Despite my post on the first of the month, Michael Bublé does not have the monopoly on Christmas music, as I’ve clearly demonstrated this week. If I was thinking about Christmas songs and I went old school, Bing Crosby comes to mind. Moving more recently, and Mariah Carey’s got to be added on to the list.

Another person that comes to mind is Amy Grant and in particular her song, I need a silent night.

The song explores the crazy materialism and consumerism that is so prevalent around Christmas time in shopping centres and the like. It points out how all of this rushing around is completely disconnected from the first Christmas and, for example, the shepherds out in the fields to whom the angels came.

Now, I don’t know when it started, but I have a weird thing with this song.

In the middle of the song there is a young child who speaks in this ridiculously cute voice. They quote part of The Bible where it recounts the shepherds being visited by the angels. I don’t know what it is, but every time I hear the kid start speaking I start crying. There are even times when I’ve listened to the song that I’ve started crying in anticipation of hearing the child’s voice later in the song.

There are also other times (like right now while typing) that I’ve started crying just hearing the child’s voice in my head.

It’s really weird. I don’t do this with any other song (praise the Lord for that). Now that I’ve told you, it’ll probably never happen again. So, perhaps this was a good strategy. 

Hopefully it’s not contagious…

Yours in the weirdness,

Alison

I’ve made the same mistake before
Too many malls, too many stores
December traffic, Christmas rush
It breaks me till I push and shove

Children are crying while mothers are trying
To photograph Santa and sleigh
The shopping and buying and standing forever in line
What can I say?

I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night

December comes then disappears
Faster and faster every year
Did my own mother keep this pace
Or was the world a different place?

Where people stayed home wishing for snow
Watching three channels on their TV
Look at us now rushing around
Trying to buy Christmas peace

I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night

What was it like back there in Bethlehem
With peace on earth, good will toward men?

And there were shepherds out in the field
Keeping watch over their flock by night
And the glory of the Lord shone around them
And they were so afraid

And the angels said fear not for behold
I bring you good news of a great joy that shall be for all people
For unto you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord
And his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Prince of Peace

I need a silent night, a holy night
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day with a silent night
To end this crazy day with a silent night