Carol of the Bells

Could someone, please, for the love of God, point me towards a traditional recording of this song? By traditional, I mean IT USES BELLS and PEOPLE SING THE WORDS. I have the Mannheim version, I have the Harry Connick, Jr version, I have 5 different versions. What I don’t have is one that actually plays the damn song on bells while people sing the chorale. iTunes, Amazon, don’t care. If I absolutely have to, I’ll buy an album.

Thanks in advance folks, you’re my only hope.

According to Wiki actual bells aren’t part of the song.

The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir does what I consider a traditional version. I’ll hunt around for one with bells for you.

Don’t know if you can get a recording of it but here are The Utah Valley Handbell Ringers and the Utah Baroque Ensemble performing it live.

Robert Shaw Chorale, unaccompanied, no bells: http://www.amazon.com/Carol-of-the-Bells/dp/B001V5LYVC/ref=sr_1_cc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1290565162&sr=1-2-catcorr

mp3 download available, from the CD “A Festival of Carols”.

It’s the Wilhousky arrangement noted in the wiki article. This is the only version I’ve ever sung in choirs for Christmas ever since I was a kid.

Some of of the people sing “ding, dong, [etc.]” during part of it. Were you perhaps thinking of that when mentioning playing it on bells?

The original is a capella. I’ve also heard it done exclusively on hand bells. I have not hear the traditional version done with bells and vocalists. I’m not exactly sure how you would do it, really.

I found one I liked while researching a parody I had to write to help out a victim of America’s longest war. I’ll include the knockoff with the link because, hey, you might as well blow your own horn, nobody else wants to put their lips on it…:

OPEN UP THE CELLS! (“Carol of the Bells”)

Look how the laws–
Millions of laws–
Grew out of touch:
Too big, too much.

This War on Drugs [background: Free – dom! Free – dom! etc.]
Turned cops to thugs.
Bad law incites
Loss of our rights.

Add up the cost,
Count all we’ve lost,
But look around:
Drugs still abound.

Millions are jailed.
Face it: You’ve failed.
Innocent folk
Just want to smoke.

Who can respect
Power unchecked?
Change–we’ll forgive,
Freely to live!

Spin, Earth! Revolve!
Peace will evolve!
Humanity
In harmony!

Time for us to reassert our freedom!
Time for us to reassert our freedom!
“Live Free Or Die!”–
These words we cry,
So life can be
Peaceful and free.
Free – dom! Free – dom! Free – dom! Free – dom! Freeeeee!
[Repeat]

A few years ago I went to a concert where this was performed a capella…in the original Ukrainian. Turns out the original is not really a Christmas carol.

here is an original version sung by the don cossack choir of s. jaroff. this is the version i grew up with.

it is the first song. the second is a folk song.

Slight hijack but this version of Carol of the Bells just kills me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiIDxYtCP7s

The link goes to the anime video of Carol of the Bells A search on YouTube turns up one about cell phones.

On a personal note, Mike Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells” has ruined this song for me. Growing up, they sounded to similar to where my sister and I used to call “Carol of the Bells” that “satanic Christmas song.”

I like his cover of the Grinch song, also.

Here’s a nice Cast In Bronze (thanks ThisSpaceForRent) Carol Of The Bells youtube video.

I prefer it as an instrumental–mainly because the lyrics are so lame.

This kicks ass.

Or you might to put a merry little Cthulhu in your holidays : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ftld7Ohojg