My favourite Christmas songs

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 08:00 PM

Oops that was ambiguous: I meant that O Holy Night was one of my favourites: Charlie's version is new. My kids' High school choir did a pretty good version.
Not sure about Tim's setting of "While Shepherds Watched" especially after spending a whole workshop last summer on that one carol to many other lovely tunes. A friend of mine is the habit of writing songs, and then sayung "It would fit to Tramps and Hawkers", to which I say "leave T & H alone and write your own tune". Lots of songs fit to the same tune if they have the same number of syllables per line.

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 07:45 PM

Just Listened to Charlie Williams' "O Holy Night" (which I'd posted as being one of my favourites in 2007!)
Great voice, but agree with ClaireBear: the backing is a wee bit heavy,in danger of over-powering even such a strong voice as yours, but good luck Charlie.

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: GUEST,Banjiman
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 06:34 AM

Has to be The Pogues & Kirsty McColl. Fairytale of New York.

Beautifully cynical!

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: open mike
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 04:11 AM

robert-earl-keen's merry-christmas-from-the-family is here:

http://www.cmt.com/videos/robert-earl-keen/39118/merry-christmas-from-the-family.jhtml

Subject: Lyr Add: CHRISTMAS TIME'S A-COMIN' (Tex Logan)
From: open mike
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 03:57 AM

CHRISTMAS TIME'S A-COMIN' by Tex Logan
Popularized by Bill Monroe

Holly's in the window home where the wind blows
Can't walk for running Christmas time is coming.

CHORUS: Can't you hear them bells ringin'
Bringin' joy to all Don't you hear them singin'
When it's snowing I'll be going back to my country home
Christmas times a' coming Christmas times a' coming
Christmas times a' coming and I know I'm going home.

Instrumental break

Home fires burning my heart's yearning
For the folks at home when Christmas time is coming
Snowflakes falling my old home is calling
Tall pines are humming Christmas time is coming

Holly's in the window home where the wind blows
Can't walk for running Christmas time is coming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXfBYXElPII&feature=related

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Bob Landry
Date: 11 Dec 10 - 10:10 PM

Can't say I enjoyed the temperature today, Tim. Started this morning pushing snow around and spent the rest of the day helping my son and his family move to a new house. Best I can say is that I survived.

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Tim Chesterton
Date: 11 Dec 10 - 10:58 AM

Hi Bob Landry! Are you enjoying this brisk Alberta morning?

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Monique
Date: 10 Dec 10 - 05:39 AM

Does anybody know this one? Well, my actual question is "would anyone be interested in it?"

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Bob Landry
Date: 10 Dec 10 - 01:43 AM

My favourite Christmas songs:
- The Rebel Jesus (Jackson Browne)
- The Innkeeper (Lennie Gallant)

Hi Tim Chesterton. We're practically neighbours. I'm in St-Albert.

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Ref
Date: 09 Dec 10 - 09:55 PM

Try iTunes. You can get it but you have to buy an album.

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Tim Chesterton
Date: 09 Dec 10 - 08:31 PM

I don't know where you live, AC. I live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. No one I have played this song for so far has ever heard it sung to anything other than Old Winchester, and no one I've sung it for has ever heard 'the Homes of Donegal' before, either.

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Artful Codger
Date: 09 Dec 10 - 04:08 PM

"What is" would include at least ten other existing variants, and the number of tunes that would make a more satisfying alliance is legion. But back to favourite Christmas songs...

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: GUEST,Hilary
Date: 09 Dec 10 - 03:56 PM

"Christ Child's Lullaby" is my favorite too. I am rather fond of all of the old carols in the Christmas Revels Songbook. Although my second favorite is a German one, "Es ist ein Ros' Entsprungen." You probably know it as "Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming." I'm still trying to memorize the German words.

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: JohnB
Date: 09 Dec 10 - 02:39 PM

Sorry Artful Codger, for me it works as good or better than "Crimond" or "Amazing Grace" and it his own well presented version of the words, how many of us can say that?
I would agree, it's not quite "Cranbrook" or "Pentonville" but what is.
JohnB.

