Christmas Songs, The Nativity of Christ, Oh Holy Night and Sonograms? Note to self...

Christmas brings in "The Year of Grace" in the 2012 Catholic Church. Methinks it will be a year of strife and sturm and drang; and as i ponder earlier memories of simple nativity scenes and wonderful, Fabulous Christmas music, it all seems so long ago. Note to self: find a snowy Flint Hill to sit upon and get in touch with that inner kid who was Completely Charmed by Christmas and wanted to live it Everyday.
And sang the songs at the TOp of My VOICE.

What is the magic of music, particularly Christmas music?
 something cellular, molecular is going on.
Some of my friends say, 'yeah, nausea'...'please kill me'

 i get it, some of you don't like Christmas music, that is your taste, your right-- you probably swerve on the road to hit kittens, hate birdsong in the early morning  and insult your mother's cooking too...

A knock-down performance of O Holy Night was Josh Groban's at the Vatican some years ago. But the quality of recordings i can find is poor. Nonetheless, at one point after 3 minutes or so it seems he leaves the room and is with the angels--and at the end of the song he seems to "come out if it"-- i wish i could find a good recording of it...[[Here is a youtube link that is a different

 version with good sound: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQWXfHzOKUU&feature=related]]

here is the vatican version:

Now, (not to make some of you choke but) Celine Dion has the pipes to do justice to Oh Holy Night as well.

 Listen to hear the final stanzas. She seems to "come out of it" at the end as well..."

O Holy Night - Version 1:

Oh holy night! The stars are brightly shining,

It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth.

Long lay the world in sin and error pining,

Till He appear'd and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angels' voices!

Oh night divine,

Oh night when Christ was born;

Oh night divine, Oh night, Oh night Divine.

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming,

With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.

So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,

Here come the wise men from Orient land.

The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger;

In all our trials born to be our friend.

He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger,

Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!

Behold your King, Behold your King.

Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His gospel is peace.

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;

And in His name all oppression shall cease.

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,

Let all within us praise His holy name.

Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever,

His power and glory evermore proclaim.

His power and glory evermore proclaim.

The-Blessed-Virgin-Of-Islam-by-Aliah-Schleifer_3606.html

O Holy Night - Version 2: O! Holy night! The stars, their gleams prolonging, Watch o'er the Eve of our dear Saviour's birth. Long lay the world in sin and error, longing For His appearance, then the Spirit felt its worth.

A thrill of hope; the weary world rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!

O night divine, the night when Christ was Born;

O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,

With glowing hearts we stand by the Babe adored.

O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,

And come now, Shepherds, from your flocks unboard.

The Son of God lay thus w'thin lowly manger;

In all our trials born to be our Lord.

He knows our need, our weakness never lasting,

Behold your King! By Him, let Earth accord!

Behold your King! By Him, let Earth accord!

Truly He taught us to love one another,

His law is love and His gospel is peace.

Long live His truth, and may it last forever,

For in His name all discordant noise shall cease.

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,

With all our hearts we praise His holy name.

Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,

His power and glory ever more proclaim!

His power and glory ever more proclaim!

Minuits, chrétiens / Cantique de Noël:  Minuit, chrétiens, c'est l'heure solennelle, Où l'Homme-Dieu descendit jusqu'à nous Pour effacer la tache originelle Et de Son Père arrêter le courroux.

Le monde entier tressaille d'espérance

En cette nuit qui lui donne un Sauveur.

Peuple à genoux, attends ta délivrance.

Noël, Noël, voici le Rédempteur,

Noël, Noël, voici le Rédempteur!

De notre foi que la lumière ardente

Nous guide tous au berceau de l'Enfant,

Comme autrefois une étoile brillante

Y conduisit les chefs de l'Orient.

Le Roi des rois naît dans une humble crèche:

Puissants du jour, fiers de votre grandeur,

A votre orgueil, c'est de là que Dieu prêche.

Courbez vos fronts devant le Rédempteur.

Courbez vos fronts devant le Rédempteur.

Le Rédempteur a brisé toute entrave:

La terre est libre, et le ciel est ouvert.

Il voit un frère où n'était qu'un esclave,

L'amour unit ceux qu'enchaînait le fer.

Qui Lui dira notre reconnaissance,

C'est pour nous tous qu'Il naît,

Qu'Il souffre et meurt.

Peuple debout! Chante ta délivrance,

Noël, Noël, chantons le Rédempteur,

Noël, Noël, chantons le Rédempteur!

English Translation of Minuits, chrétiens / Cantique de Noël: (N.b. the English version of 'O Holy Night' is not a direct translation of the French.) Midnight, Christians is the solemn hour When God as Man descended unto us To erase the original stain (sin) And end the wrath of his Father. The entire world trembles with expectation In this night that gives to us a Savior.

Fall on your knees, await your deliverance.

Noel, Noel, here is the Redeemer,

Noel, Noel, here is the Redeemer! The redeemer has broken every shackle

The earth is free, and heaven is open.

He sees a brother where there was once only a slave

Those who had been chained together by iron, love now unites.

Who will tell Him of our gratitude

It is for every one of us that he was born, suffered and died.

Stand on your feet, sing of your deliverance.

Noel, Noel, sing of the Redeemer,

Noel, Noel, sing of the Redeemer!

Josh Groban:

O Holy night, the stars are brightly shining.

it is the night of our dear Saviour's birth.

Long lay the world in sin and error pining,

Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! Oh hear the angel voices!

Oh night divine!

Oh night when Christ was born!

Oh night divine! Oh night! Oh night divine!

Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother,

and in his name all oppression shall cease.

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we;

Let all within us praise his holy name.

Christ is the Lord, that ever, ever praise we.

Noel! Noel! Oh night; oh night divine!

Noel! Noel! Oh night; oh night divine!

Noel! Noel! Oh night; oh night divine!

This last picture is part of a campaign from a British Group discussed in a USA today story. I think the debate over "Life" and "Science" and "Sacred" and "Divine" and "Flotsam and Jetsam" will become very heated this year. Why are we moved by Christmas music? How do soulless collections of well-evolved molecules become sentimental?

Is it OK to kill things that are in our way or is all life sacred and divine?

Beluga whale mother and baby;
video and pics  of family HERE

(At least 2 "people" have stolen

hundreds of my blog posts and

reposted them, months of them in their entirely, as if they were theirs.

I thought i might revisit my posts with a few notes added
as a way to reclaim, and psychoanalyze myself as well.)

more buddism here

this picture  and more HERE