Early Caroling!

December 11-
River - Joni Mitchell

Back on track! And, now listening to Christmas music on the iPod at work, so when a song strikes me, I'm going to post it.

This is not really a very happy Christmas song, but I've fallen in love with it this year. Especially at the times when I'm not feeling my Christmas mood so much. It's so pretty. I asked for a Joni Mitchell piano book for Christmas...

Lyrics:
It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on

But it don't snow here
It stays pretty green
I'm going to make a lot of money
Then I'm going to quit this crazy scene
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on

I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
I wish I had a river I could skate away on
I made my baby cry

He tried hard to help me
You know, he put me at ease
And he loved me so naughty
Made me weak in the knees
Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

I'm so hard to handle
I'm selfish and I'm sad
Now I've gone and lost the best baby
That I ever had
I wish I had a river I could skate away on

Oh, I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I made my baby say goodbye

It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
I wish I had a river I could skate away on

Missed a Day

Okay, okay, missed a day of Christmas songs - owe you 2...

First:
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

One of my all time favorites... pretty much anyone can sing this to me and I swoon... it always makes me think of everyone far and near and the hope I have that everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a wonderful year - "Bless everyone with us today until we meet again..."

Lyrics:
JUDY GARLAND VERSION
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
Next year all our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the yuletide gay
Next year all our troubles will be miles away
Once again as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who were dear to us
Will be near to us once more
Someday soon we all will be together
If the fates allow
Until then, we'll have to muddle through somehow
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now

FRANK SINATRA VERSION
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on, our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the yuletide gay
From now on, our troubles will be miles away
Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more
Through the years we all will be together
If the fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now

There are a lot of wonderful versions of this, but how can you post any other than the original Judy Garland:


And - Here is a great NPR snippet about the James Taylor version that came out post-9/11...

Second:
Back to the Muppets!

Medley: Alfie The Christmas Tree, Carol for a Christmas Tree, It's In Every One Of Us
This is a crazy one - it's a medley... it's just gorgeous... I can't find much information about how it came to be on the album, but just take a listen...

Lyrics:
Alfie

Did you ever hear the story of the Christmas tree that just didn't want to change the show?
He liked living in the woods and playing with squirrels
He liked ice cycles and snow
He liked wolves and eagles and grizzly bears
And critters and creatures that crawled
Why bugs were some of his very best friends
Spiders and ants and all
And that's not to say that he ever looked down on the vision of twinkling lights
Or on mirrored bubbles and peppermint canes and a thousand other delights
And he often had dreams of tiny reindeer
And a jolly old man in a tiny red sleigh full of toys and presents and wonderful things
And the story of Christmas day

Oh Alfie believed in Christmas all right
He was full of Christmas cheer
All of each and every day
And all through out the year
To him it was more than a special time
Much more than a special day
It was more than a beautiful story
It was a special kind of way

You see, some folks have never heard a jingle bell ring
And they've never heard of Santa Claus
They've never heard the story of the Son of God
That made Alfie pause
Did that mean that they'd never know of peace on earth?
Or the brotherhood of man
Or know how to love
Or know how to give
If they can't, no one can

You see, life, is a very special kind of thing
Not just for a chosen few
But for each and every living, breathing thing
Not just me and you

So in your Christmas prayers this year
Alfie asked me to ask you
Say a prayer for the wind
And the water
And the wood
And those who live there too

It's In Every One Of Us

It's in every one of us
To be wise
Find your heart
Open up both your eyes
We can all know everything
Without ever knowing why
It's in every one of us
By and by
It's in every one of us
To be wise
Find your heart
Open up both of your eyes
We can all know everything
Without ever knowing why
By and by
By and by

Okay, I'm having a hard time finding video or audio for what I want - but the beginning of this video is Alfie - makes me cry every time! But, this is the TV Special so what follows isn't It's In Every One of Us, it's The Christmas Wish - another good one...


And - this is the best I can find for It's In Every One of Us

Christmas Caroling - Day 3!

December 8 - Christmas Song - The Dave Matthews Band (or is it just Dave Matthews - I really don't know)

You thought I was going to forget didn't you! A little more modern choice this time...

When I was in Freshman at UAlbany, the guy I was dating played this song for me - it was a ploy to get me to like DMB - or - at least that's what he told me. Anyway, I remember the exact moment I first heard this song and I fell in love with it - the song, not the guy... It's really a year-round song, appropriate for Easter as well as anytime we need a good reminder of what it's really all about...

