Here we come a caroling

I'm totally stealing this blog post idea from Lisa, but I decided not to clog up her comments with any more links and just post them here! She talked about favorite Christmas carols yesterday, and of course I was off and running. So, here's a bit of drive-by caroling for you. It's a little scattered, but isn't that kind of how life is at the moment?

I mentioned hearing "Noel Nouvelet" at Gail's son's high school concert Tuesday night and the memories it brought back of junior French class. We learned carols in French then had a French caroling party, which ended up at one of the student's homes for hot apple cider and holiday treats. I was extremely shy in junior high and high school, and this is one of my best school memories ever. I felt comfortable participating in this activity whereas I was normally terrified of going to activities away from school with classmates. I felt a part of it, included, and it's a warm memory indeed.

I got to thinking about these beautiful songs, and I entered the youtube video spiderweb. Because you know it's like a spiderweb--once you climb in, it's hard to climb back out.

I remembered another one we sang--"Un Flambeau, Jeanette, Isabelle!"--and found this lovely harp guitar performance. (I'm not sure I've heard of a harp guitar before. Looks like it was built in 1915. What a beautiful instrument!)

I can't hear this song anywhere, ever, without getting little chills.

Un flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle
Un flambeau, courons au berceau.
C'est Jesus, bonnes gens du hameau,
Le Christ est ne,
Marie appelle
Ah! Ah! Que la mere est belle
Ah! Ah! Que l'Enfant est beau.



Let's see how well my retention of the four years of French class is:

Bring a torch, Jeanette, Isabelle
Bring a torch, come see what is here.
It's Jesus, good people of this village
Christ is born
Mary is calling
Ah! Ah! How beautiful is the mother,
Ah! Ah! How beautiful is the baby.

And now for the official translation. Huh, not bad!:

Bring a torch, Jeanette, Isabella
Bring a torch, come swiftly and run
Christ is born,tell the folk of the village
Jesus is sleeping in His cradle
Ah, ah, beautiful is the Mother
Ah, ah, beautiful is her Son

That was fun. There's are more verses, but I'll let you look those up yourself.

Here's a performance of "Noel Nouvelet." I don't recognize this group (Anuna?), but they remind me of Celtic Woman. This is the way we sang it. Solemnly, that is--not that we looked this good. :) Some versions are more upbeat.



And for a recent favorite, "If it wasn't for the Night," from my favorite singer/songwriter, David Wilcox. I couldn't locate a video or song play, but you can link to the full lyrics here. Here's just a peek.

... Even then somehow in the bitter wind and cold
Impossibly strong I know
Even then a bloom as tender as a rose
Was breaking through the snow
In the dark night of the soul
In the dark night of the soul

If it wasn't for the babe
Lying helpless on the straw
There would be no Christmas day
And the night would just go on ...

Last year, my brother sent us a recording of my five-year-old nephew singing a Chanukah song, over and over and over and over ... until finally, you hear my brother whisper in the background, and he quits. Cutest thing ever.

Chanukah, with what do we celebrate? With gifts and games and candles bright!
Chanukah, ohhhhhh, what a miracle! Only enough oil for just. one. night!

The world "oh" got longer each time, as well as the definition between just, one, and night. (Couldn't find the specific lyrics, so this might be a slight paraphrase.)

Thanks for taking a stroll with me. I hope you're hearing (and yes, singing along) with all your holiday favorites, too.

Tag, you're it, and warm wishes for a very happy Christmas, Chanukah, or whatever you happen to celebrate in your neck of the woods!