So here is the playlist that will be non-stop on my radio for the next month, and if you love traditional songs, that are achingly, hauntingly, spiritually Christmas try these...you may be able to discern certain preferences in artists and songs from this glimpse into my Christmas spirit.
- Song for a Winter's Night - Sarah McLachlan (I heard this on the radio one morning -years ago- as my alarm went off and spent the next year of my life trying to track down the song and the artist.)
- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings - Barenaked Ladies/Sarah McLachlan (I love this arrangement so much, and when it turns into We Three Kings...."King forever, ceasing never, over us all to reign...King and God and sacrifice - hallelujah, hallelujah worship Him God most high" /shivers)
- Belleau Wood - United States Navy Band (though I did not know the language the song was "Silent Night" then I heard my buddy whisper all is calm, and all is bright.)
- Do You Hear What I Hear - Carrie Underwood (Listen to what I say, pray for peace people everywhere!)
- Baby It's Cold Outside - Dean Martin (yes it is a little date-rapey "Say, what's in this drink?" also the woman is uncredited on my version, but I think it's more that she does want to stay but doesn't want to deal with judgy-judgersons tomorrow, "My maiden aunt's mind is vicious") Also I think this is the sole non-religious/spiritual song on this list - make of that what you will.
- Silent Night - Kenny Chesney (Kenny and an acoustic guitar, quiet accompaniment after the first verse, you don't get more traditional that this rendition with literally no bells or whistles.)
- The Holly and the Ivy - Mannheim Steamroller (You guys, I don't even know the words, but this is one of my favorite Christmas melodies and while Mannheim Steamroller can really get carried away by bold, brash, garish tricks in the arrangements this is one where they let the beautiful, traditional melody shine through.)
- What Child is This - Lonestar (see: Silent Night above)
- Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella - Mannheim Steamroller (see: The Holly and the Ivy, when they get it right, they really get it right.)
- I Saw Three Ships - Sting (I just love the funky percussion in this one. "And all the angels in Heaven shall sing on Christmas Day in the mornin'.)
- O Holy Night - Collin Raye (Not only is this just a lovely, traditional version akin to KC and Lonestar it also contains the rarely heard third verse, which is THE BEST VERSE!
"Truly He taught us to love one another. His law is love and his gospel is peace. Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother, and in His name all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, let all within us praise His holy name. Christ is the Lord. Oh praise His name forever. His power and glory evermore proclaim."
- Stille Nacht - Mannheim Streamroller (Chills, over here. CHILLS.)
- What Child is This? (Greensleeves) - Sarah McLachlan (She really nails the lullaby rhythm of this song. "Let loving hearts enthrone Him. Let singing fill the earth and sky. Joy, joy for Christ is born, the babe the son of Mary.)
- Christmas Cannon - Trans-Siberian Orchestra (because do you know the only thing that will make Pachelbel's Cannon in D better? Make it a Christmas song!)
- Silent Night - Sarah McLachlan (seriously, though, her voice is just so well-suited for Christmas hymns.)
- Greensleeves - Mannheim Steamroller (Here is what Chip Davis writes about his arrangement,
"Because of the staggering number of requests for this, I decided to do it again (fourth time) for this album ... This is an Old English folk song from around the time of Shakespeare. I save the beauty of the entirety of the tune until the last of the arrangement as not to wear out its charm"
When the full power of melody plays at the end of the song - WOW. It is my very favorite arrangement of this, my very favorite Christmas song.
- Veni, Veni (O Come, O Come Emanuel - Mannheim Steamroller (My 8th grade choir sang this for our Christmas concert and I was bowled over by how beautiful it was, and is. Again, from the liner notes,
"When I decided to arrange this, I started looking for an unusual way to go about this arrangement. The melody really reminds me of a Gregorian chant and I thought that would be very unusual to hear on a Christmas album. It also seemed neat to accompany the chant with hand-bells ... as for the choir ... I thought the purity of the Cambridge Singers with "cathedral echo" seemed most appropriate. As the arrangement and performance mediums got more unusual. I decided to do the most unusual of all...translate it to Latin. I asked my friend if he knew of anyone who could translate "O Come, O Come Emanuel" to Latin to add to the unusual approach. He said, "Oh, it's already in Latin; in fact, it was written in Latin because it was originally a Gregorian chant." And was probably performed with hand-bells."
- Still, Still, Still - Mannheim Steamroller (I heard this song for the first time during 7th Grade Choir - another Christmas concert - and I fell in love with this quiet, peaceful lullaby.
- Cantique de Noel (O Holy Night) - Mannheim Steamroller (So, of my 5 favorite Christmas songs Mannheim Steamroller's A Fresh Aire Christmas has 4 out of the 5 in absolutely divine arrangements. It is almost the perfect Christmas album.
- Were You There on That Christmas Night - Dickens Carollers (Another Choir Christmas concert song, one I love so much I kept the sheet music. "Did you hear how the choirs of angels sang at the glory of the sight? Did you hear how the bells of Heaven rang all through the night? Did you know it was God's own son? The salvation of the world begun? Did you know it was love that was sent from above to the earth?"
