For creative gift ideas this holiday season—if personalized drones or Lego-proof slippers just don’t cut it for you—consider a papal pop-rock album.
Beloved Catholic leader Pope Francis announced in September that he planned to release a rock-infused music album on Nov. 27. This week, ahead of the general release, the Pope handed the Vatican-approved album over for exclusive listening on French music streaming service Deezer, the BBC reports.
Titled Wake Up!, the album comprises eleven tracks that feature Pope Francis delivering sacred hymns and speeches in multiple languages, his voice mixed with various musical arrangements in the background. The songs focus on universal issues: peace, faith, family, the environment, and compassion. The Pope speaks rather than sings—but electric guitar riffs and synthesizers accompany his words.
A BBC entertainment reporter described the album as “a very pleasant listen” with ”a vibe of 80s rock” on certain songs.
You can stream the full album here if you live in one of the 186 countries where Deezer is currently available. (The US, Canada, and China unfortunately are not among them.)
Here’s the track list for Wake Up!—
- “Annuntio Vobis Gadium Mangum”
- “Salve Regina”
- “Laudato Sie…”
- “Poe Que’ Sufren Los Ninos”
- “Non Lasciatevi Rubare La Speranza!”
- “La Iglesia No Puede Ser Una Ong!”
- “Wake Up! Go! Go! Forward!” (Listen on SoundCloud)
- “La Fa Es Entera, No Se Licua!”
- “Pace! Fratelli!”
- “Per La Famiglia”
- “Fazei O Que Ele Vos Disser”