Everybody sing!
Dec 5th 2007
Suzanne EnochMy Life As A Plebe
When I was a kid, we had an LP (or vinyl record, for you younglings out there) we always played at Christmas. It was one of many, and I only remember that it was some sort of collection of songs by different artists. This album was significant mainly because it had a scratch in it so that every time we got to The First Noel it would hit one particular part and then start repeating the same line over and over. For years I never knew what the line after “they saw a star, shining in – shining in – shining in– shining in–“ was.
To this day when the family’s all together listening to holiday tunes, without any prompting at all we three girls will get to that part and start repeating that line. It’s kind of our thing. I have a difficult time singing “the east, beyond them far”, probably because I learned it so much later than the rest of the song. This was a particular hindrance when I sang in my high school’s choir. Though I did sing the words correctly — I hope — in my mind “shining in – shining in –“ was pretty much where the song was supposed to end.
While I do have a special place in my heart for The First Noel, my favorite carol is actually God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. I love the tune, and it sounds very 19th century to me. And most of the heroes I write have definitely “gone astray”, as the lyrics go.
My third favorite carol is The Twelve Days of Christmas, as sung by the John Denver and the Muppets. They have an entire album, and I highly recommend it.
What are your top three Christmas Carols? Do you have a particular reason for liking or disliking a holiday song? Did I get the lyrics for Noel right? (I always worry.)
45 Comments »
45 Responses to “Everybody sing!”
Marie on 05 Dec 2007 at 4:18 am #
Hark! the Herald the Angel Sings-god and sinners reconciled- I don’t know why but that line has always resonated with me
Oh Come all ye Faithful
I Wish you a Merry Christmas
Any traditional Christmas song give me one line and I can sing the entire thing. Forced to sing Christmas carols for 3 months every year from 9th grade.
Some things just never leave you.
Stacy ~ on 05 Dec 2007 at 6:23 am #
“Silent Night”
“Whose Child is This?” (to the melody of Greensleeves)
“Walking In a Winter Wonderland”
I tink those ones are my favorite, especially the first two. I’m still not ready for Christmas music though. I can hold off a bit longer.
Laurie G on 05 Dec 2007 at 7:25 am #
What Child is This
O Holy Night
The Christmas Song
Must Be Santa
Boy It’s hard to narrow it down!!
I dislike Grandma Got Runover by a Reindeer” I just think that it’s in poor taste for what the holiday represents.
Gannon on 05 Dec 2007 at 7:56 am #
There are so many, but here are my top ones:
O Holy Night
What Child Is This?
Do You Hear What I Hear?
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Yes, that’s more than three, and I could go on. I love Christmas carols! When I was a kid, I used to start listening to Christmas music in July!
Keri Ford on 05 Dec 2007 at 8:13 am #
I love “Grandma got Run over by a Reindeer”! Probably because my grandma would frown but my grandpa would laugh and play it louder. I also enjoy the Chipmunks Christmas Song…not sure what the name of it is.
As for the more traditional songs:
Carol of The Bells
Sleigh Ride
Winter Wonderland
Around this time is when I enjoy the music, anything before Thanksgiving and I change the channel. And I HATE it when stores starts playing the music 6-8 weeks before christmas
cail on 05 Dec 2007 at 8:20 am #
i really love them all, especially done in choral form.
Silent Night
Carol of the Bells
Handel’s Messiah
top the list.
Kay on 05 Dec 2007 at 8:20 am #
The iPod has been cranking out the Christmas songs for almost a week, and I love to sing along (as long as the cats and dog are the only ones to hear me.)
My top three traditional carols:
1. Silent Night
2. Joy To the World
3. Hark The Herald Angels Sing
My favorite non-traditional songs:
1. Santa Baby–sung by Ertha Kit
2. Baby It’s Cold Outside
3.White Christmas
It snowed again yesterday
Lisa H on 05 Dec 2007 at 8:48 am #
It is so hard to narrow it down to three but I would have to say:
1. Joy to the World
2. O Holy Night
3. Do You Hear What I Hear
All of them are special, but those three especially touch me.
I love your story about the skip in the record— many of us “older” girls can surely relate. Whenever I hear Christmas music it seems like a celebration, even if I am just driving alone in my van.
Cookiedough on 05 Dec 2007 at 8:56 am #
I love the John Denver and the Muppets album! my favourite from that one is Christmas is Coming.
