Dylan's no Grinch: Singer records his first-ever Christmas album

 

There's probably a good reason why Bob Dylan has never recorded a holiday album before: it's hard to imagine that grizzled voice spouting out such giddy Christmas treats as "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" without imagining it as some kind of "Saturday Night Live" parody.

But leave it to Mr. Zimmerman to come up with a great reason to release a Christmas CD: all his U.S. artist royalties from "Christmas in the Heart" go to Feeding America.

And get this: not only do his proceeds from this year's sales go to the hunger-relief charity, Dylan has donated his royalties from the project in perpetuity. That's how it's done, my friends. Additionally, Dylan is linking with two international charities  for the same deal. Details on those organizations are forthcoming.

The title will be Dylan's 47^th album. So far, the track listing focuses on secular rather than religious tunes: "Here Comes Santa Claus," "Winter Wonderland,"  "Little Drummer Boy" and "Must Be Santa."

"Christmas in the Heart" comes out Oct. 13 on Columbia Records.