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Artful Codger
Date: 09 Dec 10 - 01:49 PM

My apologies, but it seems a bit gratuitous to set "While Shepherds" to such an overused and lackluster tune like "The Homes" (aka "Paddy West" aka "Trampers and Hawkers"...), particularly when there are already so many settings for this carol, many delightful and relatively obscure. Indeed, it is clearly the most often reset carol text; avoiding the familiar "Old Winchester" tune is as easy as fishing with dynamite. I listed over forty alternatives in a recently revived thread, and that only took a bit of Googling. There's nothing wrong with creating yet another setting, of course, but realize that the bar has already been set pretty high.

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Tim Chesterton
Date: 09 Dec 10 - 04:55 AM

I've just recorded my Christmas song for 2010 - it's 'While Shepherd's Watched' sung to the tune of 'The Homes of Donegal'. You can hear it on Reverbnation here .

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: cptsnapper
Date: 06 Dec 10 - 08:53 AM

My favourite serious Christmas song is Gabriel's Message

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: GUEST,glueman
Date: 05 Dec 10 - 05:12 AM

That was me'sen sans cookie.

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Dec 10 - 05:11 AM

Past Three O'clock, the old carol (George Ratcliff Woodward) is a good one. Anything with grinding poverty, bone chilling cold and the subversion of a rigid social order appeals. (Wenceslas et al)

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: open mike
Date: 05 Dec 10 - 04:12 AM

I have been searching for christmad carols
and cowboy christmas songs...and found this
http://www.carolingcorner.com/
I like Wylie Gustafson's version of this song
formerly done by John Denver-it was written by Steve Weisberg
(even though credit is often given only to John)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3YgqVeHRBE&NR=1

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: cptsnapper
Date: 05 Dec 10 - 03:03 AM

Santa Claus Blues as sung by Banu Gibson

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Leadfingers
Date: 04 Dec 10 - 09:22 PM

100

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Leadfingers
Date: 04 Dec 10 - 09:21 PM

May / Leger - XmasPhobia - 'I Hate Christmas'

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: andrew e
Date: 04 Dec 10 - 09:03 PM

One of my favourites.

In Dulci Jubilo. R L Pearsall

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

I have a SATB arrangement[by moi] of O Holy Night if anyone would like it. Email me. [e-mail]
We're singing it in three choirs this Christmas.

Andrew :)

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 04 Dec 10 - 07:42 PM

Seen her birth certificate, Keith?

Outright speculation and guesswork should not be presented as proven fact.

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: open mike
Date: 04 Dec 10 - 02:21 PM

there is a cute christmas album with the muppets and john denver..
this had/has some wonderful songs on it...

wow there are many christmas songs listed here
http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/HTML/index_of_carols_c.htm

here are a couple of you tube videos of the the cowboy christmas song
by steve weisberg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ckqxq8SBeI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HtIZ3MccEw

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: open mike
Date: 04 Dec 10 - 01:52 PM

some of my favorite christmas songs are on an album by
Connie Kaldor & Bim, New Songs for an Old Celebration...including
We're Gonna Sing, which includes a
whole bunch of christmas carol names

and Cowboy Christmas which says
REMEMBER THAT THE ANGELS CHOSE TO SING FOR SHEPHERDS
AND SHEPHERDS WERE THE COWBOYS OF GALLILEE

there are several other wonderful song on this collection
including island santa,
if we ever make it thru december....
and others.

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: mayomick
Date: 04 Dec 10 - 10:09 AM

My favourites are The Holly and the Ivy and the Cherry Tree Carol . I also like the wassail ones if they can be included here - particularly the Wassail All Over the Town
I always get a good laugh out of Adeste Fidelis as crooned by Bing Crosby and the strange lyrics of The First Noel - all part of the Christmas spirit.

