White Winter Hymnal

"White Winter Hymnal"
Single by Fleet Foxes
from the album Fleet Foxes
A-side	"White Winter Hymnal"
B-side	"Isles"
Released	July 21, 2008
Format	7", digital
Recorded	2007
Genre	Indie folk, Baroque pop
Length	2:27
Label	Bella Union
Writer(s)	Robin Pecknold
Producer(s)	Phil Ek
Fleet Foxes singles chronology
"White Winter Hymnal" (2008) "He Doesn't Know Why" (2008)

"White Winter Hymnal" is the first single from Fleet Foxes's debut 2008 self-titled album.^[1] Released by European label Bella Union on July 21, 2008, the single was issued on 7" vinyl as well as digital MP3 format. The B-side is the non-album track "Isles".

As of March 2016 it was used as the opening song to the Hulu series The Path.

Track listing

All songs written by Robin Pecknold.

1. "White Winter Hymnal" – 2:27
2. "Isles" – 3:06

Critical reception

Time critic Josh Tyrangiel named this the #5 song of 2008.^[2] Pitchfork Media ranked it the #2 song of 2008 and #66 on their decade end list.^[3]

Covers

This song was covered by Sonos on the album Sonosings (2009) and by Birdy on her debut album Birdy (2011).

In 2010, the song was parodied by The Fringemunks to recap Fringe episode 2.20, "Northwest Passage". ^[4]

It was also covered by Kina Grannis on her album Stairwells (2011).

British female vocalist Kim Wilde released a version on her 2013 Christmas album Wilde Winter Songbook, performed with her father Marty Wilde and brother Ricky Wilde.

In 2014 it was also covered by A Cappella group Pentatonix on their album That's Christmas to Me.

References

1. Colm Larkin, "Paean to the beauty of winter", Clash Music, June 8, 2008.
2. Time, December 22, 2008, pages 47-8.
3. The 100 Best Tracks of 2008
4. Fringemunks website

External links

• "White Winter Hymnal" official music video (directed by Sean Pecknold)