My all time favourtie carol is Le Divine Enfant. I listened to it over and over when I was a child. We had a record from Singalong Jubilee called It’s Christmas Day. Just before Christmas last year, I did an interet search and some kind man had digitized the album he found at a yard sale, and has it for download. I made my whole family cds of it for presents and it brought back so many nice memories!
go to http://www.jeffco.ca/christmas/downloads.html to find a few gems of your own!
As for my list,
Amy Grant’s Home for Christmas- anything on it
the Huron Carol
I hate how schools allow children to mess with Rudolf the Red nosed Reindeer
and naughty kids doing the “Jingle bells batman smells” thing!
Karen Hawkins on 05 Dec 2007 at 8:56 am #
Lol! Suzie, I think we had that same record. That was a skip? Who knew!!!
My faves:
1. Carol of the Bells - no singing, but I can hum it like crazy!
2. Winter Wonderland - I know 82% of the words, which is FANTASTIC for me!
3. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - because I know ALL of the words AND the ‘extra phrases’ that we kids used to sing in the off times
I loooove Christmas music! I’m writing in my living room today, in front of the tree, the cable music channel for Traditional Christmas Music humming in the background . . . niiiice!
Judy F on 05 Dec 2007 at 9:10 am #
I love Silent Night, it makes me cry almost everytime.
The first Noel
and I love the muppets version of the twelve days, esp Miss piggy’s part on the Five Golden rings…
Karen Rose on 05 Dec 2007 at 9:14 am #
My faves -
1) I’ll Be Home for Christmas (always makes me cry)
2) O Holy Night
3) Silent Night
And my non-trad faves -
I love the one Garth Brooks does about BelleauWood - when the soldiers took a break from WW1 fighting and celebrated Christmas. And I also like “Grandma Got Run Over” because it is in such bad taste.
Last year DH got a holiday album from none other than Twisted Sister. Their “12 Days of Christmas” is a total hoot, complete with Spandex and, I think, hairspray.
And of course, it’s not Christmas without Doug and Bob MacKenzie’s “12 Days of Christmas.” And a be-e-e-e-er.
doglady on 05 Dec 2007 at 9:38 am #
As a singer my favorites are : O Holy Night
What Child is This (Greensleeves)
Rejoice Greatly O Daughter of Zion-from Messiah
Exsultate, jubilate (Mozart)
Another favorite - Sweet Little Jesus Child (a great spiritual)
To listen to : O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Carol of the Bells
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
For sheer fun and bad taste : Grandma Got Runned Over By A Reindeer
Jeff Foxworthy’s 12 Days of Christmas
The Chipmunks’ Song
Cookiedough on 05 Dec 2007 at 9:40 am #
HA HA I forgot about Bob and Doug Mackenzie!
I got Diving enfant wrond..the title is Il Est Ne
my french relatives would get me good, if I got that wrong.
Now I’m listening to it…
claudia dain on 05 Dec 2007 at 10:26 am #
I’m either the most indecisive person around or I just love most Christmas carols. I read Suzanne’s list and go, “yeah, I love those” and then read Marie’s top 3 and go, “yeah, those, definitely” and then read Stacy’s and mumble, “uh, no, those 3″ and so on and so on. I love them all!!!
I think it’s really nasty and not in the Christmas Spirit AT ALL to have a quiz the first thing in the morning.
Are we getting graded on the curve? Is there one song that is *supposed* to be on the list? Does spelling count?
Okay, here goes…
In the Traditional Category: O Holy Night, Oh Come All Ye Faithful, and Handel’s Messiah (I even know the words!)
In the Contemporary Category: I’ll Be Home For Christmas (sniff, sniff), Santa Baby, Baby It’s Cold Outside
In the true Christmas Spirit, I will admit to copying off of several goddess papers.
Karen Rose on 05 Dec 2007 at 10:52 am #
Claudia, it’s lunch detention for you for copying! Please report to the detention room on Mt. Oly, which is wallpapered with posters of FROS men. You can’t look at the walls of the detention room. That’s part of your punishment.
claudia dain on 05 Dec 2007 at 11:00 am #
Oooookay, Karen, if I *must* go to a room full of FROS posters, then I must. Just remember, being on Mt. Olympus means that I should be able to turn them into real, live, breathing men effortlessly. And I will. I’m not in detention for nothing, right?
Sabrina Jeffries on 05 Dec 2007 at 11:09 am #
I agree, Claudia–too many choices!! I’m not sure I can limit it to 3, but I’ll try.
