For those who’ve not discovered her stuff, my sis-in-law, Miriam Jones‘ latest album (Fire-Lives) is a treat and a great way in to her music. Have listened to it loads in the last couple of weeks but it now comes out on general release this week – she and Jez and the guys have done a fabulous job on producing an intense, multi-layered and fascinating anthology. This album sampler hints at its joys…

[gigya type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” src=”http://cache.reverbnation.com/widgets/swf/13/widgetPlayerMini.swf” height=”120″ width=”280″ align=”left” bgcolor=”#ffffff” loop=”false” wmode=”opaque” quality=”best” allowScriptAccess=”always” allowNetworking=”all” allowFullScreen=”true” seamlesstabbing=”false” flashvars=”emailPlaylist=artist_2010&backgroundcolor=EEEEEE&font_color=000000&posted_by=artist_86820&shuffle=&autoPlay=false”]

But the single, Wondrous Mysterious (now available from iTunes), is one she gave last year as a ‘Christmas card’. I’ve loved it from the get-go – it’s a superb antidote to the grimly commercialised, schmaltzy, trimmings-laden but emasculated Christmas that we get bombarded with from around August 23rd.

Wondrous, Mysterious
Miriam Jones

I turned on the tv and it suddenly was Christmas and I hollered at the advert that they wouldn’t get my money and I could not believe they honestly were trying to take my heart for Christmas. The airwaves jammed with snowmen and with santa claus and angels, and I do believe in angels, but not the kind that do not scare you and I prayed some kind of holy fear would find its way to me this Christmas.

‘Cause my heart is dying to prepare for somethingwondrous, and mysterious, but this world is ringing in my ears and it’s thunderous and delirious.

I walked into town and it was red and gold and sparkling and while I waited for my watch I hovered round the shiny shops, oh you who have no money come and buy, and fill your hearts full up this Christmas. Steering down the sidewalk I could hear a conversation ‘bout a boy who had a head they’d like to push under a faucet and I wondered are we saving up all our loving hearts for Christmas.

Part way through December I pulled out the wooden figures from their boxes and I placed them and I looked into their faces, wondering what they all were looking at…

The lyrics are evocative and concise, full of suggestion. But my standout that I particularly love is line about not believing in ‘the kind of angels that do not scare you‘. A hole in one methinks…

My Ko-fi button

Will you support my work? You can simply BUY me a COFFEE!

Share this...

You might also like...

This Post Has 3 Comments

  1. Angel Nigel

    I’m an angel and can sing a range of four octaves. And I sscare people!

  2. Adam

    Awesome contrast between the message of the shops and the message of the Lord to the poor (Is. 55:1-2).

Leave a Reply to Angel NigelCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.