Tuesday, December 9, 2008

A Christmas Song I Like

Um Tulip writes:

After reading Hubby's post I have to comment as well. I do love Christmas music, and reserve it for December only. Decorating the tree with the family always included the soundtrack to 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' playing in the background, then usually a Mannheim Steamroller selection and a few other CDs, the Canadian Brass CD is in my head currently. My father has great taste in music - I'm forever grateful. Family car vacations meant listening to a lot of Peter, Paul and Mary, and Gordon Lightfoot, along with Manhattan Transfer. Occasionally we'd get stuck with the Psalty sing-along or the Sandi Patti kids cassette for us kids, but a switch to Dad's choice was always welcome. Now we play 'Bayti, ahla bayt' ' بيتي احلى بيت ' for our kids which actually I can tolerate pretty well.

At our concert last week our director did a solo of a little known Christmas song. I've posted the lyrics below. It was one I've heard before, but not often enough to even know the lyrics well. Simple melody, beautiful message, and a welcome change.

Mary's boy child Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.
And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas Day.

Long time ago in Bethlehem, so the Holy Bible said,
Mary's boy child Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.

Hark, now hear the angels sing, a king was born today,
And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas Day.
Mary's boy child Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.

While shepherds watch their flocks by night,
They see a bright new shining star,
They hear a choir sing a song, the music seemed to come from afar.

Hark, now hear the angels sing, a king was born today,
And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas Day.

Oh a moment still worth was a glow, all the bells rang out
There were tears of joy and laughter, people shouted
"let everyone know, there is hope for all to find peace".

Now Joseph and his wife, Mary, came to Bethlehem that night,
They found no place to bear her child, not a single room was in sight.

And then they found a little nook in a stable all forlorn,
And in a manger cold and dark, Mary's little boy was born.

Hark, now hear the angels sing, a king was born today,
And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas Day.
Mary's boy child Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.

Oh a moment still worth was a glow, all the bells rang out
There were tears of joy and laughter, people shouted
"let everyone know, there is hope for all to find peace".

1 comment:

Sharon M said...

I LOVED the Bach "Christmas Cantata" that Alan put together a couple of years ago. It was amazing (oh, wait, were you guys even there?). Anyway, I've become more, uh, traditional, since marrying hubby, so right now, I'm going through a lot of the more Latin hymns and such. I used to love singing in other languages when I was in choir in HS (I think almost all my solo pieces were either showtunes or some random romantic language).
BTW, I would love to know how the translation of "Breath of Heaven" into Arabic went. Have you tried to sing it yet?