Favorite Christmas Songs?

[Josh]

Originally posted 12/11/2005

What is/ are your favorite Christmas song(s) and why?

[michelle]

Originally posted on 12/11/2005

I'm not a super big fan of most Christmas carols, but I do so love O Holy Night. The lyrics are so right on and it portrays the essence of what Christmas is about. Plus I think it has one of the most beautiful melodies. I heard Michael Crawford (he was in the original cast of Phantom of the Opera on Broadway and the one whose voice is on the Phantom CD) sing it one time and his voice is so powerful I almost fell to my knees. It is by far the most amazing rendition of that song that I've ever heard.

[sarah]

Originally posted on 12/11/2005

Oh come oh come Emanuel and a song by Stonleigh I have typed out the words below because I find them to be wonderful. I also love O Holy Night and Angels we have heard on high. In truth I love most Christmas Carols because I have many wonderful memories of singing them.

From the Squalor of a Borrowed Stable
Stoneleigh Band

From the squalor of a borrowed stable
by the Spirit and a virgin's faith
to the anguish and the shame of scandal
came the savior of the human race
but the skies were filled with the praise of heaven
shepards listen as the angels tell
of a gift of love come down to man
and the dawning of Emanuel

King of heaven now a friend of sinners
humble servant in the Father's hand
filled with power and the Holy Spirit
filled with blessing for the broken man
Yes He walked my road, and he felt my pain
joys and sorrows that I know so well
yet his reighteous steps give me hope again
I will follow my Emanuel.

Through the kisses of a friends betrayal
he was lifted on a cruel cross
he was punished for a worlds transgressions
he was suffering to save the lost
he fights for breath, he fights for me
loosing sinners from the claims of hell
and with a shout our souls are free
Death defeated by Emanuel!

Now he's standing in the place of honor
crowned with glory on the highest throne
interceeding for his own beloved
till his father calls to bring them home
then the skies will part as the trumpet sounds
hope of heaven or the fear of hell
but the bride will run to her lovers arms
giving glory to Emanuel

[Josh]

Originally posted 12/14/2005

O Holy Night. Indeed, probably one of my top 3. I love the "Fall on your knees part". I remember just being in awe of that part as a kid- just the wonder of God becoming flesh, etc..

[Josh]

Originally posted 12/14/2005

For me it's anything in a minor key. I'm a sucker for Em / Bm etc..

O Holy Night, O Come O Come Emanuel, Silent Night, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, and What Child is This?

I love the archaic 18th and 19th century wording- it just brings a sense of solemnity and mystery and awe.

Oh, and I really DON'T like Away in a Manger, primarily because of the line, "The little Lord Jesus no crying he makes". That's just lame, of course he cried. I hope he cried like the Dickens. He's not a tame lion, really!!!

[Josh]

Any ones you guys definitely want to sing this season?

[michelle]

I vote for O Holy Night! I also like O Little Town of Bethlehem, O Come all ye Faithful (apparently I like anything with "O" in it...it must be a Ducks thing , Hark! the Herald Angels Sing and I really like Little Drummer Boy.

While Silent Night is one of your favorites, Josh, I must say it's one of my least favorites. I think I played too much Silent Night in band.

See, Rose, I do like some Christmas stuff!!

[Josh]

Hark! the Herald Angels Sing is Justus' favorite Christmas carol.

We'll do that one next week.

When we were singing the "chains shall he break for the slave is our brother" part of O Holy Night today I couldn't help but think of the movie Amazing Grace. Very powerful connection.

[michelle]

Ok, I had to post something in Ponderings because the total number of posts was 666. but I did also have something to say about the Christmas carols.

As we were singing O Holy Night, which I'd just like to say is one of the most beautiful songs (not just Christmas carols) there is, on Sunday a couple of lines to the song really stood out to me like never before. Typically it's the Fall on your knees that grabs me the hardest (and it still did), but this also really grabbed my attention:

Long lay the world in sin and ever pining,
Till He appear'd and the soul felt its worth.

On a personal level, I felt so much truth in those words. I don't remember how I felt about things or myself before I knew Christ, but I know that when I am putting distance between us, I can feel myself seepeing in sin and I am longing for the time when I pull tight to the Lord again. And when I do, that's when I realize my value as a child of God.

[Josh]

Oh, I know, I love that line (and the soul felt its worth). Yes!!!

In O Come O Come Emmanuel, this line stood out to me especially on Sunday:

"bid thou, our sad divisions cease
And be thyself our King of Peace"

I just feel a weariness when I think of all the unnecessary divisions in the body of Christ...

