Here’s one of the most beautiful songs of the season, James Taylor singing “In the Bleak Mid-winter”. This specific version is about the only one that works for me, James having pretty radically modified the original into something much more modern and accessible. For singers, notice how his voice is always infused with truthfulness and sincerity – everything he sings sounds like he’s singing from utter conviction, no matter the words. For the Christian the last verse is about the heaviest sentence uttered in song. As the writer contrasts different gifts for the Christ child, she (Christina Rossetti) finally concludes “what then can I give Him, I must give my heart”. Merry Christmas, all.
