SMALL FACES: Sinead O’Connor has recorded a...

SMALL FACES: Sinead O’Connor has recorded a special Christmas single of “Silent Night,” to be released on Dec. 1. The song is not planned to be part of any album, though O’Connor will be performing it in a BBC-TV seasonal special being put together by Malcolm McLaren. . . . Rapper Ed O.G is making sure the responsibility message of his “Be a Father to Your Child” single is getting out. He’s done a 30-second TV public service announcement featuring clips from the song’s video and the admonishment, “If you’re man enough to make it, you should be man enough to take care of it.” The Boston-based Ed--who’s not a father himself--has also released a version of the video that features sign language interpretation by a silent “rapper” who goes by the nom de rap Def Deaf. . . . Attention young-- really young--Deadheads: Look for “Panther Dream,” a new children’s book written by Grateful Dead singer-guitarist Bob Weir and his sister Wendy. The story, about Weir’s No. 1 issue, preserving the rain forests, comes with a cassette of music and rain forest sounds. . . . R.E.M. has added its talents to an upcoming album highlighting songs by Richard Thompson. The Georgia boys have recorded Thompson’s “Wall of Death” for the project, being produced by McCabe’s John Chelew and set for spring release by Capitol. CD newsletter ICE also reports that the recent Leonard Cohen tribute album, which also features R.E.M., will be released in the United States by Atco/EastWest on Nov. 26.