Hightailing it to Bethlehem

To me, Bing Crosby's version of "Do You Hear What I Hear?" is definitive.  His voice exudes regal authority as he proclaims the news of Christ's birth.  Last night, however, I listened to another take on the carol I hadn't heard in a while.  Instead of playing up the royal proclamation aspect, The New Christy Minstrels focus on the urgency of going to Bethlehem.  Although Charlie Byrd's guitar rendition achieves this to some degree, The New Christy Minstrels pull off an even faster tempo.  They play and sing "Do You Hear...?" as though the head of the recording studio is going to barge in any second, end the session, and cut the building's electricity.  Although it doesn't have quite the wacky, manic vibe of "Yakety Sax," it's in the ballpark.  Apparently, however, it's possible to sound reverential even when you're in a hurry.