The Christmas Hope (2006)

The Christmas Hope is the 13th studio and second Christmas album by the Christian music group NewSong. It was released around November 2006 by Integrity Music/Provident Label Group and Sony Music. It is the first NewSong album without Michael O'Brien as he left the group to resume his solo career, although he did get involved behind the scenes as a producer as he produced and co-wrote the track "The Christmas Blessing." Christian vocalist Drew Cline replaced O'Brien as the lead vocalist for this album.

Following up the success of "The Christmas Shoes" as well as the album of the same name, NewSong returns with their second Christmas album. Since then, it inspired a series of three New York Times-best selling books and two CBS television movies, The Christmas Shoes and The Christmas Blessing. It was in the latter film that featured NewSong performing "The Christmas Blessing" on stage.

The Christmas Hope includes the complete Christmas Shoes Trilogy of companion songs to the books and TV films. The Christmas Hope peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums and at number 5 on the Heatseekers Albums charts. In 2007, NewSong were nominated for a Dove Award for its inaugural category of Christmas Album of the Year.

Track listing

1. The Song of Christmas (Eddie Carswell, James Isaac Elliot, Bernie Herms) -5:00

2. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Edward Pola, George Wyle) -4:13

3. Jingle Bell Rock (Joe Beal, Jim Boothe) -3:10

4. What a Wonderful World (George Douglass, George David Weiss) -2:27

5. Bethlehem Calls (Eddie Carswell, Drew Cline) -4:31

The Christmas Shoes Trilogy:

6. The Christmas Shoes (new acoustic string version) (Eddie Carswell, Leonard

Ahlstrom) -5:09

7. The Christmas Blessing (featuring Rachael Lampa) (Eddie Carswell, Michael

O'Brien) -4:08

8. The Christmas Hope (Eddie Carswell, Matthew West) -4:59

9. The Little Drummer Boy (Harry Simeone, Katherine Kennicott Davis, Henry

Onorati) -5:04

10. Southbound Flight (Eddie Carswell, Stephen Carswell, Rico Thomas) -3:56

11. Silent Night/O Come Let Us Adore Him (Joseph Mohr, Franz Gruber/traditional;

arranged by Jamie Kenney) -5:38

12. Jesus What a Wonderful Child (guest vocals by Steve Crawford and Da'dra

Crawford Greathouse aka Anointed) (traditional; arranged by Bernie Herms)

-4:48

13. Southbound Flight (Rudolph Version) -3:15

Personnel

NewSong:

Billy Goodwin -lead vocals, guitar

Eddie Carswell -vocals

Drew Cline -lead vocals

Matt Butler -vocals, keyboards, violin, cello

Production credits

Bernie Herms -producer (tracks 1 -5, 8, 9, 11 -13)

Drew Cline and Matt Butler -producers (track 6)

Michael O'Brien -producer (track 7)

Rico Thomas -producer (track 10)

Previous release: Rescue: Live Worship (2005) (live CD/DVD) 

Next release: Give Yourself Away (2009)