Comments on: CD Review: “We Need a Little Christmas” (Triumphant Quartet)

By: Sony

Sony — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 04:07:50 +0000

I bet Connie does do a great job on “Hope Has Hands.” I’d never heard the song before but I will have to look for the Hoppers’ version.

Thank you to each of you who shared their thoughts concerning this CD or various songs on this project.

By: JImT

JImT — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 23:35:00 +0000

At NQC a few years ago I had the opportunity to hear “Hope has Hands” and the story behind it during a Songwriters Showcase

The Hoppers were preparing a Christmas project and at the previous NQC had asked Phil Cross if he had a Christmas song they could include as they needed one more. He said he didn’t, and further was busy at the time writing songs for his own group. But as they parted Cross said he prayed and asked God to give him a song so the Hopper’s need would be met. The lyrics and melody came to him within minutes.

Connie Hopper then sang this marvelous song in her beautiful alto voice (which isn’t featured near enough by the group, in my opinion) and literally brought the hundreds in attendance to tears.

To my mind this is probably the finest Christmas song ever written. I haven’t heard Triumphant’s version, but I would encourage anyone to find the Hoppers Christmas album and listen to Connie sing it.

By: natesings

natesings — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 13:42:20 +0000

Jeff did the same thing between songs on Perfect Heart’s Christmas CD when he was with them.

By: Donna

Donna — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 11:36:44 +0000

I really enjoy this album and listened to it a lot during the Christmas season. I’m glad you enjoyed it, too, Sony!

By: Kyle

Kyle — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 19:26:24 +0000

Speaking of the Oaks, the song “Jesus Is Born Today” was originally done by the Boys in 1982 on their now-classic “Christmas” album, the same one that introduced “Thank God For Kids.”

By: David Bruce Murray

David Bruce Murray — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 15:33:53 +0000

The link in my last post didn’t work…trying again…

http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,140365,00.html

By: David Bruce Murray

David Bruce Murray — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 15:33:15 +0000

The Oak Ridge Boys did something similar with carol intros on their 1986 recording titled _Christmas Again_

_http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,140365,00.html

It wasn’t instrumental, though. Before each original song on the first half of album, they sang a cappella. For example, “The Voices Of Rejoicing Love” is introduced with an a cappella verse of “Joy To The World.”

This was when albums came out on LPs and cassettes, so they did this type of intro on the first five cuts, which were sacred Christmas songs.

The “back” side of the album was new, secular Christmas songs. Track 6, “When You Give It Away” made the transition…not necessarily a gospel Christmas song, but not focusing on Santa and the secular side of Christmas either.

Looking back, the most popular song they introduced to the world on that album was “There’s a New Kid In Town.”