Yesterday was super busy so I never got the chance to share my pick of the day...today's post will count as days four and five:
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is definitely a long-time favorite of mine. I would listen to it over and over on the old Amy Grant's "A Christmas Album" from 1983. Actually, my uncle had the LP record and made me a cassette tape of that album!! I love the way Amy Grant starts the song simply, then adds to it little by little. The harmonies are very traditional and pleasing to the ear. The final verse is very regal...I picture a cathedral processional, much like a royal wedding or coronation.
Recently, I was introduced to Jewel's version of this song...and it gave me some serious goosebumps! Her ethereal voice paired with the acoustic guitar to start is lovely. When she changes up the melody line at the key change on "Hail! The heaven-born prince of peace", I could cry it's so beautiful!
I just did a Spotify search of this song and I'm blown away at the number of recordings!! From She-Daisy to Straight With No Chaser to John Tesh to Disney to VeggieTales to Charlotte Church to Chris Botti to Willie Nelson and the list goes on (and ON!) And who wouldn't love Trans-Siberian Orchestra's mash-up of "The March of the Kings" and "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"?!! SO powerful with the rockin' guitars and drums!!
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is clearly a classic Christmas song that isn't going to be forgotten anytime soon.
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" by Charles Wesley (music by Felix Mendelssohn)
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"
Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"
Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"
Monday, December 5, 2011
Saturday, December 3, 2011
On the 3rd Day of Christmas Music Posts
So yesterday's choice was quite melancholy, today is just the opposite: Christmas in Killarney!!!
Go ahead, laugh. I know you're laughing.
I just played every version of that song ever recorder, thanks to Spotify ;) and it DROVE MY HUSBAND CRAZY! It's a super happy song, quite Irish, and I love it!! Although I don't think I have any Irish blood in me,
my hair is red and I have lots of freckles.
My favorite color is green.
I love Celtic music.
My favorite artists include Enya, U2 and Celtic Woman.
And in Spring 1992, I pledged Sigma Gamma Phi (Arethusa) whose colors are green and white.
I first heard "Christmas in Killarney" on my Anne Murray "Best of the Season" Christmas CD about ten years ago. I fell in love with the song immediately, with its skippity beat, fife and fiddles. It's quite the perfect music for decorating the tree, hanging lights or dancing around the house.
There are many versions of this song, but I think my favorite is Anne Murray's (although Bing Crosby has a nice arrangement as well.) Written in 1950, it definitely has an "oldies" feel to it. Go give it a listen...be warned, you may have to dance a little!
The holly green, the ivy green
The prettiest picture you've ever seen
Is Christmas in Killarney
With all of the folks at home
It's nice, you know, to kiss your beau
While cuddling under the mistletoe
And Santa Claus you know, of course
Is one of the boys from home
The door is always open
The neighbors pay a call
And Father John before he's gone
Will bless the house and all
How grand it feels to click your heels
And join in the fun of the jigs and reels
I'm handing you no blarney
The likes you've never known
Is Christmas in Killarney
With all of the folks at home
Go ahead, laugh. I know you're laughing.
I just played every version of that song ever recorder, thanks to Spotify ;) and it DROVE MY HUSBAND CRAZY! It's a super happy song, quite Irish, and I love it!! Although I don't think I have any Irish blood in me,
my hair is red and I have lots of freckles.
My favorite color is green.
I love Celtic music.
My favorite artists include Enya, U2 and Celtic Woman.
And in Spring 1992, I pledged Sigma Gamma Phi (Arethusa) whose colors are green and white.
I first heard "Christmas in Killarney" on my Anne Murray "Best of the Season" Christmas CD about ten years ago. I fell in love with the song immediately, with its skippity beat, fife and fiddles. It's quite the perfect music for decorating the tree, hanging lights or dancing around the house.
There are many versions of this song, but I think my favorite is Anne Murray's (although Bing Crosby has a nice arrangement as well.) Written in 1950, it definitely has an "oldies" feel to it. Go give it a listen...be warned, you may have to dance a little!
