Tyler Childers’ “Luke 2:8-10” Should Not Be Slept On This Christmas Season

Criminally underrated.

With holiday season in full swing, in many ways, it’s equally the most wonderful and most stressful time of the year. Underneath the allure of the sparkling lights of the Christmas tree, perfectly wrapped presents and roaring fireplace, there’s still the added stress of finding the right gifts for friends and family, coordinating a countless number of Christmas parties and, of course, the existential dread of closing out yet another year that undoubtedly flew by way to fast.

Though I wouldn’t consider myself the absolute biggest fan of Christmas music in general — hell, I’m still spinning the likes of Turnpike Troubadour’s The Price of Admission and Colby Acuff’s Enjoy the Ride as of late — there’s no denying that there have been some all-time holiday classics in the genre.

Of course, you have the likes of Dolly Parton’s “Hard Candy Christmas,” Alabama’s “Christmas in Dixie,” Merle Haggard’s heartbreaking “If We Make It Through December,” Randy Travis’ “Meet Me Under The Mistletoe,” Robert Earl Keen’s hilarious “Merry Christmas From The Family” and countless more. However, what if I told you one of the best country Christmas songs of the past decade comes from one of the greatest artists of our generation yet is hardly even recognized as such?

Well, that seems to be the case with none other than Tyler Childers‘ “Luke 2:8-10.”

It’s hard to even blame casual listeners for not latching onto the song given “Luke 2:8-10’s” admittedly strange existence in Childers’ discography. Unlike most traditional country Christmas songs, which are either released as stand-alone singles near the holidays or appear on a full collection of Christmas songs on an album, the track instead appears on the “Lady May” singer’s short-but-sweet sixth studio album, Rustin’ In The Rain.

There’s no denying that Rustin’ In The Rain’s existence as a whole is a bit unorthodox compared to the rest of Childers’ discography. Beyond the fact it only contains seven tracks, including the likes of the highly-controversial “In Your Love,” two covers (Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through the Night” and S.G. Goodman’s “Space and Time) and an additional three-songs penned independently by the Kentucky native, it came at a time a bit of a unique time in his career, being released less than a year after his eclectic Gospel record, Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven?

With all of that being said, “Luke 2:8-10” is ultimately one of the most underrated Christmas songs in history, despite its odd placement within Childers’ discography. Obviously, the song centers around the book of Luke which depicts the story of the birth of Jesus, which is the reason for the season to Christians across the nation.

Wasting no time in the track, the “All Your’n” singer immediately opens the track by reading the titular Scripture along with the incredible Margo Price, who serves as the voice of the angel in the verses.

From there, Childers pens an incredibly unique track, placing him directly into the shoes of the shepherds in the nativity story. Filled to the brim with some stellar steel guitar and accordion throughout, he perfectly captures the shock, wonder and awe that was experienced by the group, complete with a flaming chariot and the depiction of Biblically-accurate angels — who are depicted as much more shock-inducing in the Bible itself compared to the artistic renditions of them associated in pop culture.

Is it a bird, is it a plane
Is it perhaps I’m going insane
From all night abidin’ the field?
Look at the thing up on the ridge
What d’ya reckon it is?
It’s moving, I think it’s on wheels

Is it a flame hooked to a cart?
Come to a ‘whoa’ there in the dark
Why in the world would you move such a thing?
Lo, enough, hark, I could’ve sworn
I heard a shout, what’s going on?
It’s closer, it’s coming our way”

This is followed by the short yet incredibly melodic chorus, backed by both Price and S.G. Goodman, which sees Childers gathering the rest of the shepherds to go on the now-famous journey to new-born Savior.

Daniel, get up (Daniel, get up)
Gather the sheep (gather the sheep)
Tell them there’s no time to sleep (no time to sleep)
My God, it’s the end of the world (my God, it’s the end of the world)

Discussing the track before his performance at the Opry in 2023, Childers would call the track his “first attempt” at a Christmas song before noting it was an attempt to extrapolate further on the feeling of wonder felt in the short, two verses.

“This particular one right here is called ‘Luke 2:8-10.’ It is what I would consider my first attempt at a Christmas song… I was thinking about that and how I would feel if I was a shepherd in the middle of a field and had never seen anything quite like that. [It’d] probably be a little bit longer than two verses.”

Ultimately, “Luke 2:8-10” feels like a country Christmas song that only Childers could make. Borrowing some strong Gospel elements throughout, it’s a completely unique take on the incredible nature of the Nativity story that so many believers around the world are familiar with, and it’s captured beautifully.

“Luke 2:8-10”

Snipe Hunt Tour Dates

April 23 – Dallas, Texas – Dos Equis Pavilion – with Scott T. Smith

June 4 – Birmingham, Alabama – The Coca-Cola Amphitheater – with Evan Honer & Scott. T Smith

June 7 – Lexington, Kentucky – Railbird Music Festival

June 10 – Darien Center, New York – Darien Lake Amphitheater – with Evan Honer

June 11 – Hershey, Pennsylvania – Hersheypark Stadium – with Evan Honer

June 13 – Columbus, Ohio – Buckeye Country Superfest

July 9 – St. Louis, Missouri – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater – with Wednesday & Scott T. Smith

July 12 – Chicago, Illinois – Wrigley Field – with Jon Batiste & Wednesday

July 14 – Kansas City, Missouri – Morton Amphitheater  – with Wednesday

July 15 – Des Moines, Iowa – Casey’s Center – with Wednesday

July 18 – Boulder, Colorado – Folsom Field – with Jon Batiste & Wednesday

September 30 – Sacramento, California – Golden 1 Center – with Wednesday

October 2 – Seattle, Washington – Climate Pledge Arena – with Wednesday

October 3 – Portland, Oregon – Moda Center – with Wednesday and Scott T. SmithThe post Tyler Childers’ “Luke 2:8-10” Should Not Be Slept On This Christmas Season first appeared on Whiskey Riff.