Throughout Sufjan Stevens’ ambitious, one hundred track collection of Christmas songs, he has shown quite the knack for reimagining classic holiday tunes. Stevens has a remarkable ability to take these cherished pieces of Americana and put his own twist on them. The degree to which he alters each track varies greatly. On some songs, he merely recites the original lyrics with a tasteful acoustic or choral arrangement backing him. Others, however, lean so lightly on their influences that it might be hard for the listener to even pick up on the reference material.

I have spent the past couple of holiday seasons absolutely devouring Stevens’ Christmas music. Each year I grow new appreciations for tracks that I hadn’t given much attention previously. The sheer volume (and diversity) of the tracklist is what keeps me coming back year after year. Although tastes and preferences fluctuate with each passing year, one of my favorites has always been the rendition of “Angels We Have Heard on High” that appears on Christmas Infinity Voyage.

The traditional hymn dates back to 1862, wherein writer James Chadwick details the birth of Jesus. The original lyrics spark grandiose imagery of the earth and all its people rejoicing in their newborn king. Angels sweetly singing, shepherds in jubilee, and the mountains replying with gladsome tidings for all who are willing to receive the good news. It is often sung to the tune of “Gloria,” in which the refrain sings the titular word for an iconic, sixteen-note melodic sequence.

Stevens’ take on this song structure is incredibly refreshing. While the general backbone of “verse followed by ‘Gloria’ chorus” remains intact, the tweaks that he makes between the lines are where the song really shines. The odd lines of each verse have the same lyrics as the 19th-century hymn, while the even ones see Stevens interjecting his own lyricism. This ebb and flow of familiarity and originality keeps the listener on their toes. Along with the altered verbiage of these lines, Stevens also strips down the musical accompaniment to a quaint plucking banjo. It aids in distinguishing old from new in a very subtle way.

The verses have such a soothing, lullaby-like nature to them that they make it easy for the listener to settle in. In fact, many first time listeners might expect this track to be an easy-going retelling of the original (myself included). A keen listener might pick up on the wailing guitar following each even line as a sign of something brewing. Once Stevens has sedated you with the peaceful first verse, the wailing repeats once more, and then the drums come thundering down. The percussion takes such prominence in the mix as to say, “wake up! rejoice in the good news!” It helps to further enhance the cries of “Gloria” that Stevens so emphatically proclaims. Of course, no Christmas song would be complete without the ever-present sleigh bells, which he sprinkles in nicely throughout the chorus.

Although the iconic, drawn-out signing of “Gloria” is absent in this version, I believe that Stevens has created something just as memorable. The drums never fail to spark joy in my ears and offer a nice change of pace from the original piece. Contributing even more to the modernization is his addition of some synths and other electronica. While it makes for an intriguing Christmas song on its own, avid Sufjan Stevens fans will note that these elements were apparent in The Age of Adz, which was recorded around the same time.

As with much of Sufjan’s music, there are a number of ways to interpret the meaning behind the lyrics. From my understanding, I see Stevens trying his best to share this good news amidst the noise and commotion of our modern world. In this digital age, we have become increasingly distracted. Countless things are vying for our attention at all times, which I believe is apparent in the glitchy, electronic sounds that he scatters throughout. The lullaby-esque nature of this version contrasts the bombastic sound of the original. This subdued tone might further suggest how jaded we have become. However, throughout the booming chorus, Stevens demonstrates that we can filter out this noise and bask in the glory that lies beneath. “Angels We Have Heard on High” truly puts your heart in motion.