Favorite Christmas Songs

Mine isn't really Christian It's "The Christmas Song" You know "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open fire" I just love the Homey warm feeling I get when I hear it. It just say's HOME to me.

 

"Oh Holy Night"

 

My favorite Christian Christmas song is "O Holy Night." My favorite non-Christian Christmas song is "Silver Bells."

 

Feliz Navidad

 

"All I Want for Christmas Is You" Vince Vance and the Valiants

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWAM1WBt6Po

 

Frosty the Snowman

&

Here Comes Santa Clause

both sung by Willie Nelson

 

Silent night is probable my choice, but the one I hate the most is, "Tidings of confort and joy."
In the firsts verse it says, Remember CHRIST our savior was born on Christmas day. What a shame!

 

The Tope Five ---

1. O Come O Come Emmanuel (more of an Advent song rather than Christmas)
2. O Come All Ye Faithful
3. Bring a Torch Jeannette Isabella
4. For Unto Us a Child is Born (from The Messiah)

and of course the classic ---

5. Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer

 

I really like, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day...Prolly not familiar to many..two lines go:

And in despair I bow'd me 'ead,
There is no peace on earth, I said
For 'ate is strong, and mocks t' song, of peace on t' earth good wil to man.

The peeled t' bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doth He sleep,
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on t' earth, good will to men.

Cheers, and Happy Christmas,

Jim

 

I don't have any favorite "Christmas" songs because I don't "do Christmas" in the first place (personal preference w/ no implications towards those who choose to "do Christmas" --- See Saggy Woman's poll on Black Friday).

This is not to say that I don't enjoy listening to Messiah by Handel [Note to those finickey people such as me: It's technically incorrect to refer to Handel's oratorio as THE Messiah! Since Handel never used the definite article when he submitted his score to his publishers.].

For those who care about such things (or those who don't :laugh: ), did you know that Handel's intent for the premiere performance of Messiah was that of a "Benefit Concert" for a "foundling" [i.e., an orphanage] in Dublin, Ireland in April (which, BTW, would have put it closer to Eastertime than Christmas!)?

In 1992, the Philips label produced a music video of the 250th anniversary commemoration of Messiah's premiere with Sir Neville Marriner conducting The Academy and Chorus of St Martin in the Fields w/ 5 solists. I've got the VHS version of it. I'm not sure if Philips issued a DVD of it or if they did whether it's still available. AAR, This 250th anniversary performance was held at the Point Theater, which either was the original site of its premiere, or least the name of the Theater (location w/in Dublin may have moved from 1742 to 1992), or maybe it was the nearest theather capable of holding the crowds for that 1992 performance.

And Handel (or maybe it his impressario) was no dummy when it came to publicity stunts either. By allowing ticket holders to the perfomance to have free seats to the practice sessions, he was guaranteed an SRO crowd at the official premiere. In fact, it was so crowded that prior to the official premiere, "gentlemen" were asked to leave their swords at home [Even if, I suppose, they had been issued "carry permits"! :smilewinkgrin: ], and "ladies" were requested to wear gowns w/out the "hoops" or "stays" in them so as not to take up additional seating space.

And one final applause bit of Messiah trivia:

Did you know that the English Puritan "powers that be" roundly condemned Handel for staging such a deeply devout oratorio in public theaters?

After all, this oratorio would then have to share to same venue as all those ungodly plays that had been and were later performed in that same public theaters!

Oh yes, and the soloists (male and female) were those from the ranks of secular operatic soloists. AND WE ALL KNOW that having such ungodly people as operatic soloists singing the arias and/or duets is OF THE DEVIL! :tonofbricks:

 

Dashing back to see if I called it The Messiah, Handel's Messiah or just plain Messiah...........I am all panic now...............

Thanks for the trivia.

Cheers,

Jim

 

I can play "It Came Upon a Midnite Clear" on the piano, what with all the 2nd, 6th, and augmented chords, and almost sound like I know what I'm doing. So right now, that's my favorite....

 

Off to see a production of Handels "Messiah" tomorrow night....I do enjoy this as a yearly event, I have to be careful not to join in.....

I love "Come, come, Emmanuel " in Latin, the tune is uplifting and I do love

"The North Wind" which is an Australian Carol....:wavey:

 

Jim,

I have always liked "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day". The text is by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I'll add the following:

"O Come, O come Emmanuel"
"Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming"
"What Child Is This"
"O Little Town of Bethlehem"
"Silent Night"

Finally, I'll throw in "Star in the East" from The Southern Harmony (orig. pub. 1835).

Tim Reynolds

 

Favorite Christmas song


Christian

"While You Were Sleeping" by Mark Hall & Casting Crowns


Secular

"Christmas in Dixie" by Alabama

 

I like Mary's little boy child - have no idea if that's the real title

For fun, I love I want a hippopotamus for Christmas just because it makes me smile