A midnight clear

I really like this movie, a little-known film called A Midnight Clear, which I first saw a good 15 years ago. It’s based on a book by William Wharton, and the cast includes Ethan Hawke, Gary Sinise, and Kevin Dillon. But even more than the film, the song they play over the closing credits is astounding, easily one of the most haunting Christmas songs I’ve ever heard. It’s “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” sung by a woman called Sam Phillips. (I just learned that she was previously known as Leslie Phillips and sang contemporary Christian music.) I’ve never seen it available anywhere. Watch the video, listen to the music – and the song starts in earnest after Gary Sinise’s yelling 😉 – and you WON’T be disappointed.