When I was visiting Utopia Christmas of ’05, AHQ briefly went into the studio to record some tracks for a project on which we’re making a contribution. We were under-rehearsed and short on time, but after the main session was over we cut loose and recorded a song from our past just for fun. We’d never recorded it and I had always wished we had the opportunity to lay it down.

A few years ago we needed to learn a few Christmas songs for something, maybe it was this tour. Anyway, we came up with a version of O Come, O Come Emmanuel, and we learned the Cathedral’s version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.

A side note of trivia, I’ve heard the Cat’s in concert a number of times. This was a tune they’d sing occasionally, a cappella of course. One time (this would have been with Ernie and Scott) they launched into it and blew the words! They had to stop and start over.

So anyhow, This song is just a kick in the pants to sing. It ends with a high barn-burner tag, on a minor chord no less! Very cool. Now we’ve finally got it recorded, and I suppose there’s nothing else to do with it but post it on the internet.

And if you like to hear By reach for the stratosphere, here’s your ticket.

Download God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (1.2MB, 1:31)