparently) they were talking about. The lyrics are pretty vague, but there is a line that translates to "Start what has been finished." Remembering that Jesus' dying words on the cross were "it is finished," I think this fits in well with Christmas - it's the start of the thing that Jesus came to finish.
Neal Morse - Hallelujah - The King Is Born (Merry Christmas)
Neal, with a little help from the choir, put out a very nice tune with this one. It's a happy, uplifting song about the birth of Jesus, the king. Of course, he didn't start out as king, and the only crown he's gotten so far was the crown of thorns...
Neal Morse - King Jesus (One (Bonus Disc))
...but one day Jesus will come back and this time, he will be king. A little look ahead from the One bonus disc.
Dave Weckl Band - Crossing Paths (Live (And Very Plugged In))
More creative song title interpretation. But from Jesus' birth, to his death, he followed the path God the Father set out for him that led to the cross. While it's not a happy thing to think about, we should be grateful for his unswerving obedience.
Gong - Crosscurrents (Downwind)
I could make the same analogy here, although it's a bit more poetic this way. The currents of Jesus life took him to the cross - which is pretty amazing considering how close the crucifixion seemed to come to not happening.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Concerto (The Lost Christmas Eve)
A nice little instrumental interlude from the TSO folks. For your musical pleasure. If I didn't include TSO at all, it wouldn't be a Christmas show, would it?
Billy Cobham - Crosswind (Crosswind)
This is probably much too upbeat a tune to depict the wind that might have blown while Jesus was on the cross, so I won't even try to make that fit. And the "winds that blew Jesus to the cross" metaphor doesn't fit and has been overused by me already. It's a pretty good closer though.
So, let's review: Christmas is not about trees or presents or good feelings, although those are a part of it. Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, who came because he loved us enough to sacrifice his life in our place so that we could get to heaven by believing in him, his death and resurrection. It's my prayer that you will understand this and accept Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life, because if you do your life will be changed in a way that you could not imagine. Merry Christmas, and God bless.
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