To Drive the Cold Winter Away

Last updated
To Drive the Cold Winter Away
Album Cover-To Drive the Cold Winter Away.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJanuary 11, 1987 (1987-01-11)
Genre Folk · seasonal recording
Length44:29
Label Quinlan Road
Producer Loreena McKennitt
Loreena McKennitt chronology
Elemental
(1985)
To Drive the Cold Winter Away
(1987)
Parallel Dreams
(1989)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [1]

To Drive the Cold Winter Away is Canadian musician Loreena McKennitt's second studio album, released on January 11, 1987. It pays homage to her childhood memories of music for the winter season, the most vivid of which "came from songs and carols recorded in churches or great halls, rich with their own unique ambience and tradition." [2]

Contents

To capture that remembered ambiance, McKennitt kept the arrangements sparse, celebrating the beauty of simplicity. She also chose to leave the found sounds of life in the performances, which were recorded on location in churches and great halls: [3]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."In Praise of Christmas" (traditional)6:06
2."The Seasons" (traditional)4:55
3."The King" (traditional)2:04
4."Banquet Hall" (McKennitt)3:53
5."Snow" (Archibald Lampman, McKennitt)5:35
6."Balulalow" (traditional)3:09
7."Let Us the Infant Greet" (traditional)3:46
8."The Wexford Carol" (traditional)6:07
9."The Stockford Carol" (McKennitt)3:02
10."Let All That Are to Mirth Inclined" (traditional)6:52
Total length:44:29

Song information

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Worldwide84,000 [4]

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References

  1. "To Drive the Cold Winter Away - Loreena McKennitt | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic .
  2. To Drive the Winter Cold Away, n.d., retrieved 2008-09-27
  3. Quinlan Road Ltd. (2006) [1987], To Drive the Winter Cold Away Liner Notes (PDF), retrieved 2008-09-27
  4. "McKennnit to unleash 'Book of Secrets'". Billboard. 23 August 1997. Retrieved 12 April 2018.