Now I know there is still one more night until Christmas, but as tomorrow is Christmas Eve itself I may end up too busy to post anything - so this is why it is timed for today to be song 12.
Well.. that and I miscounted... :-)
So song 12 is my favourite Christmas Carol.
O Holy Night
Now this song cannot be done as rock, pop, acid or folk. Orchestras or simple piano accompaniment please.
Also, sorry, but it can only be done by a guy. Yes yes I'm sure there are some great woman who can sing it really nice, very pleasant and sweet.... but uh-uh nah - it has to be a guy putting everything into the song.
And as such here is Michael Crawford and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining; It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth! Long lay the world in sin and error pining, Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born! O night, O holy night, O night divine!
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming, With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand. So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming, Here came the wise men from Orient land. The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger, In all our trials born to be our friend!
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born! O night, O holy night, O night divine!
Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is love and His Gospel is peace. Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother And in His Name all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, Let all within us praise His holy Name!
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born! O night, O holy night, O night divine!
This is my favourite Christmas song (Christmas carols are a different thing...).
David wrote this when he was 14 - I know this because when I told him I loved the song after a concert he told me. OK all you 14 year olds - listen up - can you do better?! I know I can and I'm (slightly) older than 14.
I could not find an original or decent cover of this on youtube so I rushed this video together.
One small child in a land of a thousand. One small dream of a savior tonight. One small hand reaching out to the starlight. One small savior of life. Ooh.
One king bringing his gold and riches. One king ruling and army of might. One king kneeling with incense and candlelight. One king bringing us life. Ooh.
(chorus) See Him lying, a cradle beneath Him. See Him smiling in the stall. See His mother praising the Father. See His tiny eyelids fall. See the shepherds kneeling before Him. See the kings on bended knee. See the mother praising the Father. See the blessed infant sleep.
One small child in a land of a thousand. One small dream of a savior tonight. One small hand reaching out to the starlight. One small savior of life.
I get chills, and my heart gets pumping when I hear this song. I love the thought that the hand that cast the stars into space is here a tiny wee hand reaching out to the starlight.
The many kings, Herod with his army of might, the wise men giving gifts but all in all the center of the event is this King of Kings.
Excuse me while I go listen to this a few more times...
By the way I'd have to say that I hate Rebecca St James version.
A pleasant sound enveloped me as I entered church tonight. It was our carol service and I was helping get things ready for it and was a little flustered - this song met me as i entered the sanctuary.
I was going to post another song but decided upon this one. Terry Taylor is the lead singer/song writer of Daniel Amos and if you have known me for any length of time then you know they are my favourite band and the music of Terry's is my number one. During dark times in my life when I've been about to give up on my faith (and life) it has been his music which has kept me going on. He's not the best singer, but what he does do impresses me. This is a quieter song and i think his rock voice is better but I do like the honesty of his voice here. His lyrics I do put up amongst the best out there though.
Wisemen still looking for Him Children still come and adore Him We will bow down before Him The Savior is born in Bethlehem
We sing Holy, Holy, Holy Noel, Noel Singing Holy, Holy God Emmanuel
Prophets foretold the story Angels proclaim His glory Brightest Star of Morning The Savior is born in Bethlehem
The lyrics speak for themselves here - as long as you remember what Emmanuel means - God with Us.
I could not find on youtube a video that anyone had done of the original Randy song, here is a cover that someone sung - and it's not too bad.
