"Songs About The Birth of Jesus" includes some of the best known religious Christmas songs--"Silent Night", "O Come O Come Emmanuel", "O Holy Night", etc.--some standards of more recent vintage (such as "Mary Did You Know?" which features Lee's original arrangement), and a few Gospel numbers such as "Pretty Little Baby" and "Sweet Little Jesus Boy". This gives the album good balance, I think, and it's highly listenable. I don't see or hear a track in here that you'd want to skip--even after many listens. Every second of this album is gorgeous. Just unbelievably beautiful. My personal favorites are too numerous to mention--and my preference on this one is listening to the whole thing, anyway--but I will say "Pretty Little Baby" gets me every time.
And then there's "Do You Hear What I Hear?" which Lee recorded with his father, Lee Hawkins Sr. The two used to sing together in churches when Lee was a youngster, so I imagine this was quite a special moment for them. My father and mother are gone, now, and I can't tell you what I wouldn't give to have a recording of us singing together (very badly and off-key, I'm sure, but still...). In fact--true story--when I moved down here to be with my parents, I wanted to record something from them. Anything. Just "Merry Christmas" or something. And I did ask, several times. But it never came to be. Of course everybody has a camera in their phone, these days (except me; I'm the last hold out, the last luddite). Do yourself a favor and make sure to save some memories somehow, before its too late and you no longer can. I would have liked some audio, but if you'd prefer video, go for it. Just don't keep putting it off.
"Songs About The Birth of Jesus" is available through iTunes and Amazon and there are some complete songs from the album (and a few not from this album) you can check out on Lee's Facebook page. It's an excellent gift to give yourself; nourishment for your soul.