Unlikely Christmas Carols: The Rebel Jesus Dec13

Unlikely Christmas Carols: The Rebel Jesus

Sometimes it takes an outsider to remind you of who you are and what you should be about. It helps, of course, if that outsider is keenly observant, a generous critic, and gifted with words and, in this case, musical notes. Such is the case with this week’s Unlikely Christmas Carol, “The Rebel Jesus,” by Jackson Browne. Let’s start with Browne as keen observer. A day after describing Mary’s Magnificat as a “rebel song,” I can’t help but appreciate Browne’s perception that her son came to question the status quo, challenge the authorities and customs of the day, and generally turn things upside down. But Browne isn’t...