This little melody is Tiny Tim’s theme in Scrooge, the 1951 Christmas classic starring Alistair Sim (which we watched yesterday). The toys in the shop window are all genuine antiques–although I think the big guffawing mechanical doll might have freaked me out when I was little. Anyhow, this tune has been part of our Christmas here for over 40 years, and I’d like to share it with you today.
I can’t believe we went so long without this old favorite–Good King Wenceslas, performed by the Irish Rovers. It may make you want to dance.
Wenceslas was not a king, by the way; but he was a nobleman, and well loved for his saintly and generous ways. Popular opinion promoted him to king after his death.
I’m surprised no one has asked for this yet–O Little Town of Bethlehem. And who better to sing it than Nat King Cole, with the voice of an angel?
This isn’t exactly a Christmas hymn, and I don’t know who’s performing it–but it will serve to wash some of the nooze out of my head. And anyhow, we all know why we so gladly celebrate Christmas–don’t we? Without the birth of Jesus Christ, it’s nothing much: so He is the source of the joy expressed in this carol. It is from God that all blessings flow.
If you went over to my aunts’ house anytime around Christmas, Andre Rieu was on their TV. They couldn’t get enough of his Christmas specials. I like to remember this.
Anyhow, here he is with his Johann Strauss orchestra–Andre Rieu, O Holy Night: dedicated to Gertie, Millie, and Joan.
Turn up the volume for this–and watch out that your furniture doesn’t start dancing.
This is the Idaho Falls Symphony Orchestra, with the combined Idaho Falls high school choirs, belting out Ding-Dong Gloria on High–complete with strings, glorious drums (oh, the drums!) and, joy of joys, a harpsichord. Really, I am quite overcome–tears in my eyes. But wit you well (as old Tom Malory would say) they are but tears of joy: for Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.
This isn’t really a Christmas hymn, but Erlene requested it, and besides, it brings back fond memories to me. We sang this in our seventh-grade Christmas concert. Mr. Held’s entire home room, including me, was drafted into the choir. I was in the back row with all the other kids who couldn’t sing–but never mind, it was fun: and there was no one there to complain about it.
Fun fact: Did you know one of Burl Ives’ middle names was Ivanhoe? Cool!
Georgia asked for this one: The Little Drummer Boy, by Bing Crosby and David Bowie, from the last TV special Bing ever did.
“Thewhiterabbit” asked for this–and why not? I Wonder as I Wander, performed by the Cambridge Singers. Really quite beautiful.
Remember, everybody, we take hymn requests. So if there’s a hymn you’d like to see posted on this blog, just let us know.
Well, they’ve taken down the Creche across the street, so I guess that means Christmas is over. It makes me a little sad to see it go; but if it didn’t, then we’d take it for granted and it would have no impact.
Even so, one more Christmas hymn–Angels from the Realms of Glory, sung by the King’s College Choir, at Cambridge.