They got Christmas Muzak® Piped in through the ceiling And the refills of coffee Are always for free And the waitress on graveyard And the surly night manager Are wishing that all of us losers would leave
There’s a star on the sign At the Texaco® Station Like the star long ago On that midnight clear As I look all around At these cold, empty faces I doubt that you'd find many wise men here
And I'm dreaming about A silent night - Holy Night When things were alright And I'm dreaming about How my life could have been If only, if only, if only But somewhere down the road I gave up that fight Merry Christmas It's Christmas at Denny's tonight
Once I had a home And a wife and a daughter Had a company job Earning middle-class pay Then Lisa got killed By a car near the schoolyard And my wife started drinking Just to get through each day I will never forget That little red wagon Turning to rust All alone in the rain One morning I flagged down A truck on the highway I just couldn't bear To go back there again
And I'm dreaming about A silent night - Holy night When things were alright And I'm dreaming about How my life could have been If only, if only, if only Well, it's not just the blind man Who loses his sight Merry Christmas It's Christmas at Denny's tonight
They say Life's made of cruel circumstance Fate plays the tune and we dance Dance til we drop In the dust and we're gone And the world just goes on
The cop at the counter He's the guardian angel He watches these orphans Through dark mirrored shades And the register rings Like a bell sadly tolling For the fools we've become And the price that we paid Oh when I was a boy I believed in Christmas Miracle season To make a new start I don't need no miracle Sweet baby Jesus Just help me find Some kind of hope in my heart
And I'm dreaming about A silent night - Holy night When things were alright And I'm dreaming about How my life could have been If only, if only, if only But I'll still be here At the morning's first light Merry Christmas It's Christmas at Denny's tonight Merry Christmas It's Christmas at Denny's tonight
A bit of a somber song in this time of joy. It is a reminder though that Jesus whose birth in one way or another we are remembering informed (nay commanded) us to love one another.
People from their own mistakes or the mistakes of others are not having a joyous time. In what way can you help some of these people this Christmas?
Song 8 is of course The 8 polish foods of Christmas. As heard on the Vegetales CD (not made into a video just a CD)A Very Veggie Christmas.
The plot of the Cd is basically the Veggies are having as party and singing songs while waiting for the polish caterer to turn up that Larry the cucumber had organised.
I found a video on youtube that was snippets from a cartoon, it didn't appeal to me so I (with the help of Jared my son) put this together.
Bob: So, what did you bring us?
Oscar: What I bring you? I tell you what I bring you. The first Polish Christmas dish I bring to the party, A boiled potato topped with dillweed. The second Polish Christmas dish I bring to the party, Two steamed pierogies...
Jimmy: What's a pierogi?
Oscar: It's a dough, wrapped around meat.
Jimmy: Oh...
All: And a boiled potato topped with dillweed.
Oscar: The third Polish Christmas dish I bring to the party, Three simmered gwumpkies...
Larry: What's a gwumpkey?
Oscar: It's a cabbage wrapped around meat.
Larry: Oh..
Jimmy: Two steamed pierogies.
All: And a boiled potato topped with dillweed.
Oscar: The fourth Polish Christmas dish I bring to the party Four baked paprikas...
Archibald: Now, what is a paprika?
Oscar: It's a bell pepper stuffed with meat.
Archibald: I see.
Larry: Three Simmered gwumpkies,
Jimmy: Two steamed pierogis,
All: And a boiled potato topped with dillweed.
Oscar: The fifth Polish Christmas dish I bring to the party, Five smoked kielbasas!
Pa: What's a kielbasa?
Oscar: It's pretty much just meat.
Pa: Oh.
Archibald: Four baked paprikas,
Larry: Three simmered gwumpkies,
Jimmy: Two steamed pierogis,
All: And a boiled potato topped with dillweed.
Oscar: The sixth Polish Cristmas dish I bring to the party, Six fried hoosecheekies.
Bob: Let me guess, something in the meat family?
Oscar: Actually, it's a delightful pastry with a thin flaky crust.
I'm not going to worry about the lyrics just the youtube for this one. You'll see why.
Phil Keaggy is the insanely talented guitar player. If you have not heard of him before, then pop around to my place and I'll put on a DVD of a concert he and Randy Stonehill did. All this talent and it is with one finger missing on his strumming hand.
Here is the song...