The one I find most annoying is the one by either Dire Straights or Chris Rhea or some shitty cross between the two its called , Travelling Home for Christmas.

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Tim Chesterton
Date: 03 Dec 10 - 07:30 PM

in "The Truth from Above" (E. trad) one stanza ends with "Woman was mad with man to dwell", and the next begins with "Thus we were heirs to endless woes"!

Actually that's only in the abridged version. Look up the full length version.

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: ClaireBear
Date: 03 Dec 10 - 05:31 PM

Charlie Williams, your voice is beautiful. I would love to hear it in a starker arrangement, but that is my personal taste.

I've "liked" you on Facebook, so I hope I will be informed if you do any live performances. Best of luck.

Claire

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: GUEST,Charlie
Date: 03 Dec 10 - 05:14 PM

Hey all, if you like the traditional classics, I'd love you to listen to the version of "O Holy Night" I just recorded. I'm offering it as a free download. Let me know what you think & Enjoy your holidays.
Twitter: @CharlieWMusic

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 03 Dec 10 - 04:58 PM

As for my favourite verses in a carol, in "The Truth from Above" (E. trad) one stanza ends with "Woman was mad with man to dwell", and the next begins with "Thus we were heirs to endless woes"!

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 03 Dec 10 - 04:33 PM

i like to sing The Cherry Tree Carol.
i remind listeners that Mary would have been at most 13, and probably only 12 when she conceived.

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: ClaireBear
Date: 03 Dec 10 - 03:23 PM

I just realized that what all those have in common is that they're all shepherds songs. I've always been a sucker for shepherds plays, too, so I guess that fits. Also: I love the Sacred Harp piece Sherburne, which is -- of course -- a setting of "While shepherds watched their flocks by night."

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: ClaireBear
Date: 03 Dec 10 - 03:12 PM

My favorite one to sing has got to be "Shepherds Arise" (here sung by Poor Old Horse). My favorite one to hear would probably be somewhat less UK-centric that I could never hope to sing adequately myself, like this version of the African American spiritual Rise Up Shepherd and Follow by Cantus, or this truly rockin' verion of ""la cambo me fai mau"" from Provence (this version is sans Christmas content, though; failing Malicorne's version which I can't find online, here's a choral version with the Christmas content in: "La jambe me fait mal" sung by Chorale Jacou). I'm really fond of the Sicilian "Bagpiper's Carol" too, but have to get back to work now...

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 03 Dec 10 - 12:43 PM

OOps sory about that little mistake:-

My favourite Christmas song (Folkie style that is)

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 03 Dec 10 - 12:42 PM

Subject: Lyr Add: THE GIFT (Stephanie Davis)
From: open mike
Date: 03 Dec 10 - 12:10 PM

Ever since I heard it, I have loved this song
THE GIFT by Stephanie Davis Recluse Music (BMI)
http://www.stephaniedavis.net/The%20Gift%20Tracks/The%20Gift%20tracks%2012/tg-v.mp3

A poor orphan girl named Maria was walking to market one day
She stopped for to rest by the roadside where a bird with a broken wing lay
A few moments passed 'till she saw it, for its feathers were covered with sand
But soon, clean and wrapped, it was traveling in the warmth of Maria's small hand

She happily spent her last peso on a cage made of rushes and twine
She fed it loose corn from the market and watched it grow stronger with time

Now the Christmas Eve service was coming, and the church shone with tinsel and light
And all of the townfolk brought presents to lay by the manger that night
There were diamonds and incense and perfumes in packages fit for a king
But for one ragged bird in a small cage, Maria had nothing to bring

She waited till just before midnight so no one would see her go in
And crying, she knelt by the manger, for her gift was unworthy of Him

Then a voice spoke to her through the darkness: "Maria, what brings you to me?"
"If the bird in the cage is your offering, open the door—let me see!"
Though she trembled, she did as He asked her, and out of the cage the bird flew
Soaring up into the rafters on a wing that had healed good as new

Just then the midnight bells rang out and the little bird started to sing
A song that no words could recapture, whose beauty was fit for a king