The holly green, the ivy green
The prettiest picture you've ever seen
Is Christmas in Killarney
With all of the folks at home
It's nice, you know, to kiss your beau
While cuddling under the mistletoe
And Santa Claus you know, of course
Is one of the boys from home
The door is always open
The neighbors pay a call
And Father John before he's gone
Will bless the house and all
How grand it feels to click your heels
And join in the fun of the jigs and reels
I'm handing you no blarney
The likes you've never known
Is Christmas in Killarney
With all of the folks at home
Friday, December 2, 2011
Music of Christmas - Day 2
I'm still working out how I'm going to post this month...last month, I just went off the top of my head with thankfulness ideas. This time, I did jot down a list of my favorite Christmas songs, just so I don't miss any, but I want to be a least a little spontaneous...
so rather than just pick a song today, I'm going with my new favorite album...which (this week) is Sarah McLachlan's "Wintersong" (from 2006...yes, I just discovered it last week. I'm just a tad behind the times!) And can you guess how I discovered this gem of an album? I was listening to a Christmas station on Pandora and up popped "River" by Sarah McLachlan. It was love at first listen! When my hubby introduced me to Spotify last week, I simply double-clicked on the "Wintersong" album...I've listened to it at least 20 times, start to finish, since then!!
First of all, Sarah's voice is lovely and mellow. I've always liked her music. Second, her arrangements of these songs are amazing...not copycats of the originals by any stretch. The harmonies are soothing, the acoustic guitar on "What Child is This" is very gentle, giving it a folksong feel. I absolutely love her version of Joni Mitchell's "River" - not a Christmas carol at all, but a melancholy winter song..."I wish I had a river I could skate away on..."
"Wintersong" and her cover of Gordon Lightfoot's "Song for a Winter's Night" are both bittersweet love songs of longing.
This album is certainly not a yippee skippee "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" kind of album. But I LOVE it when I'm in fleecy jammies with the fireplace roaring and candles burning...can't wait for a big snowstorm!
so rather than just pick a song today, I'm going with my new favorite album...which (this week) is Sarah McLachlan's "Wintersong" (from 2006...yes, I just discovered it last week. I'm just a tad behind the times!) And can you guess how I discovered this gem of an album? I was listening to a Christmas station on Pandora and up popped "River" by Sarah McLachlan. It was love at first listen! When my hubby introduced me to Spotify last week, I simply double-clicked on the "Wintersong" album...I've listened to it at least 20 times, start to finish, since then!!
First of all, Sarah's voice is lovely and mellow. I've always liked her music. Second, her arrangements of these songs are amazing...not copycats of the originals by any stretch. The harmonies are soothing, the acoustic guitar on "What Child is This" is very gentle, giving it a folksong feel. I absolutely love her version of Joni Mitchell's "River" - not a Christmas carol at all, but a melancholy winter song..."I wish I had a river I could skate away on..."
"Wintersong" and her cover of Gordon Lightfoot's "Song for a Winter's Night" are both bittersweet love songs of longing.
This album is certainly not a yippee skippee "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" kind of album. But I LOVE it when I'm in fleecy jammies with the fireplace roaring and candles burning...can't wait for a big snowstorm!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Day One, all over again, but a little different
It's hard to believe, but after posting my thankfulness updates last month, I've decided to (try to) continue another daily blog...only this time, it will be all about something I neglected to mention last month:
MUSIC!!!!
I love,
LOVE
L-O-V-E
music of all kinds.
I grew up with music...
singing along while my grandmother played the piano,
singing along while my dad played the guitar,
playing the piano,
singing at church,
playing handbells at church,
playing the clarinet,
singing at school,
and singing some more!
I am a happier person when I can listen to music, and my "favorites" change based on my activity and my mood (quiet, classical music or Enya when I'm mellow; something crazy and dancey when I'm running.) And don't get me started on the amazing times of worship I experience when singing songs of praise to God!
Christmas music is like the penultimate of music for me. I do my best to wait until Thanksgiving is over before I start listening to Christmas music, but I admit it's very hard for me!! This year, I've discovered both Pandora and Spotify to maximize my Christmas music-listening pleasure. Eureka!!
This month, my goal is to post daily about a "significant" Christmas song, whether it's the music, lyrics and/or arrangement...and the story about why it is "significant" to me.
So here is Day One of my Christmas Music month of posts:
I think my favorite Christmas song of all time is "O Holy Night" and I know: it's been a tad overplayed on the radio, a tad overdone my some artists. But this year, I discovered a new arrangement, by BarlowGirl...it is a little rockish, a little edgy, but the descant/harmony on "di-vi-i-ine" gives me HEAD TO TOE GOOSEBUMPS every time!
