It Begins...

I pulled out my Christmas Playlist on my Amazon Cloud Player today. This bodes well for me as I had kind of a grinchy Christmas last year.

Long story.

So, the fact that I'm getting the Christmas itch already, despite the joke of a summer we had here in Eastern WA, is encouraging.

As I was shuffling through Josh Groban and A Charlie Brown Christmas, David Crowder*Band's version of Oh Holy Night rose to the surface. This recording was recommended to me by my good friend Whitney, who appreciates my neurotic obsession with finding the perfect recording of Oh Holy Night, a topic which I will not get into here (you're welcome). You can read last year's post if you're interested.


I'm not sure why I'm getting the itch so early but I'm going to go with it and start the 2011 hunt and I'm looking for suggestions!


To review:
My stand-by recording for the years has been Celine Dion; she rocks vocally, but, if we're being honest, her style kinda bugs me. The biggest surprise of 2010 was Phil Wickham and I'm going to call David Crowder*Band my first kill of 2011.

I know there are hundreds out there, so hit me up with your favorite recordings of this holiday favorite or record one of your own!!

Here are a few I've already heard

Hit: Mormon Tabernacle Choir*


Near Hits:
Celine Dion
Phil Wickham
Pavarotti
David Phelps


On the Fence
David Crowder*Band
Josh Groban
Carrie Underwood
GLEE
Charlotte Church
Mariah Carey
Mario Lanza
Celtic Women


Misses
Kelly Clarkson :'(
Avril Lavigne
Martina McBride
Clay Aiken
David Archuleta
N Sync
Christina Aguillera
Jessica Simpson
BarlowGirl


*Choral and instrumental recordings don't really count, I'm looking for a solo or small ensemble recording

Jesus is the Reason...

I'll admit, I was a little grinchy this year, actually, if I'm honest, I get a little grinchy every year.

Its hard for me to "get into the spirit" when I know the spirit only lasts for about 30 days.  It seems that Christmas spirit is an ambience that depends on the presence of gingerbread candles and holiday albums to exist. It is like a short-lived mask that we put on with the Christmas lights.

It doesn't follow for me that putting a hiatus on hate, pain, selfishness, indulgence, waste, want, suffering, or bitterness for 30 days is any kind of victory. The kind of fair-weather charity and kindness that, in truth, is more about fulfilling an expected standard of joy or generosity than actually being joyous or generous for their own sake, does not hold me captive.

So why the depressing post, Sarah? Why pollute everyone else's meaningful holiday season with your humbuggery? Well I tell you this so that you'll fully appreciate the fact that

I cried on Christmas Eve.

That's right kids, I watched a emotionally manipulating, cheesy, viral internet video and I cried. I'm of course talking about A Social Network Christmas. If you haven't seen this video, its a simple retelling of Luke 2 via Facebook updates. Yep, Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, and Zecheriah are all there even the angels and shepherds make an appearance. Its a silly idea, isn't it? But, really, how much of your story is already being told via status updates?

Anyway, as I watched this film in my darkened church sanctuary, I realized with horror that I was getting more than a little misty. I did a frantic self-inventory,

"Is my cynicism still intact? Am I morphing into one of them?? Am I going to start listening to the 'Christmas Shoes' and watching Hallmark movies?!?"

It made it worse that several people in the room were laughing out loud.

"Oh no! Its a funny video! Its a gag video and I'm crying. Dangit!Dangit!Dangit!"

But, in spite of my internal panic, I realized that I didn't feel emotionally manipulated. The reason the story was so moving wasn't the music and it wasn't production; there were no lisping kids, and falsely uplifting stories. It was so moving because it was true.

The video wasn't moving, the story of Jesus Christ's birth is moving.

As I considered the reason for my tears and lined it up next to my grinchy tendencies, I realized that Christmas, as we so often celebrate it, doesn't hold any magic for me because it is about our charity and our generosity. Our charity and our generosity are so pathetic that they can barely last thirty days. We can barely extend grace to our own families for the week or so we have to spend with them; we don't reserve any Christmas cheer for the slow cashier at Wal-Mart. How can that kind of Christmas Spirit hold any magic?

The story of Christ is moving because it is not a thirty-day mask, it is not dependent on Christmas carols, or holiday smells. It doesn't exist only in candlelight. While I still object to the phrase "Jesus is the reason for the season," on principle (it just sounds a little to cute to be profound), I am beginning to understand that, even with our poor attempts to create a false sense of generosity, even with our store-front joy and airbrushed hope, we can't cheapen the message of Christ.

In fact, the more we try to paint and package Christmas the more authentic His message is by comparison. So Dr. Suess got close, with his message of Christmas without wrapping paper and bows. Charles Dickens got even closer with his message about universal love and generosity. But both, God love them, missed the mark. Christmas isn't about love or hope, it isn't about joy or generosity. Christmas is about Jesus and only Jesus.

"...God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." Gal 6:14

What's Your Favorite Christmas Song?

Another Christmas, another fruitless search for the perfect version of Oh, Holy Night.

I don't know if anyone else is as neurotic as I am about such things, but I have a thing about this song.

If you ask anyone what their favorite Christmas song is, there is a pretty good chance that Oh, Holy Night makes the top 5. It's just a beautiful song, both musically and lyrically. But, as you may have noticed, the most beautiful things also have the potential to be the most disastrous. Hearing an inept or insensitive musician perform Oh, Holy Night is like giving a toddler a chainsaw; mayhem will ensue (and someone is probably losing a leg). For this reason, I really do not like it when musicians, even musicians I like, choose to perform this song. I've been hurt too many times. Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson (Kelly, Kelly, I had such high hopes for you), Carrie Underwood, GLEE, Mario Lanza, Charlotte Church, freakin' Pavarotti! Even the incomparable Josh Groban has disappointed me.

I think the problem is most people don't realize how incredibly difficult this song is to perform well. Like a soap bubble, if you handle it without the utmost delicacy, you will destroy it. It is both a complex and subtle song with a deceptively difficult melodic line. Singing it takes legitimate chops and, like that creepy sand-tiger in Aladdin, it has devoured many an unworthy vocalist (Avril Lavigne, Martina McBride, Clay Aiken, David Archuleta, N Sync, Christina Aguillera and, truly horrifying, Jessica Simpson).

First of all, you can't do a pop version of this song, it ain't happenin'. This song MUST be sung classically or by someone with classical training. Sorry, Jess. Secondly, I just will never be able to buy someone singing "Fall on your knees" or "Christ is the Lord" when I know dang well they don't buy it themselves. That's why David Phelps comes so close to the mark, even though I think other performers beat him out musically. The lyrics to this carol are powerful and you can't do a song about Christ justice if you aren't in love with Him. Or at least I haven't seen someone do it yet.

I happen to have heard a few of my personal friends sing this song who I think rock the vocal socks off of many of the joksters who have made a mess of it. Lucky me!

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir did a fairly awesome job and I've heard some beautiful orchestral versions, but a satisfactory solo artist or small group rendition still evades me. I don't know if I'll ever find it, maybe I should check out that Susan Boyle chick?

So, now that I've share my pain with you...my favorite Christmas Song is Oh, Holy Night with honorable mentiones to The First Noel, Christmas Time is Here,  and Satchmo's 'Zat You, Santa Claus. My favorite album is probably either the Charlie Brown Christmas or Home Alone soundtrack although Bebo Norman's Christmas... From the Realms of Glory is fairly awesome as well.

What's your favorite Christmas song?