The irony of choosing God Rest ye merry Gentlemen, is that I choose it while driving to work today. I'm now typing this after exercising for 45 minutes and need a rest (and shower but I'm not going to mention that... oops)
But I choose this song really because I like what Phil has done. It is an instrumaental of what I was listening to this morning but it shows what talent the guy has got.
Here is a bit more of Phil...
It's a slower song of his - you should see the concert DVD when he really cranks things up a notch.
Michael W. Smith sing we now of Christmas - Emmanuel
To all those who know me mainly from my alt-rock leanings - yes I do like Michael W. Smith - in fact I have nearly all of his CD's.
So given that he has 3 CD's of Christmas music I thought it time I played at least one of them.
Sing we now of Christmas Sing we all Noel Of the Lord and Savior We the tidings tell Sing we Noel For Christ our Lord is born Sing we Noel For Christ our Lord is born Angels from on high May shepherds come and see He's born in Bethlehem A blessed family Glory to God For Christ our King is born Glory to God For Christ our King is born Sing we now of Christmas Sing we all Noel Sing we now of Christmas Sing we all Noel Sing we all Noel
Emmanuel, Emmanuel Emmanuel, Emmanuel Wonderful Counselor Lord of Life, Lord of All He is the Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Holy One Emmanuel, Emmanuel
Emmanuel means God with Us. Not wise man with us, or great teacher with us, but God with us. This song hearkens back to one my first first posts where I (along with some help from Bono) talked about how Jesus is God. If He were anything less then all those who follow Him and His teaches are to be pitied above all people. Lives and eternities wasted.
His (wise) teachings were not understood by the large majority of the people who listened, in fact if you read the Gospels we see the disciples who did follow him had a hard time too.
His great moral teachings included don't worry about the poor, they will always be around but I'm here you should be concerned about me.
His profound statements include that if you have seen him you have seen the Father and that the way to heaven is to believe in him and him alone.
If He was not God with Us my life is a waste of Time. But the more I look the more I see He is the one. He makes promises and He has the power to back them up, He has the history to show he keeps them.
6 days to Christmas - sing we now of Christmas, of the Lord and saviour, Emmanuel, mighty God and holy one.
For the geographically literate among you, you will know that New Zealand is in the southern hemisphere, which means that it is currently summer.
This makes Christmas odd. You see all the nice big American inspired Christmas songs seem to mention snow. (I'm not even going to mention the plethera of winter scene Christmas Cards)
Today it is a rather humid day and quiet warm with it. Not a snowflake in sight.
There are some specific NZ Christmas songs such as Down Under Santa Got a Sun Tan, Te ara nui and We want to wish you a Maori Christmas. But as far as great memorable anthems go they don't just cut it.
So here we are wearing shorts and t-shirts, putting zinc cream on our nose, tossing another sausage on the BBQ and singing "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas"
Just odd.
So in light of that todays song is Winter Wonderland.
Not just any version of Winter Wonderland though - it is Steve Taylors matiachi version.
Still got the migraine and can't think of much today so here is a quick song, but still one necessary for any Christmas list..
O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum, [Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree] du kannst mir sehr gefallen! [Of all the trees most lovely]
The news had come out in the First World War The bloody Red Baron was flying once more The Allied command ignored all of its men And called on Snoopy to do it again.
Twas the night before Christmas, 40 below When Snoopy went up in search of his foe He spied the Red Baron, fiercely they fought With ice on his wings Snoopy knew he was caught.
Christmas bells those Christmas bells Ring out from the land Asking peace of all the world And good will to man
The Baron had Snoopy dead in his sights He reached for the trigger to pull it up tight Why he didn't shoot, well, we'll never know Or was it the bells from the village below.
Christmas bells those Christmas bells Ringing through the land Bringing peace to all the world And good will to man
The Baron made Snoopy fly to the Rhine And forced him to land behind the enemy lines Snoopy was certain that this was the end When the Baron cried out, "Merry Christmas, my friend"
The Baron then offered a holiday toast And Snoopy, our hero, saluted his host And then with a roar they were both on their way Each knowing they'd meet on some other day.
