Light of the Stable

Light of the Stable
Studio album by Emmylou Harris
Released	November 1979
Genre	Country, Christmas
Length	30.20 (LP): 41:32 (2004 CD)
Label	Warner Bros. Nashville / Rhino
Producer	Brian Ahern
Emmylou Harris chronology
Blue Kentucky Girl (1979) Light of the Stable (1979) Roses in the Snow (1980)
1992 alternative Cover
1992 album cover

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Christmas Time's A-Coming"	Tex Logan	2:51
2.	"O Little Town of Bethlehem"	Phillips Brooks, Lewis H. Redner	3:40
3.	"Away in a Manger" (with Nancy Ahern)	Martin Luther; arr. Jonathan E. Spillman	2:37
4.	"Angel Eyes (Angel Eyes)"	Rodney Crowell	3:18
5.	"The First Noel"	Traditional	2:40

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Beautiful Star of Bethlehem"	Arthur L. Phipps	3:05
2.	"The Little Drummer Boy"	Katherine K. Davis, Henry Onorati, Harry Simeone	4:02
3.	"Golden Cradle" (with Nancy Ahern)	Traditional; arr. Nancy Ahern	2:05
4.	"Silent Night"	Josef Mohr, Franz Gruber; arr. Brian Ahern	3:33
5.	"Light of the Stable"	Steven Rhymer, Elizabeth Rhymer	2:29

2004 expanded version

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Christmas Time's A-Coming"	Tex Logan	2:51
2.	"O Little Town of Bethlehem"	Phillips Brooks. Lewis H. Redner	3:40
3.	"Away in a Manger" (with Nancy Ahern)	Martin Luther; arr. Jonathan E. Spillman	2:37
4.	"Angel Eyes (Angel Eyes)"	Rodney Crowell	3:18
5.	"The First Noel"	Traditional	2:40
6.	"Beautiful Star of Bethlehem"	Arthur L. Phipps	3:05
7.	"Little Drummer Boy"	Katherine K. Davis, Henry Onorati, Harry Simeone	4:02
8.	"There's a Light" (new track)	Beth Nielsen Chapman	2:54
9.	"Cherry Tree Carol" (new track)	Traditional/arr. Kate McGarrigle/Anna McGarrigle	3:33
10.	"Golden Cradle" (with Nancy Ahern)	Traditional/arr. Nancy Ahern	2:05
11.	"Silent Night"	Josef Mohr, Franz Gruber; arr. Brian Ahern	3:33
12.	"Man Is an Island" (new track)	Kate McGarrigle, Anna McGarrigle, Jane McGarrigle	4:45
13.	"Light of the Stable"	Steven Rhymer, Elizabeth Rhymer	2:29

Personnel

• Brian Ahern – acoustic guitar, percussion, 6-string bass
• Nancy Ahern – backing vocals
• Mike Bowden – bass
• Brian Bowers – autoharp
• Tony Brown – clavinet
• James Burton – electric guitar
• Rodney Crowell – acoustic guitar
• Hank DeVito – pedal steel guitar
• Emory Gordy Jr. – bass
• Glen Hardin – piano
• Sharon Hicks – backing vocals
• Albert Lee – mandolin
• Willie Nelson – backing vocals
• Dolly Parton – backing vocals
• Frank Reckard – electric guitar
• Linda Ronstadt – backing vocals
• Ricky Skaggs – banjo, mandolin, violin, acoustic guitar
• John Ware – drums
• Cheryl Warren – backing vocals
• Neil Young – backing vocals
• Emmylou Harris – vocals, acoustic guitar

Charts

Album – Billboard

Year	Chart	Position
1980	Billboard 200	102 [4]
1981	Top Country Albums	22 [5]

Release history

Release history and formats for Light of the Stable

Region	Date	Format	Label	Ref.
North America	November 1979	LP cassette	Warner Bros. Records	[6]

References

1. Deming, Mark. Light of the Stable at AllMusic
2. Caligiuri, Jim (December 24, 2004). "Light of the Stable". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
3. Edwards, Gavin. "40 Essential Christmas Albums". Rolling Stone Magazine. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
4. "Billboard 200". billboard.com. Billboard. December 26, 1980. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
5. "Top Country Albums". Billboard. January 16, 1981. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
6. Harris, Emmylou (November 1979). "Light of the Stable (Liner Notes)". Warner Bros. Records . BSK-3484 (LP); M5-3484 (Cassette).