Traditional category:
It seems like cheating to say Handel’s Messiah, since it consists of several songs, but what the hey
I Wonder as I Wander
The Cherry Tree Carol (as sung by Peter, Paul, and Mary–there’s several versions verse-wise, and I like their version best)
Children, Go Where I Send Thee (as sung by Natalie Merchant)
Mary’s Boy Child
Simple Gifts/Lord of the Dance (not sure why it’s considered Christmas, but I love it, and it shows up on the occasional Christmas album)
Contemporary category:
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Christmas (by the Blues Traveler–LOVE that song)
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Sabrina Jeffries on 05 Dec 2007 at 11:10 am #
And I’m SO glad y’all mentioned the Bob and Doug MacKenzie song. I haven’t thought about that one in a while, and it’s SO funny!
Ellen on 05 Dec 2007 at 11:46 am #
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d9X8CJkklI
Ellen on 05 Dec 2007 at 11:47 am #
I’m hoping Miz Rose sends me to Mt. Oly for that pick. LOL
Suzanne Enoch on 05 Dec 2007 at 11:52 am #
The most fun about the skip in the record were the rock, paper, scissors challenges to see who had to get up and move the needle ahead. Not an easy task when we had ten records stacked up on top of it.
KarenH, I love Carol of the Bells, too, but when I was in choir I had to sing the alto part — a lot of “ding dong, ding, dong, ding dong”. I started to think someone was trying to tell me something.
Suzanne Enoch on 05 Dec 2007 at 11:56 am #
Oh, Bob & Doug McKenzie!! From SCTV! I love them, eh. *g*
I have to admit that a lot of the “new” Christmas songs don’t really do it for me, especially the country songs where somebody’s mom needed slippers and lost her feet in a mowing accident.
I do like Garth Brook’s song about the poor orphan girl named Maria and the first nightingale.
Georgie Lee on 05 Dec 2007 at 12:08 pm #
O Holy Night
Angels We Have Heard On High
We Three Kings.
I love going to the midnight service and Christmas Eve and hearing the choir sing. It is beautiful.
Lisa H on 05 Dec 2007 at 12:13 pm #
Oh Ellen…love your utube pick…I had a bad morning and needed a good laugh, that did it!
Maybe I should drink what she is drinking….huh?
I like the 9 rigga mortis!!!!!LOLOLOLOLOLOL
amy1242 on 05 Dec 2007 at 12:14 pm #
Narrowed down, my favorites are:
Little Town/Christmas Hymn by Amy Grant
Tennessee Christmas
Heirlooms by Amy Grant
Christmastime by The BoDeans
We just hung our stockings last night and put a fire in the fireplace. I’m slowly getting hyped for Christmas. My youngest daughter even made cookies for our horses and burros last night. Looks like everyone’s getting into the spirit. I guess I can start my shopping now. *g*
Cookiedough on 05 Dec 2007 at 12:15 pm #
Trans Siberian Ochestra- Wiards of Winter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD4g0gmQSLk
Cookiedough on 05 Dec 2007 at 12:15 pm #
Wizards..time to get off the internet,.lol
Mia Rose on 05 Dec 2007 at 12:20 pm #
‘Carol of the Bells’ has to be my all time favorite… but like Karen H I won’t even attempt to sing that one (MAYBE the ding dong, ding dong part if I’m feeling frisky). I especially love the version with Trans-Siberian & Metallica.
I LOVE ‘Santa Baby’ as well, but if I remember correctly I think I prefer the Kylie Minogue version. She sounds like Betty Boop at the beginning, it’s adorable!
and finally Dean Martin’s ‘Baby it’s Cold Outside’… classic.
Plus, ANY Elvis Christmas song is a must… I just can’t pick one.
I love Christmas music… I’ve been litening to it all day at work every day this week.
Ellen on 05 Dec 2007 at 12:25 pm #
Have a better day, Lisa H!
My favorite line is Surry with the fringe on top.
Lisa H on 05 Dec 2007 at 12:46 pm #
Ellen LOL!
SuzyQ on 05 Dec 2007 at 12:56 pm #
>>>and Handel’s Messiah (I even know the words!)
Claudia - we had to sing that in chorus for 4 years during high school, so I know all the words too!
My favs would be:
Do You Hear What I Hear
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
All I Want For Christmas Is You (Mariah Carey)
The one song that gets me is the Christmas Shoes song. I don’t know the title or who sings it but it’s about a guy standing in line at the store and a little boy in front of him doesn’t have enough money to buy a pair of shoes for his mother. I got misty the first time I heard it.
Suzanne Enoch on 05 Dec 2007 at 2:13 pm #
As long as we’re on the song subject, which games, precisely, do reindeer play? And are the leaping lords meant to join with the ladies dancing? Why are they leaping? It doesn’t sound very dignified.
