In 2008, a ten-year-old video went viral of a men’s singing group from Indiana University called Straight No Chaser. The song was a humorous take on “12 Days of Christmas” and it garnered so much attention that the group was offered a recording contract. That album, Holiday Spirits, did really well, and since then, the group has been recording and touring. Not all of their material is Christmas music, but a good percentage is, some of which is humorous, but all of which is beautifully sung.
The Twelve Days of Christmas is a tough carol because it can sound repetitive and boring pretty easily. Different artists have put their own spin on the song, but Straight No Chaser’s version has become extremely popular, and the following video is a project the band did recording singing groups of their fans singing the song their way. I was really surprised at how well it turned out.
In addition to the “Carol of the Bells” playlist, I’ve started a general playlist of Christmas songs that will include pieces mentioned here, for anyone interested.
Breath of Hallelujah 