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2019 group shot 13
Typically Christmas
Released December 1, 2015
album cover
Album cover photo by Bryden Kercheval and Kirk
Available on Apple Music and many other streaming services

Recording began after Christmas of 2014. gzuslivz has lead worship at Legacy Christian Church for over 10 years now. We have had a wide variety of Christmas music over the years including: acoustic guitar & vocals only, Handel's Messiah by Reliant K, Away in a Manger by Blind Boys of Alabama, Jingle Bells by The Brian Setzer Orchestra, We Three Kings by Amped, and Oh Come All Ye Faithful by Twisted Sister. Ironically, I (Kirk) don't really like Christmas songs. So why do an album of Christmas songs? I thought it might be interesting to create our own version of typical Christmas songs, maybe done a-typically; that's how I am. The original versions of all these songs are public domain ( http://www.pdinfo.com/pd-music-genres/pd-christmas-songs.php ) so we didn't have to mess around with licensing. Yay!

Instruments for this album
Electric Guitar - Kirk Hopkins
Bass Guitar - Kirk Hopkins
Drums - Kirk Hopkins

Vocals are listed for each song

All arrangements by Kirk Hopkins

Recording Notes and Music Gear
All songs were recorded and mixed on location in the Hopkins Studio in Okeana, Ohio by Kirk Hopkins

The album was mastered by Sam Freese of Black Creek Recording

Kirk's gear:
Vintage Ludwig drums with Remo Ambassador heads
4 concert toms with Remo Pinstripe heads
Zildjian cymbals
Wuhan cymbals
Sound percussion hardware
VicFirth 5b nylon tip sticks
Epiphone Les Paul electric guitar
iPhone running JamUp Pro (effects)
Griffin Guitar Connect cable
Bose Quietcomfort 15 (noise canceling headphones)
Bose AE2 (headphones)
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro (headphones)
MacBook Pro with Logic Pro 9
Tascam US-144MKII (4 channel USB mixer)
Tascam US-1800 (14 channel USB mixer)
2 sets of CAD 7 drumset mics
MXL 990 Condenser vocal microphone with shock mount and shield
Fostex powered monitors

What Child Is This?

What Child Is This? (Kirk Hopkins Version)
Verse 1:
     Am       C/E       G       Em
What Child is this, who laid to rest,
   Am     Am     Em  Em
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
     Am     C/E        G       Em
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
      Am        E7        Am Am
While shepherds watch are keeping?

Chorus:
Em    C/E     G         Em
This, this is Christ the King
     Am        Am        Em     Em
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing.
Em     C/E       G        Em
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
    Am        E7     Am Am
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Verse 2:
     Am     C/E      G    Em
Why lies he in such mean estate
      Am     Am      Em Em
Where ox and ass are feeding?
     Am         C/E      G       Em
Good Christian, fear for sinners here,
     Am    E7      Am  Am
The silent Word is pleasing.

Repeat Chorus

Verse 3:
   Am        C/E      G        Em
So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh;
      Am      Am       Em  Em
Come, peasant king, to own Him.
    Am      C/E      G      Em
The King of Kings salvation brings;
    Am     E7       Am     Am
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

Repeat Chorus

Ending:
    Am        E7     Am Am
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
    Am        E7     Am Am
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Composed by: Kirk Hopkins Version

Vocals, Lead - Pam Hopkins

O Holy Night

O Holy Night (Kirk Hopkins Version)
A                 D                  A
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining
                       E7             A
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
A                     D              A       A7
Long lay the world in sin and sorrow pining,
         C#m             G#m7          C#m
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
  E7                  A
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
    E7              A
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

F#m          C#m        Bm             F#m
Fall on your knees,   O hear the angel voices.
  A E7    A    D        A    E7               A
O night divine,       O night when Christ was born.
  E7      A    D        A     E7              A
O night divine,       O night when Christ was born.

Repeat song

Composed by: Kirk Hopkins Version

Vocals, Lead - Bob Conly
Vocals, Choir - Carley Wesseler
Vocals, Choir - Kirk Hopkins
Vocals, Choir - Natalie Hopkins
Vocals, Choir - Pam Hopkins

O Come All Ye Faithful

O Come All Ye Faithful (Kirk Hopkins Version)
4 measures D

Verse 1:
  D            A         D             A
O come, all ye faithful. Joyful and triumphant
  Bm         A          E     A
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem
D          Em        D                A
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels

Chorus:
  D                         D
O come let us adore Him   O come let us adore Him
  G            A          D  A       D
O come let us adore Him   Christ the Lord

Verse 2:
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above:
"Glory to God, all glory in the highest!"

Repeat Chorus

Ending:
  G            A          D  A       D
O come let us adore Him   Christ the Lord

Composed by: Kirk Hopkins Version

Vocals, Lead - Pam Hopkins

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Kirk Hopkins Version)
Intro (echos):
 Em
O come, O come, Emmanuel

Em

  Em             Am Bm G
O come, O come, Emmanuel
    G      C       Am Bm Em (2 measures)
and ransom captive Israel
     Am               Em    D
that mourns in lonely exile here
   G             D    G (2 measures)
until the Son of God appear

Chorus:
  D        Bm      Am Bm Em
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
      G       C       Am Bm Em
shall come to thee, O Israel

Composed by: Kirk Hopkins Version

Vocals, Lead - Natalie Hopkins
Vocals, echoes - Carley Wesseler
Vocals, echoes - Josh Mains

O Little Town of Bethlehem

O Little Town of Bethlehem (Kirk Hopkins Version)
Slow
  C              F              C        G        C
O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
 C         A        Dm                   C      G        C
Above thy  deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by.
    C      G/B   Am      E            Am       Dm  E
Yet in thy dark  streets shineth  the everlasting  Light;
    C                  F                   C      G      C
The hopes and fears of all the years   are met in thee tonight.

