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The first time I heard this arrangement of “The 12 Days of Christmas”, I knew that I had to go out and buy this group’s album:
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I liked their music so much that I bought copies as Christmas presents for our church choir director and organist (and the organist’s son loved it so much that he insisted on listening to the CD at bedtime every night!).
I couldn’t do posts of Christmas music without including an all-time favorite, but it truly defied classification. I finally came up with a solution – Christmas favorites that come to us from other countries/cultures. It just might work….
Back in 2011, I got an idea for something to do for the days leading up to Christmas – I LOVE Christmas music, both sacred and secular, so I thought it might be nice to post some of my favorites.
The thing is, I have LOTS of favorites – too many for just one post – so I decided to do a musical version of an Advent calendar, and count down the days until that most joyous day which celebrates Christ’s birth. Whenever possible, I have included links where you can purchase your own copy of each day’s selections.
I hope you enjoy my selections – some days there may be just one song; other days, I may do both a “church” and a popular song (both “classics” and contemporary); some days I may post different versions of the same song. I’m just winging it, so bear with me!
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Every family has their own “family lore” – stories handed down from generation to generation. These are generally told around the campfire, on the front porch, or around the dining room table. The good ones are side-splittingly funny; the really great ones are the ones which manage to embarass one or more family members.
Every year, Paul or I will drag out this old chestnut – it never fails to leave friends and family rolling in the aisles:
When Rebecca was a baby, Paul would oftentimes get Sarah and Michelle ready for school in the mornings. Since they were ages 9 and 10 at the time, this consisted of waking them up, telling them to get dressed/ready, and driving them 3 blocks to the school.
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Just ask my family – I’m one of the original “Fanilows“, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I’ve been hooked ever since I heard “Mandy” on the radio in 1974 (what can I say? Other girls my age went gaga for Donny Osmond – Barry’s always been “my” guy).
“When October Goes” is one of my absolute favorite Barry Manilow songs. I first heard this song on his amazing “2:00 A.M. Paradise Cafe” album*** – I managed to wear out the cassette tape from rewinding it to hear this song over and over and over…..
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Have a great day –
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***”When October Goes” is available in CD and MP3 formats – there are lots of good songs on the album (including duets with Sarah Vaughan and the “Velvet Fog”, Mel Torme).
I suppose every generation has its share of “Where were you when….?” moments – those “somethings” that happen that are so big, so life-altering, and which affect so many people that the vast majority of them have a memory etched into their mind of where they were when they heard the news, how they felt when they heard the news, and how it changed their life forever.
I can still remember that morning – it started off like any other morning. Rachel had gotten up early and was already dressed and on her way to high school with her friends, Michelle and Sarah were getting ready for school, and Paul was getting ready for work. I was resting in bed, waiting for Rebecca – who had turned 2 months old the day before – to wake up for her morning bottle.
Paul came into the bedroom and said he had just heard on the radio that a plane had hit the World Trade Center and it was on fire.
(l to r) Bev and Me, 1964
(l to r) Me and Bev, 2004
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Today would have been my little sister’s 62nd birthday.
Miss you like heck, Sis….
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(“Again Someday” by Blackmore’s Night – available on CD or MP3)
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This is one of my favorite arrangements of this beloved song –
It’s just a beautiful, soothing song, don’t you think?:
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(“Over The Rainbow” by the incomparable Eva Cassidy – available on CD or MP3)
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There are so many wonderful versions of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” out there – originally covered by John Cale, the version performed by the late Jeff Buckley is perhaps the most well-known of them all (the song has also been covered by Bon Jovi).
I think the first time that I heard this song was on the movie ““>Shrek” (sung by Rufus Wainwright). There is an amazing 4-part arrangement out there by the Norwegian quartet Lind, Nilsen, Fuentes, and Holm. Heck, it even sounds good in Italian when performed by Il Divo.
The Fat Lady Has Sung
Koch's Tour 