Part of the reason that “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” sounds sad is because it was originally a gregorian chant.
In the liner notes of their Christmas album, Chip Davis of Mannheim Steamroller relates how he thought he was clever coming up the idea to translate the lyrics to Latin and arrange the song with a gregorian chant feel. Through research he discovered…that it was originally a gregorian chant, sung in Latin.
If you want to hear a haunting rendition of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” you should listen to Mannheim Steamroller’s rendition.
Heard it again yesterday on the way home from work. The artist is El Vez. (God bless multi-line read out displays) It’s a beautifully haunting song, but I can’t tell if it’s supposed to be taken seriously or if it’s a satire.
It’s also the title song of Willie’s Christmas album, “Pretty Paper” - which can get you blue just from the sound of his voice, even when he’s singing “Here Comes Santa Claus”. Willie’s “White Christmas” on that same album is also my favorite version.
The song that really gets me is Stevie Wonder’s “Someday At Christmas” – especially:
One of the radio stations around here recently played this song in the middle of a trifecta which started with “Grown Up Christmas List” by Amy Grant and ended with John and Yoko singing “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” and I swear to Og, I just wanted to stick my head in the oven when it was done. I busted out crying several times during the day after that – and I am choking up just thinking about it now. (I am such a DORK.)
May I just note (because I’ve seen “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” mentioned several times in this list) that it’s rather obvious to see who in the Beatles actually had the songwriting talent, despite the constant byline of “Lennon/McCartney”.
When the Beatles broke up, Lennon wrote and recorded “Happy Xmas (War is Over)”.
And I, for one, believe that he should be shot without trial for that. Even Wham! wrote a better Christmas song than the steaming pile of crap that is “Wonderful Christmastime.”
'Cause I know you can’t seriously think that “Last Christmas” is better than anything at all (except “The Christmas Shoes.” Everything is better than “The Christmas Shoes”).
Hey! I love that song! Seriously. It’s totally lame, and I know it, but I still like it. I can’t stop myself from singing along when I hear it on the radio.
In the interest of redeeming myself, though, I would like to also nominate “Merry Christmas Darling” by the Carpenters as one of the saddest Christmas songs ever. It breaks my poor, lame little heart to hear Karen’s voice on that one. Another one is “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” as sung by Ella Fitzgerald.
I was listening to the radio just now and heard a new contender. No musical genre does maudlin like Country. It’s almost as bad as that horror about the Christmas shoes – the only thing it’s lacking is mention of Jesus or Heaven. I really expected the kid to die at the end.
Of course, think about it: this creepy Santa guy calls up an orphanage and somehow arranges to pick up a child from it immediately, with no background check or anything. Can we say bribery? There’s no way he got this child through legitimate channels.
Aussie Paul Kelly. He is kind of an Aussie Bob Dylan - writes deceptively simple songs that are just pure genius. However they are very Australian and probably aren’t much known overseas.
How To Make Gravy
The lyrics are here and if you are lucky you may find a way to hear it too.
Joe is singing to Dan from jail :
Hello Dan, it’s Joe here, I hope you’re keeping well
It’s the 21st of December, and now they’re ringing the last bells
If I get good behaviour, I’ll be out of here by July
Won’t you kiss my kids on Christmas Day, please don’t let 'em cry for me
and then he sings about family stuff…until…
Oh praise the Baby Jesus, have a Merry Christmas,
I’m really gonna miss it, all the treasure and the trash
And later in the evening, I can just imagine,
You’ll put on Junior Murvin and push the tables back
And you’ll dance with Rita, I know you really like her,
Just don’t hold her too close, oh brother please don’t stab me in the back
I didn’t mean to say that, it’s just my mind it plays up,
Multiplies each matter, turns imagination into fact…
The way he delivers all that tears me up. I never thought about prisoners at Christmas but now I can’t ignore it.
Personally I think Death Cab for Cutie does a wonderful rendition of “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”. The singer’s voice has just the right plaintive pitch without it turning into total whining. For some reason that hits a note with me…
Then there’s the second verse in What Child is This?
Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear, shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you,
Hail, hail, the Word made flesh,
The babe, the son of Mary.