Now Maria felt blessed just to listen to that cascade of notes sweet and long
As her offering was lifted to heaven by the very first nightingale song

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 03 Dec 10 - 12:07 PM

The Holly and the Ivy

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 03 Dec 10 - 11:31 AM

Hopefully, GUESTRita found the words to "Winds through the olive trees" in 2008. There's a set in THIS THREAD

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Tim Chesterton
Date: 03 Dec 10 - 10:54 AM

I really like some of the old folk carols like 'The Holly and the Ivy', 'Coventry Carol', and 'The Truth Sent from Above'. I've recently taken the words of 'While Shepherds WAtched Their Flocks By Night' (I like the words but really don't like the usual tune) and reset them to the Irish tune 'The Homes of Donegal'. I'm recording a version of this to send out to the folks on my Christmas list this year.

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 12 Nov 08 - 04:21 PM

"O Holy Night" has long been a favorite. I prefer it with a full choir, a really powerful tenor or a rich brass ensemble, as an instrumental. "Mary's Boy Child" is another, probably because it reminds me of my early calypso days in the 1950's. There is an innocence about it and a pretty melody line.

Subject: Wind through the olive trees
From: GUEST,Rita
Date: 12 Nov 08 - 12:48 PM

"Wind throught the olive trees"
Is there anybody who knows the text? I have got the notes but we want to sing the song with our pupils - they even suggested I should invent the lyrics - oh dear! Help!

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: MikeRebec
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 12:18 PM

Christmas in Australia by Roaring Jelly and Jogging along on my reindeer by John Kirkpatrick are fum Christmas songs and the albums Christmas Album by Jethro Tull and In the Bleak Midwinter by Gordon Giltrap are certainly worth a listen.
Most hated? I agree with a previous contributor; anything that commercialises the season and, of course, THAT AWFUL record by Slade and the one by Roy Wood's Wizzard.

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: coldjam
Date: 02 Dec 07 - 05:30 PM

"Oh Holy Night" is my all time favorite, although Christmas in the trenches gets me weeping every blasted time. My favorite this year is a new one we're doing by Johnathn Coulton called "Chiron Beta Prime." Starts out:

"This year has been a little crazy for the Andersons.
You may recall we had some trouble last year.
The robot council had us banished to an asteroid.
That hasn't undermined our holiday cheer.
And we know it's almost Christmas from the marks we make on the wall. And that's our favorite time of year.

Chorus: Merry Christmas, from Chiron Beta Prime-where we're working in a mine for our robot overlords-did I say overlords-I meant protectors-Merry Christmas, from Chiron Beta Prime..."

Maybe you gotta be a sci-fi geek to appreciate it...

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: Ref
Date: 02 Dec 07 - 09:37 AM

Eros:

John Gorka does a lovely version of that one! And thanks for the history!

Subject: Lyr Add: I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY
From: erosconpollo
Date: 02 Dec 07 - 08:10 AM

I'm quite fond of I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY. Words by Longfellow and lovely singable melody by Calkin:

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild 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.

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.

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 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."

It's not just a 'Christmas song' but also a bit of a prayer for peace, written by Longfellow during the War Between the States.

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: skarpi
Date: 02 Dec 07 - 06:09 AM

Jólahjól its mine favourite.

All the best skarpi

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: GUEST,frogette
Date: 02 Dec 07 - 05:35 AM

Dont any of you go wassailling. We go round the pubs in Hertfordshire every December and collect £1,200 - £1,400 for charity and have a brilliant time doing it.

Have a look at http://www.beerfordbury.co.uk/BBTWTA/index.htm its got all sorts of information including the words to some of the wassails we do and the Boars Head Carol

Subject: RE: My favourite Christmas song
From: oldhippie
Date: 01 Dec 07 - 09:19 PM

Mrs. Fogarty's Christmas Cake
and
Let's Put the X Back in Christmas (Country Dick Montana & Candye Kane)