Sabrina Jeffries on 05 Dec 2007 at 2:20 pm #
I’m with Suzanne–the shoe song is just a little too sappy for me. Don’t know why. Very few of the sappy songs appeal to me, which is weird, because I usually like sappy.
Loved the two YouTube videos! Here’s my contribution for anybody who’s been to New Orleans or lives there:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57niI8NPvkA
Yes, it’s the 12 Yats of Christmas. If you don’t know what a Yat is, you probably won’t enjoy it as much, but if you do, you’ll LOL!
Darla on 05 Dec 2007 at 4:36 pm #
I posted and it disappeared…go figure. Oh well!
My favorite songs are: Drummer Boy, Do You Hear What I Hear, and any Christmas song by George Strait.
Laura on 05 Dec 2007 at 4:38 pm #
I like most Christmas carols but unfortunately at the moment I have Burl Ives stuck in my head singing about ‘A Holly Jolly Christmas’ and I want to scream!
Laura
ladydawgfan on 05 Dec 2007 at 5:54 pm #
Ooohh, Christmas music!! Right up my alley!!! My faves?
Traditional:
O Holy Night
Silent Night / Night of Silence
What Child Is This
O Magnum Mysterium
Salvation is Created
Angels We Have Heard On High
Non-Traditional:
Christmas Canon (Trans-siberian Orchestra)
I Want a Hippopotomus for Christmas (Shirley Temple)
Christmastime Is Here (Sarah McLachlan)
Born Is The Light of The World (Becky Madsen)
Ann in IL on 05 Dec 2007 at 6:35 pm #
My oldest brother would always sing “a part of a Juniper tree” instead of Partridge in a pear tree.
All my favorites are on one album - I listen to it continuously- it’s The Carpenter’s Christmas. Perfect.
Sabrina Jeffries on 05 Dec 2007 at 7:08 pm #
“My oldest brother would always sing “a part of a Juniper tree” instead of Partridge in a pear tree.”
Ann, that’s too funny!
ladydawgfan on 05 Dec 2007 at 7:42 pm #
Following up Suzi E’s questions, how many golden rings do the six Geese a’laying lay total? Is it five golden rings total or five rings apiece?
And why are the eight maids milking the seven swans?
For that matter, what’s the deal with the 10 lords leaping over the 9 ladies dancing? Someone’s gonna get hurt!!
And finally, if those 12 drummers keep drumming the 11 pipers while they are piping, they won’t be piping correctly for long, and they will all have bumps and bruises to boot!! Not a good idea if you think about it!! It could start a fight . . .
Or maybe I get this song wrong when I hear it . . .
Santa on 05 Dec 2007 at 9:25 pm #
We do the same thing for ‘Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer’. It’s at the end of the song where it would always skip on the word ‘history’. So we always repeat ’story. ’story. ’story at least three times because now we have to teach the kids how to sing it right.
My three favorites are: ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’, ‘Mary, Did You Know?’ and ‘Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle’. The last one is the song we sing every Christmas Eve at midnight as we put baby Jesus in the creche.
Gannon on 05 Dec 2007 at 9:49 pm #
Oh, I can’t believe I left out The Hallelujah Chorus–I know all the words, too, since I sang it in chorus in high school! We also did Carol of the Bells and I can still remember that, too! Memories….those were the days!
Dot C on 05 Dec 2007 at 10:42 pm #
My latest tune I’m fascinated with is Snoopy’s Christmas Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jlf—13Q0g
When I first heard it my thought was “What the f*** is THAT?” But it grew on me, and I chuckle when I hear it now!!!
Here’s one that’s fantastic too… David Bowie and Bing Crosby singing Little Drummer Boy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zMhSjDqvRs
Love the Grinch Song!! Makes me laugh everytime.
And here is, hands down, my favorite rendition of O Holy Night. I just listened to it, and all the hair on my back stood up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBSgAqEmiMM
Incidentally, his backup band on that version is Trans-Siberian Orchestra, minus the lead guitarists.
Has anyone seen the Celtic Women Christmas dvd? Is it any good?
Gannon on 06 Dec 2007 at 9:35 am #
Dot, I have the David Bowie/Bing Crosby duet on my iPod. I love that song!
darkshire007 on 06 Dec 2007 at 11:04 pm #
Silent Night, Ava Marie and Angels We Have Heard on High.
Can’t carry a tune in a bucket (even if it was handed to me) but still love to listen to these songs.