Christmas bells those Christmas bells Ringing through the land Bringing peace to all the world And good will to man
Christmas bells those Christmas bells Ringing through the land Bringing peace to all the world And good will to man
(I've just woken up from a sleep to help get rid of a migraine, I'm able to concentrate enough to get this out while it is still the correct day so please forgive the shortness and if it gets incoherent and not well spelt)
Song 3 of the 12 songs of Christmas.
Little Drummer boy.
Todays song is performed by Whteheart - little drummer boy - with real drums.
At any other time then when my brain is not trying to escape out through my temples... this version just rocks and I love it. My first memory of this is from my first Christmas as a Christan.
Ok so about the song itself...
Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum, When we come.
Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum, On my drum?
Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum Me and my drum.
On one hand you have this song exemplifying the principle of the Widows Mite. The widow had nothing yet she gave what she could give. This was praised by Jesus in contrast to the religious leaders of the day who were gave only a portion of their great wealth - she gave all she had. The drummer boy is poor and had nothing to give in terms of wealth so he gave his skills and talents. We can do that in these times of economic recession and downturn. We can give our skills and talents to ease the load of those who are also burdened. And this (from Romans) is a spiritual act of worship.
On the other hand.....
What a narcissistic little brat!
Please, please PLEASE won't someone think of the mother!
Mary had just given birth, A whole bunch of smelly shepherds come to visit and she has a new born baby to care for, it's in a manger as they have no other place to stay.
Along comes a well meaning boy, who says nice kid can I bang my drum really loudly?
To all the parents of newborns, or even those under a year old. What would you say...?
Maybe the Catholics are right and Mary is full of grace, because she smiled and said yes.
Originally sung by Julie Millar on the noel compilation album and then redone by Third Day on the City on a hill Christmas album. Here are both versions followed by the lyrics. You should listen to both - they are quite different in style.
First Julie Miller (her voice may be an accustomed taste but it is one I like)
And now Third Days... (note: they get a bit of help from Julie Miller and Deri Daugherty)
What kind of King would leave His throne In Heaven to make this earth His home? While men seek fame and great renown In loneliness our King comes down
Jesus, Jesus, precious One How we thank You that You've come Jesus, Jesus, precious One A manger throne for God’s own Son
You left the sound of angels' praise To come for men with unkind ways And by this Baby's helplessness The power of nations is laid to rest
What kind of King would come so small From glory to a humble stall? That dirty manger is my heart, too I'll make it a royal throne for You
My heart is a throne My heart is a throne for God's own Son
This song has been done at least twice as an item at the church I go to.
I was driving along with the old mother in law once (did you know "mother in law" is an anagram of "woman hitler"? - be careful who you tell that information to....) Driving along and it was Christmas and the guy on the radio says something about Jesus being born in the manger. She asks me the honest question - why the big deal about the manger? I'd been a Christian for about a year at that point and it wasn't a question I'd thought about. I think I muttered some platitudes about while he could have been born in a big palace as was His due He chose the manger to identify with all humanity. That it isn't money or power or history that gives a man his worth but rather that He does that which God requires of him.
And boy did Jesus fulfil that.
Is that all though? - just so He could identify, just to show it isn't about things. The big mission (in fact as Jesus says the reason)of Jesus - to die and be resurrected, it would not have been affected if he was born in an inn, or at home with midwives. But here it is the King of King and Lord of Lords born in the lowly of lowlies.
It's mind blowing that the King of Glory, He whose hands flung stars into space, reached up to their mother out of an animals feeding trough.
It's one extreme to the other.
I don't really understand the why and it's been 18 years since the question was asked of me - I just know it happened. God. Human. In the stall. Jesus. Emmanuel. God with Us.
Here's a video of the song followed by the lyrics.