This song is also very special to me because it was my father's mother's favorite...my Gram was pretty much tone deaf, but she would sing her heart out to this song! I can still smell the leather of her gloves and feel the soft fur of her fancy coat, as we would sing together at church.
And as someone who is a follower of Christ, the lyrics are particularly powerful:
O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
MUSIC!!!!
I love,
LOVE
L-O-V-E
music of all kinds.
I grew up with music...
singing along while my grandmother played the piano,
singing along while my dad played the guitar,
playing the piano,
singing at church,
playing handbells at church,
playing the clarinet,
singing at school,
and singing some more!
I am a happier person when I can listen to music, and my "favorites" change based on my activity and my mood (quiet, classical music or Enya when I'm mellow; something crazy and dancey when I'm running.) And don't get me started on the amazing times of worship I experience when singing songs of praise to God!
Christmas music is like the penultimate of music for me. I do my best to wait until Thanksgiving is over before I start listening to Christmas music, but I admit it's very hard for me!! This year, I've discovered both Pandora and Spotify to maximize my Christmas music-listening pleasure. Eureka!!
This month, my goal is to post daily about a "significant" Christmas song, whether it's the music, lyrics and/or arrangement...and the story about why it is "significant" to me.
So here is Day One of my Christmas Music month of posts:
I think my favorite Christmas song of all time is "O Holy Night" and I know: it's been a tad overplayed on the radio, a tad overdone my some artists. But this year, I discovered a new arrangement, by BarlowGirl...it is a little rockish, a little edgy, but the descant/harmony on "di-vi-i-ine" gives me HEAD TO TOE GOOSEBUMPS every time!
This song is also very special to me because it was my father's mother's favorite...my Gram was pretty much tone deaf, but she would sing her heart out to this song! I can still smell the leather of her gloves and feel the soft fur of her fancy coat, as we would sing together at church.
And as someone who is a follower of Christ, the lyrics are particularly powerful:
O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
DAY THIRTY!
Today is the final day of my 30-Days-Of-Thankfulness Attitude of Gratitude blog series! It was been truly eye-opening to focus on the many wonderful blessings in my life.
Here is my list of blessings from the past month:
hand-me-downs and givers of clothing
yummy food
snuggly bed
health
LOVE 146 and Danielle/Craft4Love
family
technology
walks on a sunny November afternoon with my precious four-year-old son
listening to my children pray
laundry
Veterans
being told "I love you"
Jesus as my Savior
my church
being a stay-at-home-mom
healthy body & fitness
written words
MOPS
trip to NYC with my mom and my daughters
time with my hubby
crafts, especially knitting
tradition/family/remembering dear friends/teaching traditions to my children
rainy days
a treasured Thanksgiving
unseasonably warm weather
family time, working in the yard together
family traditions/Christmas decorating
quality one-on-one time with my children
special time with my sisters
And on this 30th day of thankfulness, here are the lyrics to a song found in a book my second grader brought home from her class library this week:
Grateful - A Song of Giving Thanks, by John Bucchino
I've got a roof over my head.
I've got a warm place to sleep.
Some nights I like awake counting gifts
Instead of counting sheep.
I've got a heart that can hold love.
I've got a mind that can think.
There may be times when I lose the light
And let my spirits sink...
But I can't stay depressed
When I remember how I'm blessed!
Grateful, grateful
Truly grateful I am.
Grateful, grateful
Truly blessed
And duly grateful.
In a city of strangers,
I've got a family of friends.
No matter what rocks and brambles fill the way,
I know that they will stay until the end.
I feel a hand holding my hand.
It's not a hand you can see.
But on the road to the promised land
This hand will shepherd me...
Through delight and despair,
Holding tight and always there.
Grateful, grateful
Truly grateful I am.
Grateful, grateful
Truly blessed
And duly grateful.
It's not that I don't want a lot,
Or hope for more or dream of more.
But giving thanks for what I've got
Makes me so much happier than keeping score.
In a world that can bring pain,
I will still take each change...
For I believe that whatever the terrain
Our feet can learn to dance.
Whatever stone life may sling,
We can moan...
Or we can sing!
Grateful, grateful
Truly grateful I am.
Grateful, grateful
Truly blessed
And duly grateful.