[Alex]

I originally posted this separately, only to realize this thread right below it. -Alex

Good morning and merry Christmas.
In honor of the day I'm posting one of my favorite carols. Until a few years ago I've never payed it much attention; until I heard it sung with the original stanzas.

The 4th and 5th stanzas, which are dropped in the modern version, take the song from a general celebration of Christmas, and reveal it as a personal struggle during a time of heavy tribulation - in this case the civil war and personal loss. (Originally I thought it from the Napoleonic wars, but it really carries through modern conflict.)

This window into personal trial sets meaning and relevance for the 6th stanza - the focal element of the carol. In this the author (and the audience) are empowered to resist falling to man's despair, carried by the victorious defiance of the bells.

Wikipedia Article


"I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day"
based on the poem "Christmas Bells," composed by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) in 1864.

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And mild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound the carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn, the households born
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”

Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

[Josh]

Anyone else have favorite Christmas songs?

Here's on of my favorite songs from Bill Mallonee's Christmas album. I highlighted my favorite lines for those of you with attention deficit disorder:

On to Bethlehem

so i'm at this wheel it's three am
waiting for the caffeine to come around
and life rears it's ugly head again
they say your radio's cool and retail's way down

and i'd like to say i'm faithful
to the task at hand
speaking gospel to a handful
and others with their list of demands

it's cold this year and i'm late on my dues
it's cold in here ah but that's nothing new
my heart's electric with your love again
so it's on to bethlehem

you might surmise that i ran there
but i really only crept
lead me to the place where love runs wild
and then it dogs your every step

you know how fickle my heart is
prone to wonder my Lord
yeah it's hot but it's at arms length
always got one eye on the door

God wraps Himself up in human skin
for those who want to touch
and God let them drive the nails in
for those of us who know way too much

You come bearing all our burdens
and take Your lovers for a ride
but we stay holed up in our cages
fashioned by our own design

so tell me what is your secret
what's on your blister soul
what is that one little secret
you know the one that has taken its toll

'cause daddy's banging on your gate again
yeah he won't leave you alone
got a whole lot of dry warm rooms
and the finest of homes

[Margot]

M-m-m-m let's see. Oh Come Emmanuel definitely one of my favorites because it's so plaintive.
That reminds me, recently we found a c-d we'd missplaced--it's the latest Christmas album by Sarah McLaughlin. I am not usually a fan of one of the (Lillith Fair) girls, but, if you have time take a listen. She does a beautiful rendition of The First Noel. I like it because it sounds middle eastern instead of old English. (Kinda appropiate, ya think???) My son said that when he hears it, he can picture himself riding across the sand on a camel on the way to see the baby in the manger...

By the way, someone mentioned "Away in a Manger." It's always been a family favorite because when my daughter first learned it, she sang away at the top of her lungs: "Away in a Manger! No room for a sled....!!"I laughed very hard and then I actually ended up building a whole Christmas lesson around it for the women I was working with that year--talking about how easily we start blurring the lines between the sacred and the secular at Christmas time! Hah! Gotta love the great ideas you get from your kids..........

[Josh]

Christmas albums I'm diggin' this year:

Bill Mallonee's Yonder Shines the Infant Light

and

Sufjan Steven's Songs for Christmas

[Josh]

Meghan,

Since you're spinning Songs for Christmas, I'm curious which songs you like best on the album.

I wish I knew the titles, but I totally dig "O Come O Come Emmanuel", "Lo, How a Rose", "Put the Lights on the Tree", and "Only at Christmastime"

It's got me wanting to add the third verse to O Come when we do it at church.

And I love on Put the Lights when he says to tell your grandma that Jesus Christ is here. Gets me everytime.

[Josh]

Nate, what are your favorites from the Sufjan CD?

Sarah: We'll be singing Friendly Beasts on Sunday, Lord willing. Care to share why it's one of your favorites?

[sarah]

Well ya snagged me!

I don't have a great reason for loving Friendly Beasts other than I have a very strong memory of learning the song one year. We were driving somewhere and I made my mom sing it over and over again until I had commited it to memory. I have always been a lover of animals and I like to think about their roles in the humble coming of God on earth.
I have previously shared some of my other favorites. This year I find myself singing a lot of Silent night, Oh little town of B, O Come O Come Emmanuel, and O holy night to Lindsay. Her clear favorite this year however in Jingle Bells. I hear her singing it to herself all the time these days!