Darren Hirst takes an in-depth look at BOB DYLAN's charity album 'Christmas In The Heart'

The alternating of the themes of family Christmas/the story behind Christmas continues as next the band chooses to give us "Little Drummer Boy". Again, this is a straightforward and delicate version driven appropriately enough by George Receli's percussion. "The Christmas Blues" is a Charles Brown or even Nat King Cole arrangement with Dylan at the helm. Ironically, another period piece which is sadder than most everything else on offer, it probably suits Dylan's voice best of all the songs here.

The listener might by now feel that they're prepared for anything but the sound of Mr Zimmerman singing the first verse of "O Come All Ye Faithful" in Latin is quite something. Rough and ready. and, well, Latin. As on "Hark The Herald Angels" Dylan gives only the best known verses but this is quite delightful.

The middle section of the album finds the singer at his most playful with first a tender version of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" and then a manic, polka-rhythm, accordion-driven wild version of "Must Be Santa" which is being promoted with a video which features Dylan in a Santa hat and silver-blonde wig. If this doesn't make you smile then there's no presents for you this Christmas.

Anything that followed "Must Be Santa" would sound tame and it is a pleasant enough version of "Silver Bells" which is given the task. More spirited and better is the version of "The First Noel" which follows that song. Dylan and vocalists sound totally devoted on this one before coming over all playful again on "Christmas Island" which is all Hawaiian guitars and hula skirts. Next up, "The Christmas Song" celebrates "the happiest season of all" and Dylan sounds like he really has Christmas in the heart. It is hard to despise anyone who sounds like he enjoys Christmas this much.

For the final song, Dylan comes over all devotional again with his rendering of "O Little Town Of Bethlehem". Along with "Must Be Santa", this is my favourite moment of the album. When Dylan speaks of "the hopes and fears of all the years" being met in the coming of Christ, you can tell he sings from experience - experience wrought by both faith and doubt. The album closes by telling us that: "Where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Christ enters in" before a rousing "Amen" on which all the album's vocalists join together.

On the day I finished this review I placed a call to Feeding America, the US charity which is benefiting from the sales of the album. By the 17th of November, sales of the album had raised enough to provide 2,434,221 meals for the needy THIS Christmas. Crisis at Christmas, the UK charity involved, had no figure for me but you get the idea of what this can achieve.

So Bah, humbug! to those who don't want a Jewish guy to sing heartfelt songs about Christmas whilst feeding the poor. This album might just make your home a little warmer this Christmastide.