Here is my list of blessings from the past month:
hand-me-downs and givers of clothing
yummy food
snuggly bed
health
LOVE 146 and Danielle/Craft4Love
family
technology
walks on a sunny November afternoon with my precious four-year-old son
listening to my children pray
laundry
Veterans
being told "I love you"
Jesus as my Savior
my church
being a stay-at-home-mom
healthy body & fitness
written words
MOPS
trip to NYC with my mom and my daughters
time with my hubby
crafts, especially knitting
tradition/family/remembering dear friends/teaching traditions to my children
rainy days
a treasured Thanksgiving
unseasonably warm weather
family time, working in the yard together
family traditions/Christmas decorating
quality one-on-one time with my children
special time with my sisters
And on this 30th day of thankfulness, here are the lyrics to a song found in a book my second grader brought home from her class library this week:
Grateful - A Song of Giving Thanks, by John Bucchino
I've got a roof over my head.
I've got a warm place to sleep.
Some nights I like awake counting gifts
Instead of counting sheep.
I've got a heart that can hold love.
I've got a mind that can think.
There may be times when I lose the light
And let my spirits sink...
But I can't stay depressed
When I remember how I'm blessed!
Grateful, grateful
Truly grateful I am.
Grateful, grateful
Truly blessed
And duly grateful.
In a city of strangers,
I've got a family of friends.
No matter what rocks and brambles fill the way,
I know that they will stay until the end.
I feel a hand holding my hand.
It's not a hand you can see.
But on the road to the promised land
This hand will shepherd me...
Through delight and despair,
Holding tight and always there.
Grateful, grateful
Truly grateful I am.
Grateful, grateful
Truly blessed
And duly grateful.
It's not that I don't want a lot,
Or hope for more or dream of more.
But giving thanks for what I've got
Makes me so much happier than keeping score.
In a world that can bring pain,
I will still take each change...
For I believe that whatever the terrain
Our feet can learn to dance.
Whatever stone life may sling,
We can moan...
Or we can sing!
Grateful, grateful
Truly grateful I am.
Grateful, grateful
Truly blessed
And duly grateful.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
twenty-nine days of being thankful
Today I am thankful for being able to spend an evening laughing with my sisters!!!! Last night, my middle sister, Amy, had a little Sing-Off Finale gathering...it was just Amy, our little sister, Kara, and me...and lots of yummy (naughty) food! We all love music, especially seriously great harmony that gives us HEAD TO TOE (why did we even bother to shave our legs?)GOOSEBUMPS! Last night did not disappoint, especially when the men of the Sing-Off covered Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run"!! We munched and talked and enjoyed and when the show was over, we spent another couple of hours talking and munching and laughing some more. I am so thankful that the three of us live within an hour or so of one another. I am thankful that, although we are all very different and we do not always agree on everything, we will always love one another deeply and honestly. We will always be there for one another, no matter what!
Monday, November 28, 2011
Day 28
Today I am thankful for time with my five-year-old daughter. I love all of my children, of course, but one-on-one time with my children, since I had four kiddos in five and a half years, can be hard to come by. Today, I just ran a few errands with my five-year-old...we dropped little brother off to preschool and then headed to the library. She helped me find the last book in the Mitford series I've been reading, and we picked out a couple of movies. She also asked to get a book in the fairy series she likes, as well as two American Girl books for herself and her sister. Next, we stopped at Aldi and filled our cart with groceries. My five-year-old is amazing at packing the bags afterwards, knowing just how to fit the cans in one bag, boxes in another, cold things in another. She is quite serious when it comes to working hard, and it makes me smile to watch her. We made one more stop at Walmart for the items Aldi doesn't carry, and then headed home. She started to decorate the "fancy tree" in the living room while I unpacked the groceries.
All of this may sound pretty ordinary, nothing terribly special, but today was a little bit different. I had just heard that a friend's five-year-old daughter was having surgery this morning...having her kidney removed and starting chemo due to Wilms Tumor Cancer. Today I am more grateful than ever for an "ordinary" day with my children!
All of this may sound pretty ordinary, nothing terribly special, but today was a little bit different. I had just heard that a friend's five-year-old daughter was having surgery this morning...having her kidney removed and starting chemo due to Wilms Tumor Cancer. Today I am more grateful than ever for an "ordinary" day with my children!
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