Lyrics:
She was his girl, he was her boyfriend
She’d be his wife, and make him her husband.
A surprise on the way any day any day
One healthy little giggling, dribbling baby boy

The Wisemen came, three made their way
To shower Him with love while He lay in the hay
Shower Him with love, love, love
Love,love,love
Love,love was all around.

Not very much of His childhood was known
Kept His mother Mary worried always out on His own
He met another Mary, who for a reasonable fee,
Less than reputable was known to be

His heart was full of love, love, love
Love, love, love
Love, love was all around.

When Jesus Christ nailed to his tree
Said oh Daddy-o, I can see how it all soon will be
I came to shed a little light on this darkening sea
Instead I fear I’ve spilled the blood of our children all around
The blood of our children all around
The blood of our children is all around.

So I’m told, so the story goes
The people he knew were less than golden-hearted
Gamblers and robbers,
Drinkers and jokers, all soul searchers
Like you and me, like you and me

Rumors insisted that He soon would be
For His deviations taken into custody
By the authorities, less informed than He
Drinkers and jokers, all soul searchers
Searching for love, love, love
Love, love, love
Love, love was all around.

Preparations were made for a celebration day
He said eat this bread but think of it as me
Drink this wine and dream it will be the blood of our children all around
The blood of our children all around
The blood of our children all around

Father up above
Why in all this hatred do you fill me up with love, love, love
Love, love, love
Love, love is all around
Father up above
Why in all this hatred do you fill me up with love, fill me love, love, yeah
Love, love, love
Love, love, and the blood of our children all around.

And - sung by the man himself:

Because I Care

Okay - so - I know there aren't that many people who read this blog, but for those of you who do - I have to do my part to clear up this confusion. There is an e-mail going around about sending wounded soldiers Christmas cards. It looks something like this:

"SEND TO
A RECOVERING AMERICAN SOLDIER
C/O WALTER REED ARMY MEDICAL CENTER
6900 GEORGIA AVENUE, NW
WASHINGTON, DC 20307-5001"

Please - save your 42 cents (is that the amount of a stamp?) and don't send a card to this address. It will go nowhere. Information found here:

Snopes

and here are some sites for the Holiday Mail for Heroes Program that is more legit:
Snopes Again

Red Cross

Walter Reed

Happy Mailing!

Christmas Caroling - Day 2!

December 7th -
Christmas Is Coming

My favorite Christmas album has always been and ever will be John Denver & The Muppets - songs from this album will appear frequently. I have fond memories of being in my parents' basement at our first house running around and singing this song. Plus - it's a round! One of the first things little ones are taught about music! And, it speaks to the joy of giving, rather than receiving, at Christmas...

Official Lyrics:
Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat
Please put a penny in the old man's hat
If you haven't got a penny, a ha'penny will do
If you haven't got a ha'penny, a farthing will do
If you haven't got a farthing, then God bless you!

Piggy's Lyrics:
Scooter? Yes Ma'am. Gonzo? Check. Robin? Yes, Miss Piggy.
This is what we are going to sing. Ahem,
Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat (nice),
please to put a penny in the old man's hat.
If you haven't got a penny, a ha-penny will do,
if you haven't got a ha-penny than God bless you (good).

Now Scooter, you come in after my first line, and you two boys follow.
Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat,
please to put a penny in the old man's hat.
If you haven't got a penny, a ha-penny will do,
if you haven't got a ha-penny than God bless you.

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat,
please to put a penny in the old man's hat.
If you haven't got a penny, a ha-penny will do,
if you haven't got a ha-penny than God bless you.
If you haven't got a ha-penny:uh Miss Piggy? We're finished.
Oh. I knew that.
________________

I can't find a video to put up, which is strange since the album was originally a TV special. But, this post has audio of it as sung by Piggy, Scooter, Robin & Gonzo. (The play button at the very top of the post.) Enjoy!
http://mog.com/moovyphreak/blog_post/132190

Finding Christmas

Okay, I played a Christmas concert today - which was fabulous - and worked the ASO's Magic of Christmas performance - Christmas is starting to find me...

And - in honor of Christmas - I once again begin my attempt at posting one of my favorite Christmas songs each day... we'll see if I remember!

December 6th (posted last year, too - on the live journal...):
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

As Wikipedia will tell you, Bells is based upon the poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - written during the Civil War after his son was wounded. The words still ring true today, and not only for those affected by war, but even for those of us struggling with the season.

Lyrics:
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.”

And as sung by the angel Karen Carpenter: