Sounds Like Love

What do you get when you get about 500 high school students together for a weekend of prayer, worship, music, fellowship, singing, pizza, host homes, choreography, and Bible study...and end it all with two amazing concerts?

You get Sounds Like Love.

This past November was my first time ever going to Sounds Like Love—in fact, before coming to my current church I had never even heard of it. As it turns out, that was my loss. Sounds Like Love is a Christian high school choral festival. You get about 500 high school students together for a weekend, they learn music and choreography for 7 songs (imagine the world's largest Christian show choir), and put on two concerts on Sunday afternoon.

That’s it in a nutshell. But if I were to stop there, it wouldn’t do justice to the power of God…the way God uses this weekend to touch the lives of the kids who participate, as well as those who help and come to the concerts, is almost indescribable. But I’m going to try anyway.

As church, we gather as individuals who come from different walks of life, different experiences, God has expressed himself in our lives in different ways. He shows himself to us through the faces of others when we meet, and we become community. I witnessed the same thing happening on a couple of levels last month…first, within our own group of kids from my church, and secondly, within the whole group of 500. The folks that run the weekend do a great job of allowing for that fellowship and relationship building time all while still focusing on the goal of putting together a great concert.

But the majority of our time together focused on the music itself. The kids, over the course of a day and a half, had nine hours of very intense rehearsal time. Friday night they split into their sections to work on just the music. They spent an hour and a half that night going over their part in the seven songs for the concert.

Saturday consisted of seven and a half hours of rehearsals, with worship, meals, Bible studies, and special speakers to help break up the day. This was when all the choreography for the music was learned. The director’s name is John Jacobsen, and he’s just absolutely amazing. As soon as he came in he immediately started working on choreography with the kids, and soon everyone was following along—even those who weren’t all that sure about this whole dancing thing at first.

And everything we did tied back to a sense of mission, a sense of calling. The leaders continuously stressed to the kids that what they were doing wasn’t just having fun singing, dancing, and getting to know each other (though all of those things definitely were happening), they were providing a ministry. They were ministering to each other, to the people who were coming to hear them sing, and ultimately they were being challenged to continue ministering when they returned home. Their gift of music is a ministry unto itself, but it involves so much more than that. I tell these kids all the time that they are not the FUTURE of the church. They ARE the church. They are the church right now. And as the church, God has called them through their baptism to lives of love and service. They are a city on a hill. They are the light of the world. And experiences like Sounds Like Love help empower them to discover, rediscover, and live out their calling.

Here's a clip from the opening number from this year's concerts. It's called Sing.

Enjoy!



LH

Twelve Days

Yes, I realize the twelve days of Christmas are the days between Christmas and Epiphany...

...but this video is too great not to share now.

It's by Straight No Chaser, an acapella group from the University of Indiana, and is a wonderfully inventive (and very well-sung) version of The Twelve Days of Christmas. You get your first clue that this is going to be out of the ordinary when from the beginning, they lose track of which day they're on. Sure enough, further in, Rudolph, Carol of the Bells and Deck the Halls all make cameo appearances, as do the Dreidel Song and the 80's rock group Toto.

It's a classic. Even better than the Mackenzie Brothers (you know that one: "and a beer...in a tree"). Much better sung, too. Of course, just about anyone can sing much better than the Mackenzie Brothers.

Except, of course, Yoko Ono. Eek.

Anyway, here's the clip. Enjoy!

Theme and Variations

So yesterday, Kiddo decided to release his inner Billy Joel with a command performance of his hit Theme and Variations on Mary Had a Little Lamb. Which comes complete with a zen statement (everything is snow), a rockin' piano solo in the middle, and even a whispered bridge section for dramatic emphasis. And not long after he starts, he realizes that his sheet music is upside-down. =)

Enjoy!

Pachelbel Bedtime

Earlier, I posted a link to a very funny rant about Palchelbel's Canon in D. Here's a take that's just as funny (especially if you're a parent), but also very touching. A dad wrote words to the tune of Canon in D about trying to get his kids to take a bath and go to bed.

Absolutely heartwarming and hilarious--enjoy!

(And many thanks to J for sending the link in the first place!)



LH

Happy Songs

There are songs out there that, for me at least, are...well, transporting isn't the right word but it's the closest I can come. They take me somewhere else. It's a feeling of happiness, freedom...like I'm ready to begin a long summer road trip.

Without a doubt the #1 song that does that for me is "I Got A Name" by Jim Croce. (The English major in me cringes typing the incorrect grammar in the title, but a title's a title!) There's something about the lyrics, the running guitar and soaring strings...one of my favorite songs ever. Here's a clip:



Are there any songs that take you to a "happy place?"

LH

Ken Medema

Yesterday was my new church's 125th anniversary celebration, and for it they invited the incomparable Ken Medema to help lead worship in the morning and then to perform in concert in the afternoon.

Amazing. Simply amazing.

I had seen a couple of different videos of Ken, but it really just doesn't compare to seeing him live. The man can play and sing literally ANY kind of music--he can make a piano and a synthesizer sound like a full band or orchestra--he can be given random words and notes and make up entire songs on the spot using those themes--he can hear people's lifestories and immediately compose and perform a song based on what they just told him.

And he's blind.

Here's an example. Yesterday, during the concert, he asked for three random words. Someone said "love," another person said "cabbage," and I threw out one of my favorite words: "gazebo."

He then asked for three notes. He was given A, Db, and B. I think he found that too easy, so he asked for a fourth.

He was given F.

B to F is a tritone--"the devil's interval," according to composers. In the following clip, listen for the A, Db, B, F progression--Ken makes a big deal of letting us hear it, and the way he uses it is pretty humorous.

So, without further ado, a song composed yesterday, probably never to be heard again--Ken Medema's Ode to Love, Cabbage, and Gazebos.



LH

It Is Marvelous! Part 2

Yesterday I posted about a hymn I wrote...I've since had three separate requests to hear what it sounds like. Now Fridays are my day off, and I try to be as strict as I can about not going to the "office" on my days off...however, I was out and about today checking items off my weekly Friday "honey-do" list, so I made an exception and stopped by the church.

The only digital recording device I own is my camera, so not only do you get to hear the hymn, you also get to see almost 4 full minutes of an empty sanctuary as seen from next to the organ in the balcony! What a treat...

There's a short introduction at the beginning, and I didn't sing along, which will be a relief to many of you I'm sure. I also added the requisite "half-step festival keychange on the final stanza" (which isn't part of the sheet music, but which I think sounds nice).

And please be kind--while I prefer the sound of the organ for this piece, I'm a much better pianist than organist.

So, without further ado, I give you: the World Wide Web debut of It Is Marvelous!



LH

It Is Marvelous!

My congregation is celebrating its 75th anniversary this coming Sunday. Last year, before I came on board, they selected Psalm 118:23 as the anniversary theme. It reads, "This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes."

Some time ago, I set about writing a hymn for the anniversary. I knew I needed to incorporate Psalm 118:23, but with the anniversary celebration on Palm Sunday, I also wanted to make sure to reference that as well. I wanted the hymn to be celebratory, but not in a "yay, us!" kind of way...rather, giving glory to God for what God has done. And not just specifically for this congregation, but for all of God's people around the world and throughout time. I guess what I was hoping to do was write something that could be easily recognized as celebrating both the congregation's 75th anniversary and Palm Sunday, but still be "generic" enough to be usable at other times of the year and in other places. I also wanted something that would sound good when accompanied by organ, piano, or praise band. Don't know how well I succeeded in any or all of that, but I'm pretty happy with it.

So as I scanned the rest of Psalm 118, I found some really great words and imagery that I incorporated into the hymn (the psalms were written to be sung anyway, right?):

• Psalm 118:1--"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!"
• Psalm 118:22--"The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone."
• Psalm 118:23--"This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes."
• Psalm 118:26--"Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord."

There's some other Biblical references:

• Matthew 21:9--"The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, 'Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!'"
• John 1:29--"The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, 'Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!'"
• John 15:5--"I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing."
• Matthew 5:14--"You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid."
• Luke 19:40--"He answered, 'I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.'"
• Isaiah 55:12--"For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all of the trees of the field shall clap their hands."
• Isaiah 64:8--"Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand."
• Ephesians 2:8--"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God..."

Attached below is a "lead sheet" with notes, lyrics, and chords. Please feel free to copy, reprint, and use it yourself. I have a piano accompaniment part that I've written as well, though it's pretty basic. No royalties or anything--I'm not out to make money on the deal--but an email to lutheranhusker@yahoo.com letting me know you're using it would be cool, just for my own curiosity's sake. If you click on the music, it should come up nice and big for you. And if you're interested in the piano part, just email as well and I'd be happy to send it along.

Blessings to you as we approach the day of resurrection!

LH

(Note: due to requests, I've now posted an audio "demo" of the hymn here.)

Prodigal Grace

For any of you out there who follow the lectionary on Sunday mornings, the Gospel reading this Sunday is the parable of the prodigal son. As someone who in many, many ways has lived out this parable, it's a very meaningful piece of scripture for me.

And I've got the perfect song for it.

You know, how when the son's on his way back, his father spots him at a distance and starts running out to meet him?

Well, this Sunday, sandwiched between the Gospel reading and the sermon, our pastor will sing (and I will accompany) the Phillips, Craig and Dean song Mercy Came Running.

So with the Gospel reading...and the song, the congregation's going to get to hear the Gospel proclaimed twice in a row...and then yet again in the sermon...and then yet again in the Hymn of the Day after the sermon--Amazing Grace.

Think we'll be driving the point home enough?

For those who are unfamiliar with Mercy Came Running, here's the words:

Once there was a holy place

Evidence of God's embrace

And I can almost see Mercy's face

Pressed against the veil

Looking down with longing eyes

Mercy must have realized

That once His blood was sacrificed

Freedom would prevail

And as the sky grew dark

And the earth began to shake

With Justice no longer in the way

Chorus: Mercy came running

Like a prisoner set free

Past all my failures to the point of my need

When the sin that I carried

Was all I could see

And when I could not reach mercy

Mercy came running to me

Once there was a broken heart

Way too human from the start

And all the years left it torn apart

Hopeless and afraid

Walls I never meant to build

Left this prisoner unfulfilled

Freedom called but even still

It seemed so far away

I was bound by the chains

From the wages of my sin

Just when I felt like giving in

Repeat Chorus

Sometimes I still feel so far

So far from where I really should be

He gently calls to my heart

Just to remind me...

Repeat Chorus

May mercy come running to you,

LH

Okay, one last American Idol post today...

...I promise, this will be the last one today. Really.

Back to Melinda Doolittle for a moment. I found a clip of her performance of I'm a Woman, W-O-M-A-N from last night. Watch it, and compare/contrast with her performance of My Funny Valentine that I have linked here.

Both are equally brilliant, but in such different ways. The stylistic range she shows is incredible.

If you have a moment, continue watching the I'm a Woman clip after she finishes singing. Pay particular attention to her reactions when the judges praise her. The woman's honestly bewildered by the gobs and gobs of praise being heaped on her. Like I said in my other post, she has no idea how amazing she is.

I love it. I freakin' love it. No matter what happens in the coming weeks on American Idol, Melinda Doolittle is gonna be a star, and it honestly couldn't happen to a more deserving person.



LH

Did I just hear 311?!?!?!?!

On the subject of American Idol (see the post below), Sweetie and I were sitting in the living room, watching the guys sing on Tuesday night. Blake Lewis was up to sing first.

I immediately recognized the song, but was having trouble placing who it was that originally sang it.

Then it dawned on me. We were listening to a 311 song!!!!

When I was in high school, 311 was a local group in Omaha that was well-known in the area. It was a group of kids from, if I remember right, Westside High School who were a couple of years older than me...and they rocked. Unfortunately, the vast majority of their shows were in "over-18 only" venues, and since I was under 18, that meant I only got to see them once. At a place in Omaha (now closed, I think) called the Ranch Bowl.

Yeah, I was under 18 at the time. I'm such a rebel. Pffffft.

But anyway, they got a record deal sometime in the mid-90's and have been pretty big with the high school/college set since. They have kind of a Red Hot Chili Peppers-meets-Jamiroquai sound to them. Funky, not quite reggae but almost sometimes, not quite rap but almost sometimes...sometimes hard rock, sometimes not-so-much...they're hard to really put a label on. It was cool to see one of their songs done on American Idol in a "hometown-kids-make-it-sorta-big" kind of way. I'll try to ignore the fact that not a single one of the judges recognized the song.

I swear, they're so out of touch.

Hadn't they ever been to the Ranch Bowl?

LH

Melinda Doolittle

Ladies and gentlemen...your NEXT American Idol...
.
.
.
.
.
...Melinda Doolittle!

That's right. Please, executives at Fox, 19 Entertainment, Simon Fuller, whoever might have a say in this...just end the American Idol competition now.

In its place, I'd like a weekly 2 hour Melinda Doolittle concert, please.

This girl doesn't just sing. She can SANG!!! (That's "sing" with attitude...say it out loud to get the full effect of the word.) And the way she commands the stage--good lord, she's a lil' bit Tina Turner, a lil' bit Aretha Franklin, and a lil' bit Gladys Knight.

Would it be sacreligious to say I'd rather listen to Melinda Doolittle than any of those three?

Not that there aren't other extremely talented folks in the competition. There's a few, that in other seasons, I'd consider front-runners.

But this just ain't fair. Melinda's in a league of her own.

And the best part about the whole thing? She's so doggoned humble about the whole thing. And it's not fake humility either, you know, the kind where it's obvious the person knows they're amazing but they're saying all the right things to sound nice. She looks honestly surprised whenever the judges praise her after each of her performances. No, Melinda still has no idea what a gift she has.

Or for that matter, what a gift she is.

Seriously, if you have DVR or a VCR, record American Idol. If you're not a fan of the show, feel free to fast-forward through the other contestants' bits. There's 3 or 4 other folks that are definitely worth listening to if you're so inclined, but I understand if you're not. At the very least, find Melinda Doolittle's song and listen. You will not spend a more enjoyable 4 to 5 minutes in the rest of your week.

Here's a clip from last week's show. Melinda's singing My Funny Valentine. Enjoy.



LH

A surprise visit

Paul Simon (the musician, not the politician) was at my church Wednesday during our Lenten worship service.

Let me explain.

I had planned to play a generic Lenten piece as a piano solo during the offering Wednesday night (In The Cross of Christ I Glory, I think). During the pastor's sermon, though, something started tugging at me. We're doing a 6-week series called The Valleys of Lent, which looks at some of the "down" times in the Bible and in our own lives, and how God walks with us. This particular sermon discussed the story of Joseph (you know, the one of Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat fame) being sold into slavery by his brothers, and their eventual reconciliation. The general theme was the pain caused by others being transformed into the cross of Christ.

Something told me I needed to look for another song. And it needed to be sung as well as played. Not that there's anything wrong with what I was going to do, I just felt compelled to look.

So look I did (yes, during the sermon...sorry, Pastor!). And I found, in my ELW Accompanist's Edition, hymn #703, O God, Why Are You Silent? The tune is a familiar one--O Sacred Head Now Wounded, but the words are newly-written ones by Marty Haugen. It was too perfect. So I quickly set up a microphone by the piano (thank goodness I was by myself in the balcony) and accompanied myself while singing it during the offering. There was a relatively small congregation in church Wednesday night, so I just did the first and last stanzas, which were the most appropriate anyway. Here's the words of those verses:

O God, why are you silent? I cannot hear your voice;
the proud and strong and violent all claim you and rejoice;
you promised you would hold me with tenderness and care.
Draw near, O Love, enfold me, and ease this pain I bear.

May pain draw forth compassion, let wisdom rise from loss;
oh, take my heart and fashion the image of your cross;
then may I know your healing, through healing that I share,
your grace and love revealing, your tenderness and care.

Good stuff.

So what does Paul Simon have to do with all of this? Well, I didn't want to sound like I was just playing something generic out of a hymnal, even though that's exactly what I was doing, so I arpeggiated the accompaniment, changed up the rhythm of the lyrics a little bit, and when I got to the "the image of your cross" I took the melody high. It was spontaneous, yet there was something about it that felt right...comfortable...almost familiar. I finished it pleased with the song itself and how it had gone.

Then, a couple of hours later, driving home alone in my car, it hit me why it all felt so familiar.

I had just, in the changing of accompaniment and rhythms; as well as changing the melody in that one phrase, unconsciously imitated Paul Simon's song American Tune, which itself is based on O Sacred Head Now Wounded.

The Spirit does work in mysterious ways...apparently, one of them is through Paul Simon.

And that's how Paul ended up in my church this past Wednesday.

BTW, for those who haven't heard it, here's a clip of American Tune:



LH

Great Big Sea

Well, I only have a few minutes to post and I've been on such a great roll with posting lately...I don't wanna lose that momentum!!! Soooooooo...I figured I'd introduce you to another of my fave groups, Great Big Sea. I mentioned them a couple of months ago real briefly--they're an Irish maritime folk rock band out of Newfoundland, and they're AWESOME. Check out some of their live stuff sometime on YouTube. For now, here's a video of one of my favorite songs of theirs...Consequence Free. Enjoy!



LH

Had enough Taylor Hicks yet?

I ran across these clips just a little bit ago. As you may or may not know, Taylor Hicks is getting ready to start his first solo tour. He's got an 8 piece band he's rehearsing with, and they have some of the rehearsals up on rehearsals.com.

There's others to be found up there, but here's 2 that I thought were particularly good. The first I wanted to include because it's not a cover. It's a song Taylor wrote that's on his Under The Radar album called Hell of a Day. As a matter of fact, the album version of this song was the first non-American Idol performance of his that I ever heard. An Alabama public radio station had done an interview with him a year or 2 before Idol, and still had clips of the interview as well as 2 songs from his independently released album on their site. It was after hearing Hell of a Day that I realized this gray-haired guy I had started to root for on the show was the real deal, and when I changed from a casual fan to a much bigger fan. Click on the link to watch and listen:

(Note: I just checked to make sure the links work...when the video page comes up for some reason you'll need to click the little link in the top right corner that says "big" to get the video to play. Not sure why, but hey, if it works why ask, right?)

Hell of a Day

The other one I wanted to include was Taylor's (rehearsal) version of Billy Preston's You Are So Beautiful. When done poorly, this can be one of the most boring songs on the planet, but when done well, it'll raise the hairs on your arms and bring a tear to your eye. He screws up the harmonica solo at the end, realizing at the very end of the clip that his harmonica is in completely the wrong key for the song...and I love how cool he thinks it is that he's singing a Billy Preston song while wearing a Billy Preston t-shirt. Good stuff. Here's the link:

You Are So Beautiful

I so can't wait for the concert!

LH

Soul Patrol! Redux

Well, a couple of days ago I posted about getting to see Taylor Hicks in concert coming up in March.

Since then, my fellow Soul Patrollers have been coming out of the woodwork...apparently, my blog's now linked on a couple of message boards. A big LutheranHusker welcome to all of you!

Steer clear of conversations concerning onions and thudding and all will be well in this little corner of the blogosphere. =)

To clear up a couple of misconceptions that I've seen pop up:

• I'm not a pastor. I do work in a church as a Director of Christian Education and Music, I do play the organ, I do lead Bible studies and Sunday School and all that kind of thing, but I've not been to seminary. I am in what the ELCA calls the candidacy process for an Associate in Ministry designation. If you think of it as sort of the church's equivilent of an associate's degree for laypeople, you're on the right track. I wrote some more about it, as well as my personal sense of call, here. In the past, I served in sort of a pastoral role for a campus ministry, but I did it as a layperson.
• I do live in Nebraska...though I'm going to the Iowa concert, I'm a Nebraskan through-and-through.

Glad to meet you all, and please feel free to keep reading. I like to write about a bunch of different subjects, just to keep myself interested more than anything else, I suppose. I've found that I tend to gravitate to the subject matters of faith, my family ("Sweetie" my wife and "Kiddo" my 3 year-old son), and great quotes from Scrubs (of which there are MANY to choose from). That being said, just about anything is fair game if it's something I'm interested in. =)

So today, knowing there's an audience out there who's interested in good music by under-appreciated artists, I'm gonna pimp two of my favorite newly discovered musical acts: Storyhill and Joshua Radin. Neither of them sound much like Taylor Hicks at all, but they each have a distinctive sound that touches me.

Joshua Radin is someone I stumbled across just last week. If you like Simon and Garfunkel at all, you've gotta check this guy out. Great lyrics, great singing, great guitar, and definitely with that Paul Simon vibe. One of his songs was on the soundtrack for The Last Kiss, and I'm pretty sure he's been featured in some Scrubs episodes as well. Here's a clip of him singing Star Mile live...if I didn't know any better, I'd assume this was some obscure Simon and Garfunkel song that I just hadn't had the privilege of hearing yet:

Now, for Storyhill. Storyhill is...in a word, awesome. Many, many thanks to my good friend RevScott for introducing them to me. They sort of have two home bases--Minnesota and Montana, and you'll find a number of references to both places in their music. They are a duo...Chris and Johnny both play guitar and sing and...very important for me...they also write all their own music. This is a clip of them playing Steady On. One note--the sound in this clip is way off from the video, so don't let that throw you off.

LH

A teacher's legacy

I ran into Mr. Reimer, my high school choir teacher while on my way to the Nebraska-Colorado game a couple of weeks ago. He's still teaching, though it's at a different school now. He "retired" from the high school he had taught at for the past 29 years just this last May, and his son put together a big surprise party for him, inviting all the alumni he could find. There was at least one person there representing each class from 1977 through 2006. And, with only an hour beforehand to practice, we had a mass alumni choir sing 3 songs a la Mr. Holland's Opus, with our beloved teacher directing. I've got a clip from our rendition of Bridge Over Troubled Water below.

Part of my job description now is church music director, and as part of that I'm responsible for directing the church choir. Other than my high school choirs, I have absolutely no formal vocal or choral training whatsoever, so whatever I do have I owe to Mr. Reimer. I found myself slipping in a "Reimer-ism" during choir rehearsal last night. The choir was practicing "Still, Still, Still" for the Christmas Eve service. The men and the altos keep time with half notes for most of the arrangement, with the sopranos having the only real moving part in the song. We were short on sopranos last night, and they were being overpowered by the others, so I stopped them and said, "okay...sopranos? You're Gladys. The rest of you? You're all Pips. All you Pips out there, when you're singing, think to yourself, 'can the congregation hear Gladys?' And Gladys? You're the one everyone came out to hear, so let 'em have it!"

Anyone reading this who was never in one of Mr. Reimer's choirs right now is thinking "well okay, that's nice." I can guarantee you though, that if you're reading this and ever had Mr. Reimer as a teacher, you've got a big ol' goofy grin plastered on your face.

Here's the clip from Bridge Over Troubled Water from back in May (sorry, our camera didn't have enough memory to get the whole thing). If I say so myself, not bad for a bunch of amateurs who were doing some glorified sight-singing...please excuse the audience members who started clapping woefully out of time:

T.A.(P)D.

Favorite Christmas Songs/Hymns

Well, I've covered musical Christmas annoyances...it's only right that we should address that Christmas is the subject of some of the most beautiful music ever written. Honestly, I think that's what annoys me about BAD Christmas music...it's like, there's so much GOOD stuff out there, why did you have to go write and/or sing this crap? My Christmas musical taste generally covers two extremes, which maybe mirrors the two theological extremes that converge in the Christmas event. In reflecting, I love big, powerful Christmas music, and I love quiet, simple Christmas music. Much of the stuff in between is fine too, but those are definitely my two preferences. And in a way, maybe that does mirror what happened at Christmas...we have the Lord of the universe coming with choirs of angels...but we also have a relatively anonymous teenaged mother giving birth in a barn. And both perspectives describe the same event. The post-modernist in me LOVES that kind of juxtaposition. So, on to the music (again, in no particular order):

Oh Holy Night: A couple of caveats here. First, ya gotta include all 3 verses. The first verse is nice and all, but the other 2 verses are such treasures...and far too often we don't get to hear them. There's some good, meaty theology of the cross to chew on in there. The third verse in particular is my favorite. Here's the text of the whole hymn for those who may not be aware of the other verses:

Oh holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees, Oh hear the angel voices,
Oh night divine! Oh night when Christ was born!
Oh night divine!
Oh night divine!

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here come the wise men from Orient land.
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our friend.
He knows our need, to 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 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! O praise his name forever!
His power and glory evermore proclaim!
His power and glory evermore proclaim!

The second caveat is almost as important. This hymn HAS to be done right. Strong and powerful in the appropriate places, soft and subdued in other places. This isn't one that you can just belt it out for all it's worth (like say, Joy to the World) and it's not one that you can sing as a lullabye (like Silent Night). It's a little of both. And when done right, it will raise the hairs on the nape of your neck and bring tears of joy and wonder to your eyes. As far as versions you hear on the radio, there's actually very few that I'd classify as very good. Faith Hill does a good job with the nuances between strong and soft, but if I remember correctly she only sings the first verse. Most versions only sing the first verse, which is really too bad. I think musically my favorite version is Michael Crawford's. I haven't heard it yet this year and I don't remember offhand if he uses more than one verse, but I think he does. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

What Child Is This? First, I love the hymn. I love that it addresses both the humanity and divinity of Christ. The humility and the exaltation. I love that there is a verse that also points to the cross: "Nails, spear, shall pierce him through; the cross be borne for me, for you; hail, hail, the Word made flesh; the Babe, the son of Mary." And I love, just simply have fallen in love with the gorgeously simple arrangement John Denver did of this beautiful song. For me, his is the definitive rendition.

What Child is this who, laid to rest on Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet, while shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and Angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud, the Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate, where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here the silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through, the cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh, the Babe, the Son of Mary.

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh, come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings, let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise a song on high, the virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born, the Babe, the Son of Mary.

Mary, Did You Know? A relatively new song that also points to the cross as well as addresses the humanity and divinity of Christ. It was originally written by Mark Lowry, who is well known in many Christian circles (though not by many Lutherans) as part of Bill Gaither's band and a funny, though hyper Christian comedian. Frankly, you could have knocked me over with a feather when I first found out he had written this. It's been recorded by a number of folks, but I have yet to hear the recording that does full justice to this beautiful song:

Mary, did you know that your baby boy would someday walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered will soon deliver you.

Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm the storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little baby, you've kissed the face of God.

The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again.
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak the praises of the Lamb.

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding is the Great I Am!

Joseph's Song Maybe it's because I'm a daddy now...but this beautiful song by Michael Card gets me every time. Just imagine Joseph holding his baby, eyes closed, asking God "how could it be? How can a man be father to the Son of God? Lord, for all my life I've been a simple carpenter--how can I raise a King? How can I raise a King?" Doggone it, I'm getting all teary-eyed just TYPING about this song. I know how completely unworthy I felt when my own son was born...this song really drives home how Joseph must have felt. Whenever I accompany myself on this song, after the final "how could it be?" I always go up an octave and play the "sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace" ending from Silent Night. It seems to fit well, both thematically and musically, even though it's not part of the original arrangement.

If you've never heard this song before, do me a favor. Go out and purchase a copy of Michael Card's The Life, and listen to Joseph's Song. While you're at it, listen to the rest of the double-album as well--it goes through the life of Jesus, and Michael Card is an incredible songwriter. Here's the lyrics for Joseph's Song:

How could it be, this baby in my arms
Sleeping now so peacefully?
"The Son of God," the angel said--how could it be?

Lord, I know he's not my own.
Not of my flesh, not of my bones.
Still Father let this baby be the son of my love.

Father show me where I fit into This plan of Yours.
How can a man be father to the Son of God?
Lord, for all my life I've been a simple carpenter.
How can I raise a king? How can I raise a king?

He looks so small, his face and hands so fair.
And when he cries the sun just seems to disappear.
But when he laughs, it shines again.
How could it be?

Father show me where I fit into this plan of Yours.
How can a man be father to the Son of God?
Lord, for all my life I've been a simple carpenter.
How can I raise a king? How can I raise a king?

How could it be, this baby in my arms
Sleeping now so peacefully?
"The Son of God," the angel said--
How could it be?

For Unto Us a Child Is Born That's right, an oldie but a goodie by our old friend George Fredric Handel. Rich text, lifted straight from the prophecy in the 9th chapter of Isaiah, beautiful and memorable melody, and when done well by a chorus and orchestra, an amazing experience. Not to mention the fact that I always think of my sister, who when she was young was convinced that the song was about a "Wonderful Constable."

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given,
and the government shall be upon His shoulder;
and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor,
the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

T.A.(P)D.

"So, Let's Have a Patrick Swayze Christmas..."

From the Mystery Science Theater 3000 classic Santa Claus Conquers the Martians:

Open up your heart and let the Patrick Swayze Christmas in.
We'll gather at the Roadhouse with our next of kin.
And Santa can be our regular Saturday night thing.
We'll decorate a barstool and gather round and sing.

Oh, let's have a Patrick Swayze Christmas this year!
Or we'll tear your throat out and kick you in the ear!
It's my way or the highway, this Christmas at my ba-ha-haar.
I'll have to smash your kneecaps if you bastards touch my car!

I got the word that Santa has been stealing from the till.
I think that that right jolly old elf had better make out his will ohh!

Oh, let's have a Patrick Swayze Christmas, one and all.
And this can be the haziest...this can be the laziest...
This can be the Swayziest Christmas of them AAALLLLLLLLLL!"

Silly? Pointless?

Yes. (After all, that was pretty much the whole point of MST3K...to be both silly and pointless, in an incredibly intelligent way.)

However, I would contend that there are "Christmas" songs out there that get regular radio airplay that are just as pointless. Or, dare I say annoying. And I'm not talking about songs like Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer or the McKenzie Brothers' 12 Days of Christmas (you know, "on the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me...a beer." Yeah, that one.). Those are meant to be silly, pointless, mildly annoying, etc.

But, here, in no particular order, is my list of most annoying Christmas songs that just get under my nerves and I really hate them with a passion:

1) The Christmas Shoes. I'm a sucker for sappy stories, but this one is just too doggone contrived. All they needed to do was put in something about a dead dog and a pickup that won't start and they could've had a country hit on their hands. I'm not sure why, but instead of feeling sad when I hear this song, I feel sarcastic. And used. And a little bit angry. Not exactly "the Christmas spirit..." Oh...and just because something mentions Jesus doesn't mean it's not a piece of drivelish crap. You don't get a free pass musically OR lyrically just for writing a Christian song.

2) Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime by Paul McCartney. At least I think that's the title...after all, that's pretty much all he sings the whole song. And the tune, once it's in my head it never leaves. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing sometimes, but with this song since the tune is just ONE LINE LONG it's the same thing over and over and over..."simply having a wonderful Christmastime...simply having a wonderful Christmastime...simply having etc."

3) Last Christmas by either Wham or George Michael...does it really matter? "Last Christmas I gave you my heart, but the very next day you gave it away. This year to save me from tears, I'll give it to someone special..." GAG. Personally, I think his problem is that he doesn't realize one can give one's heart away on days OTHER than Christmas. George, if it doesn't work out, you don't have to wait another 364 days, buddy! But PLEASE quit singing about it...

4) Step Into Christmas by Elton John. Um, only Elton John can get away with beginning lyrics like "welcome to my Christmas song, I'd like to thank you for the year." And the only thing that even MAKES this a Christmas song is that he uses the word "Christmas" a few times. The song itself, honestly, I do enjoy. But the absolute #1 most annoying thing about this one is the way it was mixed. You hear the instrumentals just fine, but it sounds like Elton's singing in the next room. I can just see him banging on the wall: "Hey! You!!! Welcome to my Christmas song!!!"

5) Christmas Canon by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. First, I'm kinda jaded about the whole Canon in D thing--too overused for pretty much EVERYTHING. But I could live with it if it wasn't for those KIDS singing "on this night, on this night, on this merry Christmas night, on this night, on this night, on this merry Christmas night" over and over and over and over and OVER. It's like a musical woodpecker eating away at your brain.

Well, that's 5 to get you started. Any others to add to the list?

T.A.(P)D.