Mad for Music

I love Christmas music.  And when I say “love” I don’t mean I enjoy it mixed in with other music or the occasional Christmas concert.  I mean LOVE with all capital letters.  I love it so much that as soon as I wake up the day after Thanksgiving my music is totally dedicated to Christmas music. I’ll even fess up to sneaking in a little song or two here and there before Thanksgiving.  Shhhh!  Don’t tell.  So color me surprised when I discover a new song.  There are two that are new to me this year and I am thrilled to share them with you.

Let’s start with the silly, fun one.

DOMINICK THE DONKEY

Dominick dates back to 1960 but somehow, someway I have missed this little gem until this year.  Thank you to Sounds of the Season, channel 433 on my local cable, for enlightening my family.  All three of us fell in love with Dominick’s song.  It is silly, fun and catchy.  Also seeing how we have a soft spot for donkeys and mules at our house you can imagine this was an immediate classic.  Don’t forget if you too love donkeys and mules to watch Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey.  Be sure to keep a tissue handy.  OK, back to Dominick!  Perhaps the reason I have never before heard Dominick’s song is because Dominick is an Italian donkey and let’s face facts, there really aren’t a lot of Italians in my neck of the woods. Ha-ha

Here is a video of Dominick the Donkey.

YOU’RE HERE

We have all heard the lovely Christmas Carols about the Baby Jesus and there is even one that is from Joseph’s point of view called Joseph’s Lullaby.  The songs all sing about the Christ Child’s birth and the miraculous events of the time.  This week I heard a song from Mary’s point of view that was so beautiful and profound that I was moved to tears as I drove to work.  The song is You’re Here by Francesca Battistelli.

Here is a sample of the lyrics.

I’m staring into the face of my Savior

King and Creator

You could have left us on our own

But You’re here, You’re here.

Someday I’m going to look back on this

The night that God became my baby boy….

When I was listening to the song on my drive to work I was struck by all the emotions that Mary must have felt especially when I thought back to the first time I held my own children in my arms.  I sometimes get so caught up in the adult life and death of Jesus that I forget He was once a tiny baby. 

I’m not going to say much more about this song.  I want you to listen to it and discover the beauty on your own.

You’re Here

OK, OK…so I can’t leave a blog post about Christmas music without tossing in one of my favorites. After all, I am sure it is impossible to be in a bad humor while listening to Burl Ives sings Holly Jolly Christmas!  And as someone that leaves mistletoe out all year – wishful thinking!!??!!? – I particularly like the bit about the mistletoe. Ha-ha!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.  Matthew 1:21