Have Yourself A Croaky Little Christmas

Bob Dylan can still divide and annoy his audience in 2009 as the chatter around his upcoming Christmas album, Christmas in the Heart, demonstrates. Last week, Amazon UK posted previews of the tracks then pulled them down the same day. Before they were taken down, someone grabbed them and posted them on YouTube. On first listen, my favorite is the Conjunto version of the little known “Must Be Santa,” and I’m amused by the interplay between his growl and the chirpy, anachronistic female backing vocalists.

As an added bonus, those who check out the preview – nearly 40,000 on Thursday morning – get to see in the Comments all the Dylan arguments you’ve ever been a part of played out in text form. Anyone who can continue to confuse and outrage people that intensely after 40-plus years in music is someone who remains a vital part of the culture.