They said there'll be snow at Christmas They said there'll be peace on Earth But instead it just kept on raining A veil of tears for the Virgin's birth I remember one Christmas morning A winters light and a distant choir And the peal of a bell and that Christmas Tree smell And their eyes full of tinsel and fire They sold me a dream of Christmas They sold me a Silent Night And they told me a fairy story 'Till I believed in the Israelite And I believed in Father Christmas And I looked at the sky with excited eyes 'Till I woke with a yawn in the first light of dawn And I saw him and through his disguise
I wish you a hopeful Christmas I wish you a brave New Year All anguish pain and sadness Leave your heart and let your road be clear They said there'll be snow at Christmas They said there'll be peace on Earth Hallelujah Noel be it Heaven or Hell The Christmas you get you deserve.
La la la la la la la la la la....
First of all the background to the song.
Bono has set up this (Red)wire thing. Where for a monthly subscription you buy a song or two a month and half the money goes to buy medicine for those in Africa with AIDs who need it.
This is their song, it is a remake of a song that Greg Lake (of Emerson Lake and Palmer) did in the early 70's. People moaned at him at what they took to be an anti-religious song. This confused him a bit as he had written it as an anti-commercialism-of-Christmas song. Hey who are we to argue with the author - despite what the post-modernists say.
I chose this one as the first cab off the rank for a couple of reasons.
1. It's U2 - need I say more... 2. I'm a bit peeved at commercialism of Christmas this year. I suppose I should be every year but this year it has hit home a bit as to what we all need Christmas to be. Yes I'm talking about the true religious - Jesus' birth is celebrated - God became incarnate reasons. But putting that aside for now (yikes - really how can you do that) Put aside the commercialism and religion and think about what Christmas does...
People just for a little bit of the year (one twelfth or even just one day of it) start acting towards each other they way they really should for the rest of the year. Giving, caring and celebrating life. Thinking about others and what they can do for them.
I love geting presents for people, I love the time thinking about them and what would they like and when I give it I like to see their expression of joy. (Which is why buying some cop-out gift irks me)
Christmas needs to be here so that people use it to have the well-being of others in the fore-front of thier minds and to overcome what for many is the selfishness me-me-me attitude of the rest of the year.
This song has a poke at the commercialism which has distracted from the truth of Jesus and the need to get ourselves out of ourselves and into the needs of others.
Of course for many Christmas is one of the worst times of the year because for many all the people around them are so infatuated with themselves they don't see, know or care about someone who is loney... hurting... wounded in spirit. It can amplifiy that which they don't have - peopel who care about them.
10 years ago to the day of this post my marriage ended and I moved out (at the time only for a few days but we both agreed later that we were finished). On Christmas eve it is 5 years to the day that my father died. I miss him so much. Along with highlighting the lonlyness of the other 11 months this supposedly joyful time of the year can be the remeberance of painful events, when we are supposed to be all happy and cheessy (Go the American sitcoms!) all we think about is our pain.
Get out of yourself and your own pain, go help someone else - it will ease your hurt as you feel the joy of helping another. Let others help you. And that is a big ask - allow other to actually help you.
I have a tradition that helps me get past my painful memories and also keeps me free from any feelings of being alone. On Christmas Eve a bunch of people from church go to Carols by Candlelight, then we go to a persons house for supper, then to midnight communion (starts at 11:30). It is a different bunch of people each year and at each event. But I look forward to it all year long and I remember it during the year if I'm feeling down. All these people, not just on this day, are my freinds, they are closer to me than some in my family. And this night highlights and amplifies to me that which I have all year round. People I can love and be loved by.
Forget the commercialism of Christmas, don't allow a veil of tears to hide the Virgins birth...
In these last few days of this season of advent, I'm going to blog a song a day for 12 days. They will be Christmas songs (one one type or another). They won't be great earth shattering revelations of wisdom. Just songs I enjoy, have a meaning for me deeper than just the song itself or I ran out of ideas and pulled one out of the air.