4 measures fast

Fast
  C              F              C        G        C
O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
 C         A        Dm                   C      G        C
Above thy  deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by.
    C                    E            Am           E
Yet in thy dark  streets shineth  the everlasting  Light;
    C                  F                   C      G      C
The hopes and fears of all the years   are met in thee (repeat)

Repeat Verse even faster

Ending 1/2 speed:
    C                  F                   C      G      C
The hopes and fears of all the years   are met in thee tonight.

(yelling)
they are met in thee tonight

Composed by: Kirk Hopkins Version

Vocals, Lead - Pam Hopkins
Vocals/yelling, Lead - Kirk

Angels We Have Heard on High

Angels We Have Heard on High (Kirk Hopkins Version)
Intro: D (4 measures)

D
Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o'er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains

D   A   D   A      D               A
Gloooooooooooori-a , in excelsis Deo
D   A   D   A      D              AD
Gloooooooooooori-a , in excelsis Deo


Verse 2:
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
Say what may the tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?

Verse 3:
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing.
Come adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Repeat Chorus

Repeat Chorus acapella

Composed by: Kirk Hopkins Version

Vocals, Lead - Carley Wesseler
Vocals - Pam Hopkins
Vocals - Kirk Hopkins
Vocals - Josh Mains

Go Tell it on the Mountain

Go Tell it on the Mountain (Kirk Hopkins Version)
Chorus:
D                           A                  D
Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere
D                               A               D
Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born

D
While shepherds kept their watching o'er silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens there shone a Holy Light

Repeat Chorus

The shepherds feared and trembled when lo! Above the earth
Rang out the angel chorus that hailed our Saviour's birth

Repeat Chorus

Down in a lowly manger the humble Christ was born
And brought us God's salvation that blessed Christmas morn

Repeat Chorus

Repeat Chorus acapella

Composed by: Kirk Hopkins Version

Vocals, Lead - Natalie Hopkins

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (Kirk Hopkins Version)
G                  D
I heard the bells on Christmas day
      G            D
Their old familiar carols play,
    G                  Em
And wild and sweet the words repeat
   G                   D       G
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head
'There is no peace on earth,' I said,
'For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.'

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
'God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.'

Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men.

Capo 5 G->D, D->A, Em->Bm

Composed by: Kirk Hopkins Version

Vocals, Lead - Pam Hopkins

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Kirk Hopkins Version)
Drop the low E to a D

Em  
God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Saviour
Was born on Christmas Day
   Am               G/B
To save us all from Satan's pow'r
     Em              D
When we were gone astray

Chorus:
  G/B        B2          Em               D
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy!
  G/B        B2 |        Em
O tidings of comfort and joy


Repeat Song

Ending:
God rest me merry gentlemen & comfort and joy (echoey)

Composed by: Kirk Hopkins Version

Vocals, Lead - Natalie Hopkins

Away in a Manger

Away in a Manger (Kirk Hopkins Version)
E        E          A          E
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed
    B7          B7         E              E
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head
    E            E          A             E
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay
    B7          E       A       (B7) E
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care
And take us to heaven to live with Thee there

Vocals only
Be near me...

Composed by: Kirk Hopkins Version

Vocals, verse 1 - Josh Mains
Vocals, verse 2 - Carley Wesseler
Vocals, verse 3 - Bob Conly
Vocals, a capella - Kirk Hopkins
Vocals, a capella - Natalie Hopkins
Vocals, a capella - Pam Hopkins

Silent Night

Silent Night (Kirk Hopkins Version)
Verse 1:
A
Silent night, holy night
E            A
All is calm, All is bright
D                 A
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child
D              A
Holy Infant so Tender and mild,
E                 A
Sleep in heavenly peace,
A        E        A
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Verse 2:
Silent night, holy night
Shepherds quake at the sight,
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born.

Verse 3:
Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus Lord at thy birth,
Jesus Lord at thy birth.

Repeat Verse 1 acapella

Composed by: Kirk Hopkins Version

Vocals, Lead - Natalie Hopkins

Jingle Bells in A

Jingle Bells in A (Kirk Hopkins Version)
Chorus:
A
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
D              A               E7
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh, hey,
A
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
D              A               E7             A
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.

Verse:
                    A                         D
Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh,
                   E7                   A
O'er the fields we go, laughing all the way,
                  A                    D
Bells on bobtails ring, making spirits bright,
                  E7                               A
What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight, oh

Repeat Chorus

Repeat Verse very slowly (no timing)

Repeat Chorus very fast and get faster
Repeat Chorus even faster

Ending ultra slowly:
D              A               E7             A
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.

Composed by: Kirk Hopkins Version

Vocals, Lead - Josh Mains